Advocacy Services: Lot 1 - Children's Advocacy, Independent Visitors & Care Leavers Services and Lot 2 - Adult's Advocacy Service. Ref.: I-1841

Oxfordshire County Council
South East
Open procedure
1 April 2024 to 31 March 2027

The contract covers two lots: Lot 1 for children's advocacy, independent visitors, and care leavers services, and Lot 2 for adult advocacy including IMCA, IMHA, and ICAA. Services support vulnerable individuals in understanding choices and participating in decisions under the Care Act 2014 and Mental Capacity Act 2005. The scope includes specialist advocacy in secure hospital and prison settings, Regulation 44 visits, and empowerment networks, with provisions for demand-led increases in service volume due to potential legislative changes.

Open the official notice

Awarded value: £1.6m; As published
Published: 30 October 2023
Awarded: 31 March 2024; Community Connex and VoiceAbility
Contract length: 36 months; Ends 31 March 2027

What the contract covers

Services contract

Provision of statutory advocacy services, including independent mental capacity and health complaints advocacy, for children, young people, and adults.

Specialist IMCA and IMCA DoLS
Paid Relevant Person's Representative and Rule 1.2
CoPDoLS service for eligible people under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 regulations and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards
Independent Health Complaints Advocacy (IHCA)
Regulation 44 Visits
Independent Visitors Service
Care Leavers Services
Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy Service (IMCA and IMCA DoLS)
Paid Relevant Person's Representative Service (RPR) and Rule 1.2 (CoPDoLS)
Independent Mental Health Advocacy Service (IMHA) within secure hospital and prison settings

Terms and requirements

Contract type: Services contract
Procedure: Open procedure
Initial term: 36 months
Contract dates: 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2027
Certifications asked for: None stated
Suitable for SMEs: Yes
Suitable for charities and social enterprises: Yes
Category: Services
CPV codes: 85312000, 85320000

Services in this contract

Children's advocacy and independent visitorsMain service£375k typicalChildren's advocacy, independent visitors and care leavers services
Independent advocacy for adults (IMCA, IMHA, Care Act, NHS complaints and community advocacy)£550k typicalAdult advocacy service lot: IMCA, IMHA, Care Act, community advocacy

Lifecycle

Published
30 October 2023
Contract awardedto Community Connex and VoiceAbility
31 March 2024
Contract starts
1 April 2024
Contract ends
31 March 2027

The buyer

Oxfordshire County Council

Type: Locked
Contracts, 24 months: Locked
Recorded value: Locked
Typical contract: Locked

Buys most

Contact details

Name: Locked
Email: Locked
Phone: Locked
Website: Locked
Address: Locked

See everything Oxfordshire County Council buys

The suppliers

Community Connex

Contracts won, 24 months: Locked
Value won, 24 months: Locked

VoiceAbility

Contracts won, 24 months: Locked
Value won, 24 months: Locked

See everything they have won

Similar independent advocacy contracts and prices

9 independent advocacy contracts were awarded in the South East in the last 24 months. See who won them and what they went for, next to this one.

See who won them →

Cite this contract

Link: https://bidskim.com/tender/295171/advocacy-services-lot-1-children-s-advocacy-independent-visitors-and-care-leaver
Buyer reference: OXFS001-DN695419-27680931
Open contracting ID: ocds-b5fd17-ed275ee3-4b83-406a-8821-276c2e06de24
Last checked: 5 November 2026

Oxfordshire County Council. Advocacy Services: Lot 1 - Children's Advocacy, Independent Visitors & Care Leavers Services and Lot 2 - Adult's Advocacy Service. Ref.: I-1841. Contract award, 30 October 2023. BidSkim, https://bidskim.com/tender/295171/advocacy-services-lot-1-children-s-advocacy-independent-visitors-and-care-leaver (accessed 5 November 2026).