Independent Children's Advocacy Service

Description

Dumfries and Galloway Council (the Purchaser) wishes to commission children's advocacy services that: - are independent and professional; - provide individual (one-to-one) advocacy that is issue focused; and - meet statutory requirements and Scottish Executive priorities. The service will covers such services under the following categories: - Advocacy services for children and young people who are or have been looked after and accommodated within or outwith the region (excluding those who are placed locally by another Local Authority) up until the age of 26. - Advocacy for children and young people on the Child Protection Register. - Advocacy for children and young people in terms of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003. Lot 1: This procurement is to obtain a suitable advocacy service provider for children's advocacy services. The service objectives are as follows: To provide an independent and confidential advocacy service to include information, support and advice for Dumfries and Galloway children and young people who are or have been looked after and accommodated within or outwith the region. To provide access to an advocacy service for children & young people regardless of age, gender, disability, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, faith/religion, or social background. To match service users and advocates appropriate to each situation’s needs, seeking specialist support where indicated and ensuring service users comfort at all times. To ensure that children & young people’s own views are heard and adequately represented. To provide advocacy, related support and information in an age-appropriate and child/young person-centred manner. To help children and young people to access and understand information relevant to them and make appropriate choices or decisions which give them fuller control of their lives. To promote choices to young people. To support children & young people who, because of incapacity or communication difficulties, may not be able to express their needs or views. To provide advocacy for children and young people who have a mental disorder in compliance with the Mental Health Act. To guide children and young people towards self-advocacy and avoid creation of dependency. To develop links with service providers, professionals and relevant support organisations to ensure clear understanding of the role of advocacy. To develop and promote children and young people’s involvement in service planning. Further information will be provided in the service specification documents when the tender process goes live.