TENDER FOR THE DELIVERY OF EVIDENCE-BASED PARENTING AND FAMILY SUPPORT
PROGRAMME
BACKGROUND
According to the Health Research Board (**Apply on the website**), in
**Apply on the website**, **Apply on the website**% of cases treated
in addiction services for alcohol were currently residing with
children aged **Apply on the website** years or younger and **Apply on
the website**% had children aged **Apply on the website** years or
younger who were not currently residing with them1. Almost **Apply on
the website**% of cases treated for drug use were residing with
children aged **Apply on the website** years or younger and almost a
quarter had children aged **Apply on the website** years or younger
who were not currently residing with them2.
The HSE and TUSLA are joint leads for the implementation of action
1.3.9 in Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery, A health-led response to
drug and alcohol use in Ireland **Apply on the website**, which is to
?mitigate the risk and reduce the impact of parental substance
misuse on babies and young children?.
Hidden Harm is the experience of children living with and affected by
parental problem alcohol and other drug use. The term Hidden Harm is
used because these children are often unknown to services. Not all
parents who misuse substances experience difficulties with parenting
capacity. Equally, not all children exposed to parental substance
misuse are affected adversely either in the short or longer term.
However, most children exposed to parental substance misuse need some
form of support.
The National Hidden Harm Project was established by the HSE and the
Child and Family Agency (TUSLA) to inform service planning and improve
services for children in relation to Hidden Harm. The HSE and Tusla
collaboratively developed and published the Hidden Harm Strategic
Statement4 and the Hidden Harm Practice Guide5 in January **Apply on
the website**. These publications set out how the HSE and Tusla intend
to bridge the gap between adult and children?s services, in favour
of a more family-focused approach that considers the needs of
dependent children and other family members. An information leaflet
was also published in **Apply on the website** for staff and other
health and social services practitioners working in this area, to help
affected children and families. The Hidden Harm eLearning programme
was completed in September **Apply on the website** and is available
on HSELand for HSE, TUSLA, and community & voluntary sector staff. The
aim of the eLearning is recognising and responding to the impact of
parental alcohol and other drug use on children and is relevant to all
staff working with parents, children, young people or families who may
be affected by problem alcohol and other drug use. The module includes
guidance from a Parents perspective and from professionals working in
the Voluntary and Community sector, the HSE and Tusla-Child and Family
Agency. One-day skills practice Hidden Harm training pilot in three
locations is scheduled for November **Apply on the website**.
SCOPE
The four levels of family support identified in the TUSLA-adapted
Hardiker model6 (**Apply on the website**) are:
* Level one ? Universal (Education and Prevention)
* Level two ? Low level (Early support)
* Level three ? Multiple/complex (An Integrated response from
service providers)
* Level four ? Highly complex (Optimisation of support for
children and families where parental problem alcohol and drug use
exists).
Submissions are invited for the delivery of evidence-based parenting
and family support programmes under level three and level four of the
Hardiker model as outline above.
As per the common practice standards for working with children and
families outlined in Hidden Harm Strategic Statement, the following
principles must be inherent in the proposed programme:
* The welfare of the child is the paramount consideration.
* All services have a part to play in helping to identify children
that may be ?affected by? or ?at risk? from their parent?s
problematic alcohol and other drug use and at an early stage.
* Children and young people and their parents should be involved in
decisions directly affecting their lives.
* Parenting capacity must be considered when identifying and
responding to problem alcohol and other drug use.
* Build on family strengths, as well as working with areas of
parental vulnerabilities or difficulties, including the wider family
network.
Submissions should outline potential outcomes in the following areas:
* Parenting knowledge, attitudes and skills.
* Parent-child interactions and attachment.
* Family functioning and child outcomes
* Outputs including the number of children and parents to benefit
from the programme in **Apply on the website**, **Apply on the
website** and **Apply on the website**.
Submissions should outline a plan for the evaluation of the programme
over the period.
SUBMISSION PROCESS AND ASSESSMENT
Submissions must meet TUSLA-adapted Hardiker model level 3 or 4 and
will be assessed on the following basis:
* Meets the scope of the tender
* Strength of evidence-base for the programme
* Availability of skilled practitioners to deliver the programme
* Extent that the programme is based on the principles outlined
* Potential outcomes, outputs and evidence of same
* Planned methodology and process to evaluate the programme over the
3-year period
* Evidence of delivering parenting and family support programmes
* Value for money (all quotes to be inclusive of VAT)
Quotes not in excess of ?**Apply on the website**,**Apply on the
website** per annum in total. Funding of ?**Apply on the
website**,**Apply on the website** is available in **Apply on the
website**, recurring in **Apply on the website** and in **Apply on the
website** with the potential for extension upon review of the
programme.
Submissions by email to **Apply on the website** before 5pm on
Thursday, **Apply on the website** August **Apply on the website**.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Further information can be requested from **Apply on the website**.
1
We need : English (Good)
Type: Permanent
Payment:
Category: Others
