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

This contract refers to the development of phase 1 of the assessment and accreditation process child and family social workers including: content for knowledge-based assessment; content for simulated scenarios; and written exercises for simulated assessment. The services are in 2 lots: Contract 1: Development of Knowledge Questions Contract 2: Simulated and written assessment content development Tenders may be submitted for all lots.

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 an expectation of any bid that expert and professional item writers and experts in the field of social work are used in all aspects of the development work. The bid must include names and experience of all experts but forward in the bid. The email subject line must say: REQUEST FOR CONTENT DEVELOPMENT TENDER Tenders or requests to participate must be e-mailed to A&Acontent@education.gsi.gov.uk Indicative timetable: W/C 26 September 2016 Evaluation panels W/C 03 Oct 2016 Clarification interviews (if required) in London Friday 07 Oct - 17 Oct 2016 10 day standstill period Tuesday 18 Oct 2016 Contract fine tuning and award