PROVISION of housing and support for vulnerable families in a borough is to be put out to tender.

Blackburn with Darwen Council is looking for organisations wishing to bid for a £700,000 contract to provide accommodation and assistance for families in crisis.

The service is currently provided by Caritas Diocese of Salford.

Now the five-year deal signed in April 1 2017 has come to end and the council is required to retender for the service.

The new contract with be worth £140,000 a year for three years with a possible two-year extension.

A report by the council's children's services boss Cllr Julie Gunn says: "The provision of the accommodation based service for vulnerable families will be retendered due to the current contract coming to an end.

"The service provides accommodation and support to prevent vulnerable young parents and their families from experiencing homelessness, to promote independence and to move into independent accommodation.

"The contract will commence on the 1st of November 2022 and will be awarded for three years with an option to extend for a further two years.

"The local authority funds a range of supported people and housing-related support services aimed at enabling people who need help to develop independent living skills or maintain independence in the community.

"The parents served have often been at risk or experiencing multiple vulnerabilities for example family breakdown, domestic violence, sexual assault, homelessness, financial difficulties, and physical or mental ill health.

"The service will also work alongside parents to help them understand the developmental needs of their child and offer parenting support and support families to better manage their and their children’s’ emotional health and wellbeing and physical health.

"The service will provide accommodation for a maximum of 12 months, however it is noted accommodation length may be extended for young parents who are 16 will be unable to obtain a

tenancy until they are 18.

"Caritas Diocese of Salford provides five units of single parent with their children accommodation and one unit for a larger family based service.

"The service specification will incorporate details to ensure that the successful provider will adhere to quality standards and legal requirements to promote timely decisions regarding the appropriate placement of young children subject to care proceedings.

"Each child who has been referred into local authority children's social care should have an individual assessment.

"The need to assess can include pre-birth situations when a mother's own circumstances would give cause for concern that the pre-birth, and then born, child would come within the definition of being a 'child in need'."