Independent Visiting Service for Children Looked After

The council is procuring an Independent Visiting Service for Children Looked After. This service will provide Independent Visitors to visit, advise and befriend a child / young person, and offer them consistency, support and encouragement throughout the time they are in care and often beyond this time. All visitors participating in the scheme take part on a voluntary basis. Please register on The Chest (https://www.the-chest.org.uk) to access all tender documents, including the service specification. Registration is free of charge. If you experience a problem on The Chest, please email ProContractSuppliers@proactis.com or telephone 0330 005 0352 between the hours of 08:30 - 17:30. All bids must be received electronically via The Chest by the closing date stated in the ITT. Any clarifications you have regarding the tender must be asked via The Chest by the closing date stated in the ITT. Please note - Cumbria is currently undergoing a Local Government Reorganisation and from 1st April 2023 (Vesting Day) Cumbria County Council and the six district councils will cease to exist and will be replaced by two new unitary councils - Cumberland Council and Westmorland and Furness Council. Consequently, this countywide service is being reprocured by the County Council as two separate contracts one which covers the geographical footprint of Cumberland Council (Allerdale, Carlisle and Copeland) and one which covers the geographical footprint of Westmorland and Furness Council (Barrow, Eden and South Lakeland). One provider is required to deliver both contracts. The County Council will enter into the contracts with the successful provider and on Vesting Day the contracts will transfer automatically by an operation of law to the relevant new council. In the service specification which, is identical for both contracts, "Council" means either Cumberland Council or Westmorland and Furness Council as the context requires.