Invitation to Tender for the Evaluation of

Kerry CYPSC Funded Adolescent Drugs & Alcohol Project Workers Post

Kerry Children and Young People’s Services Committees (CYPSC) invites tender submissions from suitably qualified candidates to evaluate the Kerry Adolescent Drugs & Alcohol Project Worker Post funded by Kerry CYPSC Healthy Ireland Funding

Children and Young People’s Services Committees (CYPSC) are a key structure identified by Government to plan and co-ordinate services for children and young people in every county in Ireland. Their age remit spans all children and young people aged from 0 to 24 years. The purpose of CYPSCs is to ensure effective interagency co-ordination and collaboration to achieve the best outcomes for all children and young people in their area. The Committees are responsible for improving the lives of children, young people and families at local and community level by improving provision and delivery of key services. ‘Young Ireland: National Policy Framework for Children and Young People 2023-2028’ is a key policy document for CYPSCs which provides a structure for planning and actions.

Kerry CYPSC was established in September 2010 with membership from statutory, community and voluntary providers of services to children, young people, and families Kerry. Kerry CYPSC provides a forum at county level for joint planning, integrated service delivery and co-ordination of activity to ensure the delivery of improved and effective services for children, young people and their families.

Kerry CYPSC is inviting tenders from individuals or companies with expertise in project evaluation to help measure the impact of the Adolescent Drugs & Alcohol project worker post and inform the future development of the service.

Background to the Adolescent Drugs & Alcohol Project Worker Post

In 2023 the Kerry CYPSC Substance Misuse Working Group identified the need to develop an adolescent drugs & alcohol worker post to support the HSE Adolescent Addiction Counsellor in Kerry as there was only one adolescent addiction counsellor for under 18s in Kerry at that time. Stakeholders noted that the numbers referred to adolescent (13-19 years) addiction services in Kerry had reduced significantly since 2017 following reconfiguration of community Drugs & Alcohol(D&A) services in Kerry. Stakeholders were aware that significant substance use issues existed for 12-18s in Kerry, but services were not referring young people as Adolescent Addiction Services were extremely limited. A core element of the new D&A Adolescent Project Worker was to liaise with relevant services i.e. Probation, Youth Justice, Youth Services, An Garda Síochána, Tusla, Novas Homeless Service, Community Counselling Services and Schools to increase awareness of available addiction services & promote adolescent referrals to the service. In addition, the adolescent D&A Project worker would undertake initial and comprehensive assessments, substance use diagnosis, care planning & key working, support & advocacy, parental support, and onward referral as appropriate. working, support & advocacy, parental support, and onward referral as appropriate. The Kerry Adolescent Drugs & Alcohol Project Post was co-funded by HSE Drugs & Alcohol Services and Kerry CYPSC (Healthy Ireland Funding).

Please see full Tender Document attached below.

Submissions 

Submissions should be emailed to the Kerry CYPSC Coordinator claire.otoole@tusla.ie by 5pm on Friday August 29th 2025.