Provision of Victim Support Services

The Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Warwickshire is seeking to appoint a suitably experienced Provider to deliver a county-wide General Multi-Crime Victim Support Service. This Service shall provide a free, effective, trauma-informed and person-centred response for victims and survivors of crime. The Service will act as the principal gateway into victim support services within Warwickshire and provide high-quality support designed to help victims cope with, and recover from, the impact of crime and the harm they have experienced. The Service shall provide: • Initial advice and support; • Triage assessment and identification of need; • Practical and emotional support; • Information, guidance and advocacy; • Support with the completion of Victim Personal Statements; • Liaison with Witness Care services; • Signposting and referral into Restorative Justice processes where appropriate; • Managed handover, subject to consent, into specialist support services including domestic abuse, sexual violence, mental health and other relevant provision. The Service shall also be flexible in supporting wider family members, carers, partners and other significant individuals affected by a victim's experience of crime where such support contributes towards recovery and positive outcomes. The Service shall operate across Warwickshire as part of a multi-agency approach to supporting victims of crime and shall accept referrals from Warwickshire Police, partner agencies and direct self-referrals. The Provider will be expected to demonstrate good levels of awareness and understanding of the wider victim support landscape within Warwickshire and ensure victims are effectively referred to services that best meet their needs.

The Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Warwickshire is seeking to appoint a suitably experienced Provider or consortium to directly provide practical, emotional and therapeutic support and advocacy for victims and survivors of sexual violence or sexual abuse, using a trauma-informed approach in order to help them cope and recover. The Service will principally support children and young people aged 5 to 17 years and adults aged 18 years and over, with additional transition support provided to those aged 18 to 25 years where this is necessary and beneficial, subject to their consent. The Service will also be flexible to provide support, where needed, to wider family members, partners and other key people in the life of a victim or survivor. The provision of an Independent Sexual Violence Adviser (ISVA) service in Warwickshire is essential to ensure that victims and survivors of sexual violence receive timely, specialist, trauma-informed support throughout their recovery journey and engagement with the criminal justice system. ISVAs play a critical role in helping individuals understand their rights, access health, counselling and safeguarding services, manage risks, and navigate often complex legal processes. Evidence demonstrates that dedicated advocacy and support services improve victim wellbeing, increase engagement with investigations and prosecutions where appropriate, and help reduce the risk of victims disengaging from support or the justice process. A locally commissioned ISVA service will ensure that Warwickshire residents, including those from underrepresented and vulnerable communities, have equitable access to independent, confidential support that promotes recovery, strengthens safety and contributes to wider objectives relating to reducing violence against women and girls, and improving outcomes for victims of sexual violence. The Service will operate across Warwickshire as part of a multi-agency response to sexual violence and abuse and will accept referrals from partner organisations, self-referrals, parental or carer referrals where appropriate, and referrals through multi-agency case allocation arrangements. Lot 2 Year 1 funding includes multiple streams that may not be available in full or in part for the duration of the contract, the documents in the tender pack provide more detail.

The Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Warwickshire (the Commissioner) is seeking to appoint a suitably experienced provider or consortium to directly support children and young people who are vulnerable to exploitation. The service aims to reduce risk, strengthen protective factors, improve resilience, and prevent escalation into child criminal exploitation (CCE), child sexual exploitation (CSE), county lines involvement, trafficking, online exploitation, and other forms of extra-familial harm. The service will adopt a trauma-informed, child-centred, and strengths-based approach, working collaboratively with children, families, schools, communities, and partner agencies. Lot 3 Year 1 funding is from multiple streams that may not be available in full or in part for the contract duration, the documents in the tender pack provide more detail.

The Police and Crime Commissioner for Warwickshire seeks to re-commission a Modern Slavery Victim Advocacy and Support Service delivering a trauma-informed, victim and survivor centred response to adults experiencing, or at risk of, modern slavery, human trafficking and exploitation. The service will provide independent advocacy, practical support, emotional support, tactical advice, awareness raising and partnership engagement whilst contributing to the county's wider response to exploitation. The commissioned provider will take a 4P approach to service delivery with activities sitting under the pillars of Protect, Prepare, Pursue and Prevent. The service must be delivered free of charge to service users and be flexible and responsive to emerging forms of exploitation and changing patterns of harm. Referrals will be taken from partner organisations, community organisations and from individuals who self-refer. The service will contribute to improved understanding of local demand by identifying trends, recording emerging themes, sharing strategic insight, supporting intelligence development and identifying barriers to reporting and engagement. The successful provider will operate as a key partner within Warwickshire’s multi-agency response to modern slavery and exploitation, working collaboratively with police, local authorities, health services, voluntary sector organisations, community groups and regional anti-slavery networks. The provider will contribute to local partnership arrangements, including the Warwickshire Modern Slavery Steering Group and wider safeguarding partnerships and operational groups, helping to deliver a whole-system approach to addressing modern slavery and exploitation.