Research “Models of Good Practices on Independent Living and Inclusion in the Community for Persons with Significant Support Needs”

EASPD is the European Association of Service providers for Persons with Disabilities. We are a European not-for-profit organisation and represent over 20,000 social service provider organisations across both Europe and disability. The main objective of EASPD is to promote equal opportunities for people with disabilities through effective and high-quality service systems.

Tender specification

EASPD is looking for a Researcher/Research team to carry out a study on models of good practices for persons with significant support needs.

Main elements of work

As part of its “Commit!” Work Programme 2022, EASPD is looking for a Researcher/Research team to team to carry out a study on the models of good practices for persons with significant support needs.

The EASPD strategy for 2022-2025 highlights the need for “a smart transformation of support services” towards better quality, empowering and person-centred forms of support. This also requires ensuring “that no person with a disability is left without the support they need, and that the diversity of support needs are taken into consideration where developing policies and practices.”

Persons with significant support needs, such as those with multiple barriers to learning such as communication, cognition, sensory (vision & hearing) and physical”[1] are usually regarded as unable to live independently in the community. Thus, they are more likely to face aggravated exclusion. “They have always been used to justify the existence of segregated places and special services.”.^[2] The 2017-2023 strategy of the Council of Europe has also stressed the higher risk of institutionalisation and exclusion of persons with “multiple, complex and intersecting impairments”.

As the UN Committee on the rights of persons with disabilities has recently published draft Guidelines on deinstitutionalisation for persons with disabilities, including in emergency situations. Along, with the European Commission's intention to publish Guidance to Member States for independent living and being included in the community for persons with disabilities. EASPD is looking for promising practices supporting persons with significant support needs to live independently and being included in the community.

This report will support EASPD to develop its input towards the European Commission's initiatives with evidence-based information on support services promoting independent living of persons with significant support needs.

1. The study should focus specifically on persons with significant support needs/multiple disabilities and should include concrete promising practices which contribute to support inclusive living within the framework of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
2. The study must include 10 promising practices on independent living and inclusion in the community for persons with significant support needs. It must also ensure a geographical balance, including practices from the 5 different welfare regimes. The researcher should present the promising practices identified to EASPD before proceeding with the analysis to ensure that the same practices have not been included in previous EASPD's studies.
3. The study must also start with a clear definition of persons with significant support needs. This should take place in the beginning of the work and the definition needs to be presented to and being agreed with EASPD.

The Researcher/Research team is expected to deliver:

1. One report of approximately 30 pages, including:
   • A definition of “persons with significant support needs”;
   • Presentation of 10 promising practices, analysed within approximately 2 pages per practice.
   • A concluding chapter gathering the challenges identified and exploring the scalability of the promising practices presented.
2. EASPD expects the researchers/ research team to deliver along the report:
   • An executive summary
   • a short biography of the researchers
   • a list of potential dissemination channels (e.g. journals, conferences, etc.)
   • a PPT/document with important elements of the study to be used for dissemination.
3. The analysis of the promising practices should include the following:

• Description of the practice
• Description of the support needs of individuals
• Description of the support model/ approach followed (i.e. support available/ approach followed/ community re-integration/ and in general rights enjoyment as indicated in Article 19 of the UNCRPD).
• Information on support staff (ratio/ training)
• Funding and sustainability of the practice
• Strengths and weaknesses

Timeline

Deadline for application: 24/06/2022

Response to application: 01/07/2022

Selected applicants are expected to take on the assignment starting from as soon as possible.

A first overview of the findings is expected in a presentable format by 30/09/2022.

The report is expected to be finalised by 15/12/2022.

Expertise required

The researcher(s) will be expected to demonstrate:

• Proven experience in coordinating international research projects and collaborative work;

• Experience in data collection, analysis and presentation;

• Wide network of contacts and entry-points for collecting data at national level in EU countries; the selected candidate should ensure the processing of national data in local language(s)

• Solid academic and/or professional background with regards to the social service sectors;

• Experience of writing accessible reports for an NGO and/or EU/national organisation readership;

• Excellent command of English (written and oral)

• An operational approach to the integration of good management principles, including correct personal data management in line with the requirements of the GDPR.
• Only candidates from EU Member States are eligible for participating in the tender.

Selection and award criteria

The applicant(s) should submit the following documents until 24/06/2022; 23:59 CET:

• A motivation letter describing your expertise and explaining why you are the right candidate(-s) for the assignment (not more than 1 page).
• A technical proposal explaining how you plan to conduct the research, including a review of what has already been done, a proposed methodology, a work plan, resources needed, budget, etc. The technical proposal can include suggestions for the publication of the final report in academic journals and other scientific publications, to be further discussed with EASPD. (not more than 2-3 pages).
• CV, including the list of published articles, reports, studies if relevant.

Only selected candidates will be contacted.

Content of the bids

The tenderer will ensure that their bid clearly identifies how they meet the selection criteria. It would also be useful to see examples of previous work demonstrating their ability to write and present in English to a primarily NGO audience.

Payments and standard contract

Payment will be made on receipt of the draft report and the final report, 40% and 60% respectively.

Only validated deliverables will be accepted and fully compensated.

The Contract will be drawn up between EASPD and the contractor.

Price

The estimated price is max. EUR 10.000, all taxes included.

The contract will be awarded to the tenderer whose offer represents the best value for money, taking into account the quality of submitted document and individual expertise. The contract will only be awarded to a tenderer who clearly proves that they have knowledge, experience and expertise which match at least 70% of the selection criteria.

Contact Details

Please send bids to Zoé Lardou, Learning & Development Officer, European Association of Service providers for Persons with Disabilities (EASPD): zoe.lardou@easpd.eu

Data Privacy Statement      

• EASPD commits to carefully handle the privacy and data protection of natural persons whose personal data are processed by EASPD.
• EASPD only processes the personal data in a way that is compatible with the purposes for which the data were collected.
• Personal data is collected to facilitate the tender process. Data given to EASPD is included in the CV you need to submit for your application to be considered.
• EASPD takes appropriate measures to ensure your personal data is not kept for longer than necessary for the intended purposes. That is why your CV will not be kept by EASPD after the tender process is finished.

[1]https://www.callscotland.org.uk/information/severe-and-complex-support-needs/

[2]https://www.inclusion-europe.eu/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Empowerment-of-people-with-complex-support-needs.pdf