Domestic Abuse Services - Early Market Engagement

Domestic abuse is one of the most harmful crimes in our communities with far reaching and long-lasting consequences for victims and their families. Wakefield has a strong history of partnership working in this area and the Wakefield Domestic Abuse Strategy however there is still more that can be done to prevent domestic abuse, improve the support and protection for victims and their children, and bring perpetrators to justice.

To address these challenges and strengthen our multi-agency approach to domestic abuse we would like engage with provider on how we could improve our offer further via a soft market engagement exercise around a proposed model of delivery.

The proposed model will include: • Single Point of Access • Crisis Support • Perpetrators Disruption and Support • Community Support: Support, Recovery and confidence building • Specialist work with Children and Young People • Safe Accommodation

The Council intends to meet with around 6 potential service providers. We encourage a range of providers from large corporate organisations to smaller local VCSEs and SMEs to express interest in attending the soft market engagement. The Council will have discretion as to which providers are selected to take part to ensure we have a good breadth of market representation and experience.

Face-to-face (in person in Wakefield or by teams) meetings will be scheduled for 60 minutes per provider and will be held on 18th, 19th and 20th September 2024. We would require a maximum of 2 representatives per provider to attend the engagement. This engagement is aimed at providers that have experience of delivering domestic abuse support services including services to perpetrators such as behaviour change programmes.

AGENDA - POINTS FOR DISCUSSION • Proposed Model of Delivery • Management of the Model • Single Point of Access • Out of Hours Provision • Safe Accommodation • Partnership Working • Information Sharing • Equitable Service Access • Contract Period • General

To express an interest in meeting with the commissioners on a one-to-one basis please email Sally Fawcett, Strategic Safer Communities Manager at [email protected] by Friday 30th August 2024. Please include in the email: organisation name, up to 2 representatives including email address, confirm if you are a large corporate organisation, smaller local VCSE or SME and indicate a preference of a face to face or virtual meeting.

The outcome of the market engagement will be summarised and included in any subsequent procurement process, should they arise (albeit without attributing responses to specific providers).

Participation or non selection of participation in this market engagement exercise will not affect or preclude any provider from participating in any future procurement process should they arise.

Background Paper A background paper and questions for consideration will be issued to providers selected for the soft market engagement prior to the meetings.