Australia - The Provision of Accommodation, Care, Welfare and Settlement Services for Unaccompanied Humanitarian Minors

Description

The Immigration (Guardianship of Children) Act 1946(Cth) (IGOC Act) and Immigration (Guardianship of Children) Regulations 2001 (IGOC Regulations) are administered by the Department. Under these arrangements, the Minister for Home Affairs and the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection (the Minister) is the legal guardian of certain unaccompanied non-citizen children in Australia.  Section 7 of the IGOC Act allows the Minister to select and appoint willing and suitable persons or organisations to be Custodians of IGOC Minors and to place IGOC Minors into the custody of those persons or organisations. 
The Department seeks to engage suitable organisations to deliver support to clients (IGOC Minors and any non-IGOC Minors) that ensures provision of accommodation, welfare, well-being, successful settlement in the Australian community, and effective transition into adulthood. Services are required to be delivered in specified Contract Regions. The UHM Contract Regions are defined according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Greater Capital City Statistical Area.  The Department of Home Affairs (Department) currently manages a number of these contractual arrangements that facilitate the provision of accommodation, care, welfare and settlement services for these clients. This current suite of contracts are due to expire in the first half of 2019.   The successful Contractor/s will be appointed as the Custodian of the clients that are placed in its care through a referral by the Department. The Contractor/s will be required to meet obligations in the Department’s Child Safeguarding Framework (the Framework). The Framework provides guidance to the Department and contractors on their accountabilities in the delivery of services to children. The Framework is informed by Australia’s domestic legal framework and international obligations under treaties such as the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. While IGOC Delegates retain overall legal authority and responsibility for the client, the contractor, as the clients Custodian must make decisions about routine, day-to-day matters for the client. The overarching philosophy of the UHM Program is to provide services to clients in Australia to ensure they have access to accommodation, care, welfare and settlement services that are the best available in the circumstances, taking into account their diverse and potentially complex needs, and comparable to Australian standards. The Contractor/s must work to build the clients self-agency and resilience to support their transition to adulthood. There are particular challenges that clients in this cohort may face as a result of their background and experiences. These may include: - coping with previous traumatic experiences; - specific health needs resulting from trauma and/or inadequate medical care; - low literacy in their own language and limited education; - little or no English proficiency; - a disconnect with social/cultural expectations in a new country; - separation from family and familiar culture; and - pressure to financially support their families and/or sponsor their families abroad to come to Australia. Depending on eligibility and individual client needs, the Contractor/s must provide for clients’ care and welfare needs as part of the Services in line with Custodianship requirements under the IGOC Act, including: - case Management tailored to individual needs; - accommodation; - food, clothing and other basic items fundamental to a child’s welfare; - facilitating access to education and appropriate community services;- facilitating linkages to social, cultural and religious networks; - building client self-agency and resilience by providing age appropriate guidance and positive role modelling; - enabling successful settlement and a positive foundation for life in Australia through orientation and the development of life skills; and - facilitating transition to independence and adult life.

Opportunity closing date

30 November 2018

Value of contract

to be confirmed