Provision of Communicator Guide and Intervenor Services

Concepts

• hertford
• communicator guide
• intervenor services
• safe guiding skills
• a special communication system
• communicator
• guiding
• intervenor
• intervenors
• communication

Location

Description

This is an 18 month contract to provide communicator guide and intervenor services. Communicator guides work with people who acquire deafblindness, helping them with everyday tasks such as shopping, going to the doctors and going to the gym. The guides are trained in safe guiding skills to support with mobility. They will help the Deafblind person to adjust to life as their eyesight and hearing gets worse. For example, they might train the person to use hands-on signing or the Deafblind manual alphabet. Intervenors work with children and adults who have had deafblindness from birth. Their role is similar to a communicator guide but they will also help to develop a special communication system.

Award Detail

CPV Codes

• None found

Legal Justification

The current provider of these services gave sudden and unexpected notice to the Council on 29th January 2025 that they would not provide these services beyond 31st March 2025. The Council sought to negotiate a 4 month extension to this, which was refused, however the provider did agree to extend for a shorter period. The Council is therefore making an urgent direct award to a single replacement provider. The service is required to enable the Council to fulfil its legal obligations - local authorities are required to act under the "Care and Support for Deafblind Children and Adults Policy Guidance" under Section 7 of the Local Authority Social Services Act 1970 (for children) and section 78 of the Care Act 2014 (for adults). They have to: • provide appropriate services for deafblind people • provide specially trained one-to-one support workers when necessary • provide accessible information for deafblind people

Other Information

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