Family Advice Support

The department is looking to procure a family advice support service that provides:

• information and guidance to families to enable them to resolve issues at the earliest possible stage, creating more positive interactions for families, and enhancing the likelihood of positive outcomes;

• independent, impartial, up to date, personalised support on issues of children and families and how to access support;

• services covering free holistic advice and family support for vulnerable children, parent-child relationships, early family support (including child development), safeguarding, education, childcare, well-being, special education needs, child maintenance and with help for housing, money and benefits;

• effective information and signposting to families to sources of support;

• effective outcomes, whilst enhancing long term sustainability for families, making them less dependent upon central funding;

• support for harder-to-reach groups who might be less likely or less aware of their entitlement to these services. The service will identify these groups and have plans in place to address and overcome barriers and issues;

• a service which keeps pace with government priorities; and

• a service which engages local authorities (England) and reminds them of their responsibilities to promote and provide advice to families.

The service must also:

• offer a strong digital presence that allows, wherever possible, individuals and families to 'self-serve';

• be delivered online and/or through telephony;

• be staffed by appropriately trained staff; and

• allow users to be signposted to the right agencies according to their needs;

The Service shall be available to all residents of England.

The service shall operate Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm excluding Bank Holidays and ensure that families have access to it at advertised times.

Email advice shall be made available Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm. An email address shall be provided and all email responded to within 5 working days of receipt, an automated response shall indicate this.

The supplier shall operate an associated website available 24/7 - with links to related organisations. Any online content would either need to be hosted on gov.uk and follow government service standards or will need to have secured suitable website exemption.

Provide a signposting service to other independent and in-house providers.

A clear complaints process shall be put in place setting out how complaints will be handled, timescales for response, escalation criteria and appeals procedure.

Additional information: Please note that the DfE will be utilising its own e-Tendering portal for this procurement This can be accessed via the following URL: https://education.bravosolution.co.uk Once organisations have registered there, and received their temporary password, they will be able to sign in, express an interest and access all the procurement documentation necessary for completing their bid.