PIN - Children's Advocacy Services

Provision of a Children and Young People's Independent Advocacy Service The Council wishes to engage a Service Provider to fulfil an independent advocacy service for children and young people in the Scottish Borders.

The service will help ensure that the voices of children and young people are at the heart of decision making and their rights under article 12 of the UNCRC are respected. The service will help ensure that children and young people feel respected, included, listened to, and understood.

The advocacy service will be available for children and young people from the age of five to eighteen: -whose right to independent advocacy is covered by statute, -who are in receipt of social, education and/or healthcare services provided by the partnership, -and any vulnerable child or young person whether or not they are in receipt of health, education or social care services. Support may also be required in some instances for infants and children from birth (0 years) to five (5) years, and individual(s) up to the age of twenty-six (26) years of age who are eligible for continuing care.

We also require that the Service Provider will be a key stakeholder in driving Scottish Borders’ Corporate Parenting and integrated children’s services plan agenda. This may include, for example, helping to facilitate work with partners to deliver the Corporate Parenting and integrated services children’s Plan.