Published date: 22 June 2018

Last edited date: 22 June 2018

Closed opportunity - This means that the contract is currently closed. The buying department may be considering suppliers that have already applied, or no suitable offers were made.


Closing: 23 July 2018

Contract summary

Industry

  • Education and training services - 80000000

Location of contract

North East, North West, Yorkshire and the Humber, East Midlands, West Midlands, East of England, London, South East, South West

Value of contract

£501,000

Procurement reference

30363

Published date

22 June 2018

Closing date

23 July 2018

Contract start date

1 October 2018

Contract end date

31 March 2020

Contract type

Service contract

Procedure type

Open procedure (above threshold)

Any interested supplier may submit a tender in response to an opportunity notice.

This procedure can be used for procurements above the relevant contract value threshold.

Contract is suitable for SMEs?

Yes

Contract is suitable for VCSEs?

Yes

Description

The department wants to ensure that families receive, via internet or telephony, impartial, expert advice on family, child or education law. The provision of such advice and support benefits both children and their families by helping to prevent the avoidable escalation of issues; and by improving engagement of and experience with statutory children's services. The department is looking to procure a service that provides:
• information and guidance to users to enable them to resolve issues at the earliest possible stage,
• creating more positive interactions for users, and enhancing the likelihood of positive outcomes;
• independent, impartial, up to date, personalised and specialist advice on issues of child and family law and how to access support;
• effective information and sign posting to families to sources if support; and
• effective outcomes, whilst enhancing long term sustainability for families, making them less dependent upon central funding.

More information

Attachments

Additional text

The department is looking to procure a service that provides:
• information and guidance to users to enable them to resolve issues at the earliest possible stage, creating more positive interactions for users, and enhancing the likelihood of positive outcomes;
• independent, impartial, up to date, personalised and specialist advice on issues of child and family law and how to access support;
• effective information and signposting to families to sources of support;
• effective outcomes, whilst enhancing long term sustainability for families, making them less dependent upon central funding;
• support for harder-to-reach groups who might be less likely or less aware of their entitlement to these services. The service will identify these groups and have plans in place to address and overcome barriers and issues; and
• a service which engages local authorities (England) and remind them of their responsibilities to promote and provide advice to families.
The service must also:
• offer a strong digital presence that allows, wherever possible, individuals and families to 'self-serve';
• be delivered online and/or through telephony;
• be staffed by appropriately trained staff with an advocacy level 3 and who keep up to date with legislative changes and topical issues that impact on local services; and
• allow users to be signposted to the right agencies (including statutory services) according to their needs;

About the buyer

Address

Sanctuary Buildings,
Great Smith Street
London
SW1P3BT
England

Email

Sourcing.HELP@education.gov.uk