Advocacy Services for Looked After Children, Children with a Disability, Children in Child Protection Process
East Renfrewshire CouncilEstimated Value
Not specified
Deadline
Not specified
Published
12 June 2026
Type
services
Overview
East Renfrewshire Council on behalf of the Health & Social Care Partnership has now awarded to a suitably qualified provider for the Provision of Children Advocacy Services. East Renfrewshire's Health and Social Care Partnership has an ongoing requirement to provide an independent professional advocacy service for children and young people who are or have been looked after including referrals relating to children involved in the Child Protection process, those with a learning or any other disability and young carers.
Key points
- Have or are experiencing poor mental health
- Have a learning disability
- Are involved in the Child Protection process
- Are identified as young carers
- Advocacy for younger children
- Advocacy for children transitioning to adult services The Advocacy model will include:
- One to One Advocacy
- Non-instructed Advocacy
- Reporting on areas of good practice and weakness in relation to the HSCP and related services
- A visible presence within the boundaries of East Renfrewshire
- Representation at Participation and Engagement opportunities within East Renfrewshire to consider group advocacy issues Additional information: Economic operators may be excluded from this competition if they are in any of the situations referred to in regulation 8 and 9 of the Procurement (Scotland) Regulations 2016.
Regulations cited
- Procurement (Scotland) Regulations 2016
AI Analysis
Powered by AI — always verify against official documents
East Renfrewshire Council is looking for an experienced advocacy organisation to provide independent professional support and representation for vulnerable children and young people — including those in care, those with disabilities, those involved in child protection cases, and young carers. The successful provider will offer one-to-one advocacy, group representation, and reporting on service quality across East Renfrewshire.
Requirements
- Must be a suitably qualified provider — likely meaning proven experience delivering children's advocacy services
- Must be able to provide independent professional advocacy (non-instructed advocacy capability required)
- Must comply with Procurement (Scotland) Regulations 2016 — specifically not be excluded under regulations 8 and 9 (criminal convictions, financial/professional misconduct, conflicts of interest)
- Must have a visible presence and operate within East Renfrewshire's geographical boundaries
- Must be able to represent children at participation and engagement forums
- Likely requirement: safeguarding checks, PVG (Disclosure) clearance for staff working with children
- Likely requirement: understanding of child protection law and procedures in Scotland
Key Tasks & Deliverables
- Deliver one-to-one advocacy support for individual children and young people
- Provide non-instructed advocacy (support for children who cannot instruct an advocate themselves)
- Deliver advocacy specifically for looked after children and young people
- Provide advocacy for children and young people involved in the Child Protection process
- Support children and young people with learning disabilities and other disabilities
- Advocate for young carers
- Provide advocacy services for younger children (exact age range to be confirmed in full tender documents)
- Support children transitioning from children's services to adult services
- Represent children's voices at participation and engagement opportunities across East Renfrewshire
- Produce reports identifying good practice and weaknesses in council and Health & Social Care Partnership services
- Maintain a visible, accessible presence in East Renfrewshire communities
How to Read This Tender
- 1This is a contract that has already been awarded — this notice may be a record of that award. Check whether the tender is still open or if this is informational. Look for a closing date and application instructions in the full tender documents on the council's procurement portal.
- 2Understand 'advocacy' clearly: the council needs someone to speak up FOR vulnerable children, not to deliver therapy or casework. The organisation must be independent from the council itself to be credible.
- 3'Non-instructed advocacy' is a key phrase — it means advocating for children too young or unable to clearly express their own wishes. This requires skilled, experienced staff.
- 4The notice mentions 'regulation 8 and 9 of the Procurement (Scotland) Regulations 2016' — these are legal exclusion grounds (criminal history, fraud, conflicts of interest). Make sure your organisation and key staff have clean records or disclose issues upfront.
- 5Look in the full tender documents for: the contract value and length, staffing requirements (how many advocates, qualifications), training/induction specifications, performance metrics, and how the council will measure success.
Tips for Small Businesses
- If you're a small advocacy organisation without experience in East Renfrewshire, consider partnering with a larger established advocacy body as a subcontractor — you could deliver grassroots presence and community knowledge while they provide governance and training infrastructure.
- This contract heavily emphasises 'visible presence' and local engagement — emphasise in your bid how you'll be accessible to children and families across the region (office locations, outreach, community events, easy contact methods). Small organisations often win on being more visible and responsive than large ones.
- Check the Social Value policy (the council will likely score this) — prepare examples of how you'll benefit the local community beyond just advocacy (e.g. training for schools, peer support networks, employment of local young people with lived experience).
Award Details
Who Cares? Scotland
Before you bid, buyers check
two years of filed accountsyour financial standingturnover vs contract valueyour Companies House recordcash flow for 30-day termscredit scores and ratios
Actions
Sign up freeto open noticeA free account takes a moment and unlocks the buyer’s own notice, tender documents, fit scoring and the Bid Writer. From 1 September 2026 opening these links becomes £2/month membership.
Open Bid WriterIndependent software, web & cloud studio. We design, build and grow digital products that quietly outlast their category.
How to Apply
Step-by-step submission guide
Submission Portal
Find a Tender
Open the original notice
Click the button below to view the full notice on Find a Tender Service (FTS)
Check the procedure type
The "Procedure" section tells you if it's Open (one stage) or Restricted (SQ then ITT). This changes how you apply
Access the eSourcing portal
FTS notices link to the buyer's eSourcing platform — register there to access documents
Complete the Selection Questionnaire
Higher-value contracts often require an SQ first — this pre-qualifies you before the full bid stage
Submit electronically
Upload your completed response through the eSourcing platform before the closing date and time
FTS contracts are above UK procurement thresholds. Late submissions are strictly rejected — submit at least 24 hours before the deadline to avoid portal issues.
Buyer Profile
East Renfrewshire CouncilKey Dates
Published
12 June 2026
Submission deadline
Not specified
Notice type
award
Source
find a tender
Related Contracts
871-NYC-CD library e-books, e-audiobooks and e-press
North Yorkshire Council is seeking information from suppliers about digital library content – e‑books, e‑audiobooks and e‑press – to understand what solutions exist and help shape a future tender. This is an RFI, so they want written responses rather than a formal bid at this stage.
Provision of pest control & associated services (2027-31)
The University of Strathclyde is planning a contract (2027‑31) for pest control and related services, covering routine inspections, treatments, preventive maintenance and emergency call‑outs.
Project to upgrade CCTV video management system (2026)
The University of Strathclyde is planning to replace its current CCTV video management system with a new third‑party solution, including hardware, migration, integration with other security systems and training for staff.
Learning and development framework agreement
The City of Edinburgh Council is planning a two‑year Learning and Development Framework (starting April 2027) to contract multiple learning providers for a wide range of certified training – from First Aid and mental health to driver CPC, plant operation (NPORS) and street‑works safety. Providers will bid for individual “lots” that match the courses they can deliver.