Decision details

In May of this year a tender was prepared and issued for the procurement of a Children’s Rights and Participation Service. This service will include Advocacy for our Cared for Children, Children in Need (including disabled children) and children subject to child protection planning); Independent Visitor’s for our Cared for Children and Participation Services for all Cheshire East children & young people. An important emphasis of the participation service will be supporting our most vulnerable children to effectively engage in those services.

The Children Act 1989  as amended( 2004),  establishes in law children’s rights to participation in decisions regarding their care and requires Local Authorities  to ascertain the wishes of a child in need about the provision of suitable services and to give those wishes due consideration before determining what (if any) services to provide.

Following the conduct of the tender exercise which included written submissions being evaluated by a group of appropriate professionals within the Local Authority and interviews conducted by a professionals panel and a young people’s panel, a decision has been made as to the successful bid and a notice of intention to award the contract to The Children’s Society.  The decision notified states that a contract is intended to be awarded for a period of 3 years plus a possible extension of a further two years.

That approval be given for the contract for the delivery of a Children’s Rights and Participation Service being awarded to The Children’s Society for a period of three years with a possible extension thereafter of up to a further two years, as detailed in the tender documents, and for the contract to commence on or before 1 December 2013.