Purpose

To seek approval for the recommissioning of the Children and Young People’s Advocacy Service within an expanded funding envelope to support both statutory advocacy and the development of parental advocacy.

Decision

Cllr Ben Evans sought Cabinet approval for the recommissioning of the Children and Young People’s Advocacy Service within an expanded funding envelope to support both statutory advocacy and the development of parental advocacy.

Having considered all of the information, Cabinet noted the report and RESOLVED to:

Delegate authority to the Executive Director for Children’s Services in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children’s Safeguarding and Care to:

1. Conduct a preliminary market engagement exercise with suppliers of Children, Young People and Parental Advocacy Services before carrying out a competitive procurement process.
2. Conduct an open competitive procurement process in respect of a contract for the supply of Children and Young People’s Advocacy provision, which will include a Parental Advocacy element in line with Families First Partnership Programme requirements. The proposed contract shall continue for an initial period of 3 years and include an option to extend its term for a further period of not more than 2 years;
3. Award such contract to the winning tenderer; and
4. Determine, after the initial contract term, whether to exercise the council’s option to extend the contract for a further period of not more than two years on the expiry of the initial 3-year term subject to satisfactory performance and continued service need.