Assessment and accreditation process for child and family social workers: Assessment content development.

This contract refers to the development of content for the knowledge based assessment and the development of the simulated scenarios and written exercises for the simulated assessment for phase 1 of the assessment and accreditation process child and family social workers. This contract supports the continued social work reform programme agreed by Ministers to achieve the ambition for all child and family social workers, supervisors and practice leaders to be assessed and accredited by 2020.

The Chief Social Worker drafted the knowledge and skills statements for child and family frontline social workers, practice supervisors and practice leaders setting out what they should know and be able to do. Alongside this, the department has developed a rigorous assessment system, based on these statements for frontline and practice supervisors.

The four stage assessment and accreditation system is likely to consist of: • Stage 1: direct practice observation by the employer - in the workplace over a period of time leading to the employer endorsement • Stage 2: an online assessment of knowledge • Stage 3: an observed interactive practice simulation in a controlled environment with independent examiners • Stage 4: a written assessment linked to the simulated observation. This contract refers to the development of content for stages 2, 3 and 4.

It is the expectation that any bidder is able to display the use of expert item writers and expert professional social work knowledge within its development proposals. Due to the different skills required within question design and simulation scenario creation we are willing to consider two separate contractors to deliver this work.

We will consider consortium bids if they are able to demonstrate they required skills. Additional information: The value of the contract is estimated to be up to £275,000 excluding VAT.