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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,

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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

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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.

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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 (martina.clarke@rbkc.gov.uk)

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

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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.