Issue - meetings

Approval is sought to undertake a robust and transparent commissioning and procurement exercise to commission a new service, Parental Advocacy.

Members of the Governance, Strategy and Resources Scrutiny Board scrutinised a report of the Executive Director of Children’s Services, which was seeking permission to undertake a robust and transparent commissioning and procurement exercise, overseen by a project board including children, young people and families, to commission a new service, Parental Advocacy.

This service would have a funding envelope of £83,000 per annum and would be awarded as a two-year contract with the option to extend for up to an additional one-year dependent on funding availability.

The Parental Advocacy service was intended to be funded through the Families First Partnership (FFP) Grant to support and empower parents to fully understand processes, plans and decisions, enabling them to fully participate in Family Help assessments, child in need planning, child protection processes and Family Group Decision Making.

The submitted report presented three Options:

Option One (preferred Option) – To approve the design, tender and contract award of a new service, Parental Advocacy. The service will have a maximum funding envelope of £83,000 per annum as part of Oldham’s Families First Partnership Programme with an initial contract period of two years from 1^st April 2027 to 31^st March 2029 with the option of a one-year extension period up until 31^st March 2030 subject to funding being available and the service still meeting need.

This option was recommended as it would provide timely support for Oldham’s most vulnerable families and will ensure Oldham fully delivers the DfE Families First Partnership Programme requirements and its statutory duties under the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026.

Option Two – To go out to tender for the Parental Advocacy Service as outlined in Option One but delay the start of the commissioning process and have a start date for the service of 1^st July 2027.

Option Three - To not develop and commission a Parental Advocacy service in Oldham. This option is not recommended as it puts the council at risk of failing to deliver to the FFP requirements set out by the DfE.

Resolved:

1. That the Governance, Strategy and Resources Scrutiny Board, endorses the recommendations detailed in the submitted report of the Executive Director of Children’s Services to approve the design, tender and contract award to the highest scoring bidder, of a new service, Parental Advocacy.
2. Requests that the Group Leaders meeting concurs, thereby enabling the Chief Executive to formally approve the recommendations in the report.