Advocacy 'safety net' and advice service for looked after children and care leavers

This tender seeks bids from a single supplier or consortia of suppliers to take on and improve an existing set of national advocacy services, which act as a 'safety net' to ensure that all looked after children and care leavers are able to access advocacy support when they need it. Local authorities have statutory responsibilities for providing advocacy support, and this service will only step in where this proves unsuccessful. The service is intended to signpost looked after children to local advocacy support and to help those who have been denied local advocacy to make representations and pursue complaints. It will be active in referring cases back to local authorities and progressing these until satisfaction. The service will also improve insight and analysis about callers and the issues they raise, and will gather evidence about the quality and coverage of local advocacy services.