Upload
others
View
0
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
1
Specification for Needs Assessment
Developing a better understanding of patterns of domestic abuse and violence against
women and girls across the Tri-borough area, the extent of current provision to support
victims, survivors and their families, and to support and hold perpetrators to account, to
inform domestic abuse commissioning and service delivery for 2014 -17
Contents Background ....................................................................................................................................................................... 1
Outcomes .......................................................................................................................................................................... 2
Key Principles .................................................................................................................................................................... 3
Methodology & Scope of Work ........................................................................................................................................ 3
Quote Submission ............................................................................................................................................................. 4
Evaluation Criteria ............................................................................................................................................................. 5
Quality (60%) ................................................................................................................................................................. 5
Knowledge & Experience (30%) ................................................................................................................................ 5
Proposal (70%) .......................................................................................................................................................... 5
Cost (40%) ..................................................................................................................................................................... 5
Background Tackling Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) is a strategic priority for each of the Tri-borough Councils, the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and Westminster City Council. Understanding the local nature of VAWG and how it impacts on individuals, families and communities is crucial to
ensuring that high-quality and cost effective services are delivered across the Tri-borough area.
Hammersmith & Fulham, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster City Council have combined some
services on a Bi- and Tri-borough basis to save management costs and protect frontline services.
In tackling VAWG, the Tri-borough councils to adhere to the Home Office definition of domestic violence which
states that domestic violence is:
Any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour, violence or abuse
between those aged 16 or over who are or have been intimate partners or family members regardless of
gender or sexuality. This can encompass but is not limited to the following types of abuse:
psychological
physical
sexual
financial
emotional
Controlling behaviour is: a range of acts designed to make a person subordinate and/or dependent by
isolating them from sources of support, exploiting their resources and capacities for personal gain,
2
depriving them of the means needed for independence, resistance and escape and regulating their
everyday behaviour.
Coercive behaviour is: an act or a pattern of acts of assault, threats, humiliation and intimidation or
other abuse that is used to harm, punish, or frighten their victim.”1
As part of the recent call for proposals for the Mayor’s Office for Police & Crime (MOPAC) London Crime Prevention
Fund, we have begun to look closely at VAWG commissioned services across the Tri-borough area to begin to
identify any cost savings, service improvements or efficiencies. These services include Domestic Violence Advocacy
(IDVA), Multi-agency Risk Assessment (MARAC), Domestic Violence Courts (DVC), perpetrator programmes, and
specific services for Arabic speakers. Services are delivered by a range of experienced providers with different
contractual arrangements on a Sovereign, Bi- and Tri-borough basis.
In order to ensure that we make the best use of resources across the Tri-borough area and effectively commission
and target services based upon need, we have chosen to commission a comprehensive Tri-borough area VAWG
Needs Assessment. It is intended that this will be used as the evidence base for future service configuration,
commissioning and partnership arrangements.
Our intention is to use the needs assessment process to:
instigate greater collaboration and responsibility for achieving the shared outcomes and
commissioning priorities that result
drive greater accountability for addressing VAWG issues across a wider range of public sector
partners
create positive change for local people - a coordinated community response (CCR).
Furthermore, as part of our work to tackle re-offending a provide support to short sentenced prisoners, we have
begun discussions with the Ministry of Justice to consider how services aimed at victims and survivors of domestic
abuse could also help to support female offenders when they come out of custody. The vast majority of female
offenders have experienced some form of violence or abuse either childhood sexual exploitation, or domestic abuse.
We would therefore also like to use this needs assessment to look more closely at this group, what their needs are
and what services are available to them.
Outcomes The specific aims of this needs assessment are to:
Define the wider strategic and policy context (both regional and national) within which the Tri-
borough area councils should tackle Violence Against Women and Girls
Identify and report on the prevalence and nature of violence against women and girls across the
Tri-borough councils taking into consideration the groups below: o victims/survivors
o families
o children
o perpetrators
1 This definition includes so called ‘honour’ based violence, female genital mutilation (FGM) and forced marriage, and is clear
that victims are not confined to one gender or ethnic group
3
Identify and assess the efficacy of existing service responses, both specialist and those
mainstreamed across the Tri-borough areas, in particular whether services are adequately meeting
the needs of those victims aged 16-17 who now fall within the national definition
Establish a series of recommendations for future commissioning approaches, policy and service
improvements. This should take into consideration innovation and best practice to maximise the
use of current and future resources, improved strategic co-ordination and CCR across the tri
borough area.
Within these recommendations, to consider the applicability of utilising services to address
Violence Against Women & Girls, to support female offenders sentenced to, and released from
custody
Key Principles The needs assessment should be driven by a number of key principles that inform our approach and/or that run
throughout the outcomes and deliverables including:
Prioritising the safety of children is paramount
Gender Based – accounts for the different experiences and needs of victims/survivors by gender
Victim / Survivor Involvement – victims, survivors and their families are at the heart of the Tri-
borough area response to Violence Against Women and Girls and as such their views are a critical
component which cuts across every aspect of the needs assessment
Empowering the Victim / Survivor to take more control is central to our approach
Hold perpetrators to account for their behaviour
A Human Rights approach particularly the rights of the child
Responding to the issues that VAWG presents is the responsibility of all professionals. Not just
those working within the “specialist VAWG sector”.
Equality of opportunity for victims/survivors.
Consultation with professionals both “VAWG specialist” and mainstream.
Methodology & Scope of Work The Tri-borough councils - the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea,
and Westminster City Council - wish to contract with an organisation or consultant to complete the following scope of work:
1. Literature Review – a review of current and potential future direction of national and regional
strategies to tackle violence against women & girls and support female offenders, and an overview
of current best practice
2. Quantitative Analysis – using data on reported incidents to police and specialist services, as well as
estimates of unidentified demand, and to assess the prevalence and nature of violence against
women & girls
3. Qualitative Analysis – follow-up interviews with victims / survivors, and service professionals to
understand and assess the impact of domestic abuse and the services available. This should involve
“customer journey mapping” for a small sample of victims/survivors.
4
4. Review of Current Resources – map current service provision and expenditure, specialist and non-
specialist, whether or not they are commissioned by the local authority or not, and review their
scope and efficacy
5. Assessment of Provision – in the context of wider national, regional, and local strategies, and
taking into consideration the results of quantitative and qualitative analyses, identify the potential
gaps in current provision across the Tri-borough area
6. Recommendations for Commissioning – bringing all of the above information together, make
recommendations as to the appropriate commissioning approaches, policy changes, and service
improvements to maximise the use of available resources and improve the co-ordinated
community response across the Tri-borough area. Include consideration as to how these
recommendations may impact on the governance arrangements across the Tri-borough area
The methodology will include desk-top research, review of available data and statistics, capturing service user
feedback, and interviews with key policy makers, local authority, police and health service professionals. This will be
complemented by group discussions and key informant interviews with women’s groups, and specialist service
providers. There will be a steering group in place to assist with the activities to be undertaken and to provide
information, advice and guidance where needed.
It is proposed that the review takes place in three stages to allow for consultation with commissioners and to
develop the recommendations in partnership. These stages are:
1. Research Sept 2013 – completion of all desk based, quantitative and qualitative assessments of
current policies, strategies, need, and resources
2. Review Oct 2013 – independent assessment of current resource provision against ideal framework
based on available resources and levels of identified need
3. Recommend October – 14 Nov 2013 – publication of final report setting out all of the above and
making recommendations to inform policy and commissioning decisions for 2013-17
It is anticipated that the research stage will be iterative, with policy context informing qualitative and quantitative
research and vice versa, and that the findings at each stage will help inform and define future stages.
Quote Submission All correspondence relating to the quote submission, including requests for clarification regarding this specification
should be addressed to Lorna Platt, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea ([email protected])
1. Questions regarding the specification must be submitted by 16 August 2013. 2. Responses to all questions will be provided to all potential vendors by Monday 12 August 2013
3. Quotes must be submitted by 5pm on Friday 23 September 2013 in electronic format
4. A funding agreement will be awarded by Monday 9 September 2013
5. Potential vendors must provide in no more than 5,000 words:
Subject appreciation
Proposed outline methodology
Brief outline of similar work carried out; and
5
Three references for needs assessment (or equivalent) work that the consultant has
conducted with contact names and phone numbers
Detail of costs
A two page CV or equivalent describing the qualifications of the staff that will be conducting
the needs assessment and their experience on similar projects
Evaluation Criteria Criteria for appraising the quotation submitted are as follows:
Quality (60%)
Knowledge & Experience (30%)
Experience of leading academically robust research projects and programmes
Experience of working in the field of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) or with
gender based offending agendas and issues
Experience of working with a Community Safety Partnership or similar Health and Social Care
setting
Experience of working within performance indicators and frameworks
Experience of communicating complex information verbally and in writing to a range of
audiences and environments including senior partnership Boards.
Proposal (70%)
the appropriateness, effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed research methods and/or
approach.
whether a realistic timetable, incorporating milestones, is presented which will achieve the
project’s aims and objectives within the proposed timescale
the extent to which you have understood the amount of work to be involved, allocated
sufficient time and resources to achieving each aspect.
Cost (40%) Detailed costs should be provided in the quotation. However, the evaluation contract will not be awarded at any
higher than £50,000
The assessment panel’s decision will be final and no discussions will be entered into regarding the decision making of
the panel. However, all candidates will be provided verbal feedback if requested.
VAWG Specialist Organisations currently commissioned are exempt from this tender process and submitting an
expression of interest.