Advice and Guidance for Public Consultations

To deliver Advice and Guidance (A&G), tCI offers clients a flexible menu of services, drawing on our expertise in option development consultation, consultation project management, and wider aspects of public consultation planning and public consultation delivery. Each client is supported by a lead Associate, with access to the wider Institute team, bringing specialist knowledge in law, policy, and best practice.

Because engagement projects are often fluid, we take a flexible approach—adjusting the scope of delivery as circumstances change while ensuring that core consultation standards are met.

Our sector experience includes:

• Interpreting legislative and ‘legitimate expectation’ requirements to consult and involve

• Building and maintaining ‘continuous engagement’ mechanisms

• Equalities aspects of engagement and consultation

• Undertaking stakeholder analysis (including stakeholder mapping)

• Scoping a consultation

• Advising on option development and appraisal

• Drafting consultation narratives (consultation papers)

• Devising project plans through effective consultation project management

• Best practice consultation data analysis

• Best practice use of online consultations and social media

• Facilitating engagement exercises (e.g. focus groups)

• Preparing consultation feedback and final reports

Under an Advice and Guidance contract, the Institute acts as a trusted advisor on any aspect of consultation or engagement where clarity or reassurance is needed. This may include reviewing and evaluating engagement work, identifying risks, exploring concerns, and recommending improvements. We can also provide a final report that details how each key area has been assessed and offer an overall opinion.

Advice and Guidance does not lead to a public endorsement of your work. For formal recognition, tCI offers two services that provide independent validation: the Certificate of Consultation Readiness and Quality Assurance.