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Report to: |
Lead Member Children and Families
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Date of meeting:
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26 September 2022 |
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By: |
Director of Children’s Services
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Title: |
Children’s Services Supported Accommodation Framework Call-Off Contract extensions
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Purpose: |
To seek approval for 9-month extensions for 2 Call-Off Contracts under the Children’s Services Supported Accommodation Framework which exceed £500k each in value. |
The Lead Member is recommended to approve 9-month extensions for 2 Call-Off Contracts under the Children’s Services Supported Accommodation Framework
1.1 A Children’s Supported Accommodation Framework (SAF) was established in 2019 and enables the commissioning of high-intensive supported accommodation for 16–24-year-old care leavers and 16-17 year old young homeless children for whom ESCC has a duty to accommodate.
1.2 Five Call-Off Contracts with two providers are due to expire in December 2022. These contracts do not have an allowed for extension option past December 2022. Nine-month extensions for these Call-Off Contracts under the SAF will ensure continuity of provision and stability of placements for care leavers and young people between the time the current Call-Off Contracts expire, and new contracts can be awarded under a new Children’s Supported Accommodation Approved List (CSAAL) in 2023.
1.3 The value of two of the five Call-Off Contract extensions are over £500K each during the 9-month period.
2.1 Currently three providers are contracted under the SAF to provide high-intensive supported accommodation within East Sussex for our most complex and risky care leavers and young homeless.
2.2 Call-Off Contracts for two of the three providers will expire in December 2022. Both providers have agreed not to increase the price of placements agreed with them in 2019. Should these contracts not be extended, there would be a serious impact on the sufficiency of placements within East Sussex and a potential increase in more expensive out of county placements.
2.2 The Government will be introducing mandatory national standards and Ofsted-led regulation for providers of supported accommodation for looked after children and care leavers aged 16 and 17. Registration for regulation will commence in Spring of 2023, with inspections commencing from October 2023.
2.3 A new Children’s Supported Accommodation Approved List (CSAAL) is scheduled to be launched in Spring 2023, to:
· take into account the new regulatory requirements and ensure providers are compliant with them,
· attract new providers to help expand and diversify the market and improve sufficiency, and
· provide greater flexibility in the types of supported accommodation that can be commissioned for care leavers and young homeless ESCC has a duty to accommodate.
2.4 Neither of the providers are approved on the Adult Services Supported Accommodation Approved List (ASAAL) and therefore it is not currently appropriate to call off for these contracts through that process. It is proposed that the Call-Off Contracts are extended under the SAF to sustain provision until new contracts can be awarded under the new CSAAL.
2.5 An Approval Request for Moderation Form has been produced to seek approval to extend all five Call-Off Contracts under the SAF. Lead Member will be required a to sign off the modification form that covers all five contracts due to the non-allowed for nature of the request. This will be issued for signature following approval of this report.
3.1 The nine-month extensions to Call-Off Contracts under the SAF will ensure continuity of provision and stability of placement for care leavers and young people in placement with them at the time the current Call-Off Contracts expire, without any increase in the price per placement, until new contracts can be awarded under a new Approved List (CSAAL).
3.2 The Lead Member is therefore asked to approve nine month extensions on two Call-Off Contracts under the Children’s Services Supported Accommodation Framework.
ALISON
JEFFERY
Director of Children’s Services
Contact
Officer: Lisa Schrevel, Project Manager, LAC Services
Tel. No. 07701 394948
Email: lisa.schrevel@eastsussex.gov.uk
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BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS
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