Provision of Safeguarding Support for Covid-19 Inquiry

Tender description

Crown Commercial Service, intends to put in place contracts for the provision of Emotional Support services for use by the Covid 19 Inquiry. The Inquiry has pledged to be trauma-informed across all of its work. A trauma informed approach means seeking to reduce the risk of retraumatisation to people who are engaging with the Inquiry. Emotional support is one of the key ways of reducing retraumatisation by offering timely, sensitive, psychologically informed emotional support to people engaging with the Inquiry’s work. Emotional support is not counselling or therapy. The focus is on facilitating the person’s engagement with the Inquiry, creating support plans, facilitating stabilisation, providing psychological containment and facilitating the person’s journey through their engagement process. The contracts shall provide the offer of emotional support for everyone engaging with the Inquiry. This engagement will occur through three main routes: 1. Public Hearings People will engage with the Inquiry through public hearings, whether that be as a witness or a member of the public attending hearings 2. Every Story Matters The Inquiry will use its Listening Exercise, Every Story Matters to gather people’s experiences of the pandemic through online form submission, targeted research, commemoration activity and engagement events. 3. Inquiry Staff Inquiry staff will be exposed to potentially distressing materials throughout the lifetime of the Inquiry. The services will be divided into 3 separate Lots: - Lot 1 Digital emotional support service with accessible offer for ALL (phone call equiv to texts) - Lot 2 Phone based and face to face emotional support - Lot 3 Staff-related tender for reflective practice, 1:1 emotional support for staff and training rollouts Lot 1: Digital emotional support service with accessible offer for ALL (phone call equiv to texts) - Digital service offering - Website with easy to navigate, downloadable psychoeducation materials including advice, self guided resources. - Stories of courage and hope from people impacted by Covid - Text based support service available to anyone who needs it - Triaging - the digital service provider would triage clients according to need. Pathways into Tier 2 would be swift and robust. Lot 2: Phone based and face to face emotional support - Emotional support via telephone, video call (or F2F if at a community event), offering: psychological safety building, support plans, containment, risk assessment where needed. - Pathway from Tier 1 to Tier 2 for ESM ppts who are significantly distressed by their engagement. - Everyone could be given the details of the website for resources but some individuals engaging with the Inquiry would go straight into the Tier 2 level. - Direct entry pathway into Tier 2 enhanced support for: - ESM Targeted Research ppts - People engaging in focus groups or activity that is inviting recollection of traumatic events - Hearings related support - witnesses and CP model from this Tier Lot 3: Staff-related tender for reflective practice, 1:1 emotional support for staff and training rollouts Inquiry staff will come into contact with people and materials that could potentially cause distress (e.g. evidential documents, witness testimony etc.) and therefore require additional emotional support beyond the standard employee assistance programs. The supplier would be expected to deliver: - Staff Training events - Group reflective support - 1-on-1 support