Pre Departure Accommodation Welfare Services

Home Office Immigration Enforcement is responsible for removing from the UK foreign nationals who no longer have a legitimate right to remain in the UK under immigration law. Where a family, with no right to remain in the UK, chooses not to leave the UK voluntarily, as a last resort, the Home Office will take steps to ensure their departure using the Family Returns Process (FRP) which may include placing families, for a short duration, in pre-departure accommodation (PDA).

A family in this context is defined, as a minimum, as one parent and one child under the age of 18. Pre-departure accommodation is provided as a self contained unit, within Tinsley House, an immigration site, near Gatwick Airport.

The Home Office is looking for a partner to provide welfare services to families which will include: • support to children and families whilst resident in pre-departure accommodation; • help for families come to terms with the plans for their return; • help for families make preparations for their departure from the UK and assist them in making any pre-return preparations regarding resettlement in their country of return; • participating in family return planning meetings and case conferences; and • playing a leading role in ensuring PDA safeguarding responsibilities are met by all parties. The contract will be for an initial 3 years and can be extended on any number of occasions up to a total of 24 month, subject to a minimum extension period of 3 months on any one occasion.

Further information will be provided in the tender documents. Additional information: Further information can be found in the attached notice.