Request for Tender 
Review of Outdoor Therapies and Outdoor Therapeutic Interventions funded through Tusla Child and Family Agency.

Background

Tusla is dedicated and committed to working in partnership with children, families & communities to ensure that children in need or at risk of harm are supported, protected, and connected to people who can safeguard and promote their wellbeing throughout their lives.

During, and post Covid an increasing area of interest has been outdoor therapeutic interventions. A range of these are funded through Tusla.

In order to fully understand how these interventions work, either in conjunction with, or instead of traditional talk therapies, a review is needed to recognize the range of interventions available, and a review of a selection of these will help Tusla to better understand how we can support young people in this way.

For further information www.tusla.ie

Objectives and Methodology

Tusla wishes to commission an independent external review of the implementation and outcomes of Outdoor Therapies and Outdoor Therapeutic Interventions.

We expect the review to include a combination of desk-based research and field research, including surveys and qualitative methodologies, to capture the voices and experiences of families, practitioners and other stakeholders. Ethical approval from Tusla’s Independent Research Ethics Committee will be required for this work.

The aims of the project are as follows:

1. Scoping Exercise

• Desktop research through Tusla Commissioning, PPFS managers and the Tusla Regional Therapeutic Teams (if applicable), in relation to what is being funded in this area.
• Desktop research looking at international best practice in this area. The agreed literature review approach should include definitions of outdoor adventure therapy, therapeutic adventure and related terms in this area of enquiry; the effectiveness, or otherwise, of therapies and interventions; and any relevant literature on impact of these therapies and interventions on better outcomes for children in the community, children in care, children on the edge of care and children engaging with the juvenile justice system.
• Defining the difference between outdoor therapies and outdoor therapeutic interventions.

2. Evaluation

• Choose a sample of providers in this area for further enquiry. The sample will be agreed with Tusla.
• Evaluate the outcomes from these programmes through the development and design of appropriate evaluation tool(s)
• Evaluate what this service mitigated against e.g. Risk of the young person coming into care/risk of the young person becoming involved in the Juvenile Justice System.

3. Voice of the child and parent/guardian

• A sample of parents/guardians and children and young people to gather views on their experience of the programmes provided and the perceived impact of programme delivery on outcomes such as supporting families to remain together or stabilize care placements. Ethical approval may be required for this work.
• Design appropriate participatory methods and tools to include the voice of child and parent/guardian in the research.
• Design an appropriate Public Patient Involvement (PPI) in research approach to assist in the research project development.

Expected Outputs

The required outputs from the review will be:

• An interim report on the above aims and objectives.
• A final report, supplemented with an executive summary, outlining key findings and recommendations relating to the above aims and objectives.
• A presentation on the findings and recommendations.

Timeframe

It is expected that the review will take place over a seven-month period and will produce a final report that encompasses all of the above aims. The closing date for the submission of proposals is 26th April 2024. It is expected that the evaluation will commence in May 2024, with report due in December 2024.

Please refer to the Tusla Research Ethics Committee (REC) webpage noted below for REC meeting dates.

Management and oversight of the review process

Day-to-day management of the contract will be led by an oversight group who will support and oversee the review process. This group will require regular progress updates. The successful tenderer will be required to engage with the relevant Tusla led governance and oversight structure for the duration of the project and provide subject matter expertise on the topic for the duration of the project aligned to the project delivery schedule. Progress updates to the Tusla governance and oversight structure will be required at intervals agreed upon once the project is commenced.

Budget

The overall budget should not exceed €40,000, inclusive of VAT and overheads. No more than 25% of the contract can go towards organisation’s overhead costs. The successful tenderer will be responsible for all tax, VAT, and other associated liabilities. Tusla will be responsible for contract management for the duration of the project. The successful tenderer will adhere to all the terms and conditions of the contract. The contractors reserve the right to withhold payment where the successful Tenderer fails to meet his/her contractual obligations in relation to the delivery of services to an acceptable level of quality.

Researchers will need to provide a Gantt chart outlining the project milestones, the number of researchers involved in the project, their daily rate and the proposed number of days allocated by each member of the team to the project.

Tender Format

The application should include information under the following headings:

• Researcher profiles including relevant experience, skills and knowledge of the sector and study context. This information should include reference to, and details of other similar work undertaken previously;
• The lead researcher specified for all correspondence during the lifetime of the project.
• Proposed outline of review including design, methodology, analysis and report writing.
• Proposed budget, including a breakdown of costs, timeline, and schedule for the delivery of the research project. This should include the costs for all personnel involved in the research project.
• Researcher to adhere to quality assurance processes of the Tusla governance and oversight structure for reviewing and commenting on draft outputs prior to finalisation.
• Risk assessment with mitigation and escalation strategy outlining any potential difficulties or delays that may be encountered through the course of the research.
• Evidence of current insurance/public indemnity
• Referees; contact details; and Gantt chart outlining a timeline of project deliverables.

Tenderers are advised that Tusla is subject to the Freedom of Information (FOI) Acts, 2014. If a Tenderer considers that any of the information supplied in their Tender response is either commercially sensitive or confidential in nature, this should be highlighted and the reasons for its sensitivity specified. In such cases the relevant material will, in response to a request under the FOI Act, be examined in the light of the exceptions provided for in the Act.

Selection and Awards Criteria

All tenders will be evaluated under the following criteria:

• Cost
• Research design and methodology
• Relevant Experience
• Skills and knowledge
• Contract management including demonstration of ability to complete project within the specified timeline.

Children First

Researchers must carry out their work in accordance with Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children, published by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs (DCYA, 2017) and any relevant legislation and policies relating to child protection and welfare, child safeguarding and vetting. Evidence of current Garda Vetting may be required.

Research Ethics and Data Protection Requirements

Tusla will require that the research be conducted within Tusla ethical governance protocols and procedures to ensure the maximum benefit of the research whilst minimising the risk of actual or potential harm to potential participants. Researchers must submit a research ethics application via the Tusla Independent Research Ethics Committee and any other REC, if applicable. Information on the process is available https://www.tusla.ie/research/tusla-research-office/research-ethics-committee/

The research must be conducted within the parameters of the Data Protection Acts 1988, 2003, 2018 and GDPR guidance which cover a wide range of research-related activities, particularly in respect of confidentiality and anonymity.

How to apply

Tenders should be submitted to Rosie Deegan by email: Rosie.Deegan@tusla.ie by 5pm on April 26th 2024. Emails should be clearly marked: Request for Tender Review of Outdoor Therapies and Outdoor Therapeutic Interventions

Informal Enquiries

Charlene Duff, National Coordinator, Prevention, Partnership and Family Support, Tusla by email: Charlene.Duff@tusla.ie

This project is supported through What Works. What Works is an initiative led by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, with funding from Dormant Accounts, to support a move towards evidence informed prevention and early intervention services for children, young people and their families.