Safeguarding Support for Covid-19 Inquiry

Description

The Cabinet Office has put in place contracts for the provision of Emotional Support service 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. These contracts provide the offer of emotional support for everyone engaging with the Inquiry. Lot 1: Emotional Support for the UK Covid-19 Inquiry - Digital Offer Lot 1 includes the following: ● 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. Additional information: Crown Commercial Service is acting as the Agent on behalf of the Authority. Lot 2: Emotional support services for the UK Covid-19 Inquiry - F2F, video and telephone offer Lot 2 will include the following: ● 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 Additional information: Crown Commercial Service is acting as the Agent on behalf of the Authority. Lot 3: Emotional support services for the UK Covid-19 Inquiry - Staff support offer 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 programmes. The supplier would be expected to deliver: ● Staff Training events ● Group reflective support ● 1-on-1 support Additional information: Crown Commercial Service is acting as the Agent on behalf of the Authority.