Children's and Young People Phoenix Service to NHS Somerset Integrated Care Board

Somerset Phoenix Service, which supports children and young people (CYP) aged 5-18 years in Somerset who have experienced sexual abuse. The service provides specialist, trauma-informed interventions, including counselling, trauma-focused therapy, play therapy and emotional wellbeing support, to CYP who do not meet the threshold for specialist mental health services.

Additionally, it offers guidance for parents, carers and professionals, ensuring a holistic approach to recovery. NHS Somerset Integrated Care Board ("the ICB") intents to award a contract to an existing provider, following a Provider Selection Regime Direct Award Process C whilst a competitive process is undertaken.

The Somerset Phoenix Service (also referred to as the Child Sexual Abuse Support Service, CSAS) provides specialist support for children and young people (CYP) aged 5-18 years in Somerset who have experienced sexual abuse. It delivers age-appropriate, trauma-informed interventions to mitigate the psychological and emotional impact of abuse, improving mental health and wellbeing.

The service also supports parents, carers and professionals, equipping them with tools to respond effectively. Scope of Services The Somerset Phoenix Service offers a comprehensive package of therapeutic and emotional wellbeing support for CYP who have experienced sexual abuse but do not meet the threshold for specialist mental health services.

The service provides: • Individual and group therapeutic interventions, including counselling, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (TF-CBT), play therapy and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR). • Support for parents and carers, helping them to understand the impact of sexual abuse and how to aid their child's recovery. • Training and guidance for professionals, including education, healthcare and social care staff, to improve responses to sexual abuse. • A trauma-informed, child-centred approach, ensuring services are delivered in a safe, confidential, and accessible environment. To prevent disruption to vital services, the ICB has taken the decision to directly award a six-month contract whilst the procurement is undertaken.

The six-month contract value is £190,218 and will cover the period from 1st April 2025 to 30th September 2025. This advert is published NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of the Commissioners.