Representation, Rights and Advocacy Service

Kent County Council (KCC) is looking for an organisation or a consortium of organisations to deliver a Representation, Rights and Advocacy Service, that includes individual elements that are a recurring statutory requirement for KCC, as defined by the Children's Act 1989.

The aim will be to provide a dedicated service that offers robust, consistent and sustainable support to children, young people and vulnerable adults.

The service model will bring together six interconnected elements of support which include:

1. Advocacy for Children in Care and for Care Leavers aged 16 - 24. 2. Independent Visitors for Children in Care aged 8 - 18 years. 3. Independent Persons for Stage 2 complaints under the Children Act 1989. 4. Appropriate Adults for young people aged 10 - 17 years, and vulnerable adults, detained at police custody suites who require support. 5. Accompanying Adults for the purpose of age assessment interviews for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, Children Act 1989. 6. In addition, and in support to the Independent Visitors Service, funding will be provided for 10 places for a Leaving Care Mentoring Service. This additional funding is for young people who turn 18 and who choose to retain the support of the Independent Visitor as a Mentor. The Leaving Care Mentoring Service is not a statutory requirement under the Children's Act.

The financial envelope for the Representation, Rights and Advocacy Service is £258,800 per annum.

The contract will run for three years from 1/10/2022, with the option to extend for a further two years on a one-plus-one basis.

Kent County Council is committed to ensuring fairness, openness, and transparency and to following EU procurement regulations.