Islington CCG is seeking to let one contract through a lead provider model to provide an integrated counselling and therapeutic service for children and young people, aged 8-18, which will aim to increase access from CYP into therapeutic and counselling services, including vulnerable groups.

We are seeking organisations with relevant skills and knowledge that are able to demonstrate their experience of providing therapeutic and counselling services for young people aged 8-18. Organisations will need to have a proven track record of:

— providing therapeutic and counselling services to young people,

— achieving and evidencing positive outcomes and impacts,

— working in an integrated way and in strong partnership with other statutory and voluntary sector services.

Aim:

To provide evidence based counselling and therapeutic services within the London Borough of Islington for local CYP aged 8-18 who meet the eligibility criteria (see below).

Objectives:

— to deliver age appropriate evidenced based interventions (in line with CYP IAPT) for children and young people aged 8-11 and aged 12-18, working in integration with other providers where required,

— to increase access into therapeutic and counselling service for CYP with particular focus on vulnerable groups of CYP. These will include CYP in crisis, those at the edge of the Youth Justice system, those with learning disabilities/ASC and looked after children,

— base a dedicated clinician at the social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) single point of access (SPA)//Children’s Services Contact (CSCT) front door. This clinician will work with the CAMHS clinician based within this team with assessments and referrals into a range of community provision, not restricted to the counselling and therapeutic services provided through this contract,

— establish clear referral pathways from the SEMH front door team into appropriate third sector counselling and therapeutic provision, including integrated services and other services within the local borough,

— to engage in close partnership working with a range of service including CSCT and Community CAMHS,Isledon Arts CIC and the Third Sector Provider Network,

— to work in an integrated way with all of the above and with other statutory and voluntary sector services,

— deliver the service for CYP through a range of accessible venues within the local borough, including localYouth Hub,

— provide flexible opening hours, including evenings and Saturdays, to increase choice and accessibility for CYP,

— have a robust data collection system, including data flow into the National Mental Health Service Data Set (MHSDS), to record activity and outcomes and to feedback on referral outcomes to referrers,

— provide interventions and/or workshops for CYP transitioning from primary into secondary school.

Eligibility Criteria:

— Islington residents,

— registered with an Islington GP,

— in school in Islington,

— “Looked After” by Islington Council.

Interdependence with other services/providers:

— children’s Services Contact Team (CSCT),

— community CAMHS,

— Isledon Arts CIC,

— third sector provider network,

— play and Youth Services.

The services are covered by the Light Touch Regime are set out at Schedule 3 (Social and Other Specific Services) of PCR 2015. If the value of the Contract is over 589 148 GBP the Contracting Authority must advertise it in the OJEU, although there is flexibility as to the design of the remainder of the procurement process the commissioner is not voluntarily following any other part of the Regulations. The procedure that the commissioner is following is as set out in the Invitation to Tender. The Process will be similar to open procedure process under the Regulations but, for avoidance of doubt, the commissioner is not running the process as though the open procedure under the Regulations applies and so reserves the right to depart from that procedure at any point. The procurement will be advertised via OJEU and Contract Finder.

The Contracting Authority is currently not charged VAT for the existing counselling and therapeutic service. The bid price quoted for the new CYP Counselling and Therapeutic service assumes that VAT will continue to have a net zero effect on the cost of the service to the Contracting Authority and the price quoted is the total inclusive bid price. Therefore, all bids should be submitted exclusive of any chargeable VAT. Should Bidders choose to structure their bids in a way which will attract VAT that is chargeable to, but not recoverable by Islington CCG then this must be set out in their FMT and must be within the stated budget envelope.