This public procurement record has 5 releases in its history.

Award

19 Apr 2024 at 16:03

Tender

30 Jan 2024 at 13:53

Award

09 May 2022 at 13:22

Tender

18 Nov 2021 at 11:56

Planning

17 Sep 2021 at 15:37

Summary of the contracting process

The Kent County Council and Medway Council have recently completed an Independent Fostering Framework Agreement that involves commissioning stable, high-quality foster care homes for children aged 0-18 years. The framework aims to provide various types of placements like short-term, long-term, parent and child homes, and emergency care beds. The agreement was awarded under a tender with a focus on quality criteria, and the contract is valued at £44.4 million for Kent County Council and £24.5 million for Medway Council over four years.

This tender presents opportunities for Independent Fostering Providers to offer specialist care services for vulnerable young people. Businesses suited for this opportunity are those experienced in social work and related services. The lots within the framework agreement cater to a range of foster care needs, including short-term, long-term, and emergency placements. Suppliers selected for the award include a mix of both small and large-scale fostering agencies, demonstrating a diverse and inclusive procurement process.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Independent Fostering Framework Agreement

Notice Description

Kent County Council and Medway Council have awarded a framework agreement to a number of Independent Fostering Providers who will provide a range of stable, high-quality foster care homes for children 0-18 years old that value, support and encourage them to grow and develop as individuals. In addition to promoting their health and general well-being the Providers need to be committed to ensuring that their foster carers recognise the importance of the educational achievement of Children in Care and work with us in raising their academic attainment.

Lot Information

Lot TBC

The purpose of this notice is to ensure that IFP's are aware and can prepare for this upcoming opportunity. Independent Fostering Placements It is recognised that a child's needs are best met by a nurturing family, and we are committed to placing children who are not able to remain within their own family in an appropriate alternative family placement wherever possible. There is a commitment to place children and young people with local foster families in order to allow them to maintain contact with families and friends continue at the same school and thrive within their own community. The aims of the service will be to: * Enable access to a wide range of foster care placement types from registered, good quality IFP's * Improve placement stability supported by effective matching * Exhibit strong collaboration and partnership working to ensure the child's needs and outcomes are at the centre of the work * Demonstrate the involvement of the child ensuring their voice is heard and listened to through participation in decision making (where appropriate) * Demonstrate effective and efficient communication to support placement finding * Reduce the need to spot purchase We shall be seeking to commission through a new Framework Agreement fostering placements for children and young people from 0-18 years. Albeit subject to changes and additions, as a minimum we shall require the following placement types: * Long term or permanent placements * Short Term / Task Focused / Bridging placements * Short Break Placements for disabled children * Parent(s) and Child(ren) * Step Down from residential placements * Emergency (same day, out of hours and/or within 24 hours of referral) * Sibling groups * Solo placements (with no other children within the foster household) No action is required at this time and further information regarding this forthcoming procurement will follow in due course.

Lot 1

* Short Term/Task Centred/Bridging, up to 12 months * Long Term or permanent homes (as per the Care/Placement Plan; 12 months and over) * Parent(s) and Child(ren) * Short Break Homes * Children with Disabilities * Solo homes, with no other children/young people within the fostering household. * Homes for large sibling groups to enable brothers and sisters to live together. * Emergency foster care beds, where foster carers are able to care for children without the usual planning and/or thorough assessment process having taken place because of the need to ensure the immediate safety and welfare of the child. - Homes for large sibling groups to enable brothers and sisters to live together. - Emergency foster care beds, where foster carers are able to care for children without the usual planning and/or thorough assessment process having taken place because of the need to ensure the immediate safety and welfare of the child.

Lot 2

A small number of our children and young people in care, are placed within a residential children's home due to the complexity of their needs during a specific period in their childhood. For some, past adverse family experiences may lead to poor emotional and mental health expressed through depression, self-harming behaviours or separation anxieties and attachment disorders. They are often highly vulnerable young people whose behaviour could be perceived to make them or others more at risk

Lot 3

We are seeking specialist foster carers, predominantly for adolescents. For some, past adverse family experiences may have led to poor emotional and mental health expressed through depression, self-harming behaviours or separation anxieties and attachment disorders. They are often highly vulnerable young people whose behaviour could be perceived to make them or others more at risk. These young people: * may be stepping down from residential care or * more likely requiring a fostering home at short notice (similar to an Emergency Bed). The foster carers will need to care for a young person with complex needs and potentially a number of risk-taking behaviours which may include violence, absconding, offending and gang association. It is expected that these would be predominately a solo arrangement. The level of complexity and need of these young people are above the thresholds that the Placing Authorities would source as part of an enhanced placement through its IFP Fostering Framework Agreement. It is anticipated that only a very small number of these young people would require this type of fostering home in any given year.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-02e225
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/012873-2024
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Planning, Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Award Notice
Procurement Type
Framework
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large, SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

85 - Health and social work services


CPV Codes

85000000 - Health and social work services

85300000 - Social work and related services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
19 Apr 20242 years ago
Submission Deadline
23 Feb 2024Expired
Future Notice Date
15 Nov 2021Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Cancelled, Planned
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Kent County Council
Additional Buyers

Medway Council

Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
MAIDSTONE
Postcode
ME14 1XQ
Postcode Area
Rochester
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ4 Kent
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ45 Mid Kent
Delivery Location
TLJ4 Kent

Local Authority
Maidstone
Electoral Ward
Penenden Heath
Westminster Constituency
Maidstone and Malling

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
50
Supplier Names

Active Care Solutions Limited

All4U Fostering Ltd

Anchor Foster Care Services Ltd

Barnardo's

Be My Family Fostering Agency Ltd

BLUE SKY FOSTERING LIMITED

BRIGHTER FUTURES FOSTER CARE LTD

By the Bridge Limited

Caldecott Fostering

Capstone Foster Care (South East) Ltd

CareTech Community Services Limited

Chrysalis Care Ltd

COMPASS FOSTERING SOUTH LIMITED

Diagrama Children's Services Limited

Diverse Care (UK) Ltd

Diversity Foster Care Limited

ETHELBERT SPECIALIST HOMES LIMITED

Family First Fostering

Five Rivers Child Care Limited

FLOURISH FOSTERING LIMITED

Following Whispers Family Service Consultancy Limited

Foster Care Associates

Foster Care Link Ltd

FosterCare UK Ltd

Fusion Fostering Ltd

Greater London Fostering

Fostering Hearts

South Coast Fostering Ltd

Heath Farm Family Services Limited

Homefinding and Fostering

Integrated Services Programme (ISP)

Kasper Limited

Mosaic Foster Care

Next Step Fostering Services Limited

Orange Grove Fostercare Ltd

OwnLife Fostering Ltd

PEOPLE WHO FOSTER

The Adolescent and Children's Trust

The National Fostering Agency Ltd

UK Fostering

Xcel 2000 Fostercare Services Limited

Banya Family Placement Ltd

Channels and Choice

Family Fostering

Fostering Together

Lighthouse Fostering

Outset Fostering Agency

Sunbeam Fostering Agency Limited

Young People at Heart

First Steps Fostering

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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