Supported Employment Service tender opportunity with Salford City Council

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has awarded over £7.5m grant funding to 24 County Councils and Unitary Authorities in England and Wales to take part in the Local Supported Employment (LSE) Initiative.

The Initiative is aimed at helping adults with learning disabilities, autism, or both to move into competitive employment and receive the support they need to maintain that employment.

The longer-term ambition of the LSE initiative is to provide further evidence to Local Authorities (LAs) of the value of Supported Employment and to help build sustained LA investment in Supported Employment to secure effective employment for people with learning disabilities, autism, or both. It is hoped this initiative will help the growth of LA-led Supported Employment.

DWP has awarded Salford City Council Local Supported Employment (LSE) grant funding (the DWP Grant) to establish and deliver a high-quality Supported Employment Service in Salford. DWP and Salford City Council have entered into a Grant Funding Agreement (the DWP GFA) in relation to the DWP Grant.

Salford City Council (Adult Social Care and Skills & Work) wishes to create a partnership approach to delivering the supported employment service in Salford. This will be a combination of in-house management and co-ordination, alongside commissioned support. As such we aim to commission delivery partners to provide specific functions as part of the wider Salford 'Supported Employment Service'.

The service will provide 140 people with learning disabilities, autism, or both with access to personalised support, including the removal of barriers which inhibit individuals with disabilities from working.

The service will focus on supporting participants into paid employment, linking them to opportunities to earn competitive wages and other employment related benefits.

The specification relates to one of two distinct delivery functions, specifically a team of Job Coaches, which will be responsible for working with 140 participants on a 1-2-1 basis in accordance with the recommended 5 Stage Supported Employment Service Model

We estimate the delivery team will comprise of 5 Job Coaches, including one senior/lead Job Coach:

These Job Coaches will be the continuous single point of contact throughout a participant's journey into work and will continue to provide support once a participant has secured employment. Our experience tells us this is preferred by participants and is the most effective method of engagement and achieving sustained outcomes.