--- title: "Independent Review Mechanism for fostering and adoption" ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-b3d2ef85-e1a7-4708-a9cc-b199dea942ed" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-b3d2ef85-e1a7-4708-a9cc-b199dea942ed" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-b3d2ef85-e1a7-4708-a9cc-b199dea942ed.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-b3d2ef85-e1a7-4708-a9cc-b199dea942ed.json" source: "Contracts Finder" current_stage: "Tender" buyer: "DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION" published: "2018-05-17" --- # Independent Review Mechanism for fostering and adoption Buyer: DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION Current stage: Tender OCID: ocds-b5fd17-b3d2ef85-e1a7-4708-a9cc-b199dea942ed [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-b3d2ef85-e1a7-4708-a9cc-b199dea942ed) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-b3d2ef85-e1a7-4708-a9cc-b199dea942ed.json) ## Summary The Department for Education is inviting tenders for the provision of an Independent Review Mechanism for fostering and adoption. This procurement, initiated as an open procedure above the threshold, is currently in the tender stage, with submissions closing on 17th May 2018. This review mechanism aims to provide an independent route for prospective adopters and foster carers to challenge decisions made by their agencies. The contract is expected to commence on 1st June 2018 and will run until 31st March 2020, with an estimated value of £550,000. The services required will cover various locations, including the United Kingdom and British Overseas Territories. This tender presents significant opportunities for businesses in the social care and legal services sectors, particularly those with expertise in children's services and independent reviews. Companies that can provide objective assessments and support services to foster carers and adopters would be particularly well-suited to compete. The involvement of organisations that have a history of working with vulnerable populations or have proven track records in delivering similar services may enhance their chances of success in this procurement process. ## Notice The Independent Review Mechanism was first introduced in 2005 through secondary legislation, made under sections 9 and 12 of the Adoption and Children Act 2002. The purpose of the 2005 Regulations was to offer prospective adopters an opportunity to have decisions (technically known as 'qualifying determinations') reviewed by an independent panel if they had not been approved to adopt by their local authority or agency and were unhappy with the decision. The 2009 Regulations expanded the original remit to provide a similar service to prospective and existing foster carers who are deemed ineligible to foster; and to adult adoptees wishing to review historic decisions made about accessing their birth records. Most of the applications to the IRM currently are foster carer cases. On average, between 2013 and 2016, 85% of cases were for foster carers; 13.8% were for adopters; and 1.2% were for adult adoptees. The Regulations broadly stipulate how the IRM should be carried out. You can read the Regulations by entering the following URL into your browser. https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2009/395/contents/made Additional information: The Department for Education will soon be inviting organisations to tender for the provision of the Independent Review Mechanism for fostering and adoption (IRM). The IRM provides an objective, independent route for challenging or reviewing decision-making within children's social care, and is the only route for prospective adopters and foster carers to challenge decisions made about them by their agency. They can apply to the IRM to have their case heard by an independent panel of children's services experts. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Contracts Finder | | Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/5cee5928-72dc-4d3f-8850-66ef521fbc23 | | Notice type | Tender Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Open | | Procurement method details | Open procedure (above threshold) | | Tender suitability | Not specified | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Tender | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 17 May 2018 | | Submission deadline | 17 May 2018 | | Future notice date | Not specified | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 31 May 2018 - 31 Mar 2020 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £550,000 | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Active | | Lots status | Not specified | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION | | Locality | LONDON | | Post town | South West London | | Postcode | SW1P 3BT | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLI London | | ITL 2 | TLI3 Inner London - West | | ITL 3 | TLI35 Westminster and City of London | | Local authority | Westminster | | Electoral ward | St James's | | Westminster constituency | Cities of London and Westminster | | Delivery location | Not specified | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 85 - Health and social work services ### Codes - 85000000 - Health and social work services ## Release History - 17 May 2018 at 08:09 - TenderAmendment - Tender Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/5cee5928-72dc-4d3f-8850-66ef521fbc23 - 9 May 2018 at 14:01 - TenderAmendment - Tender Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/5cee5928-72dc-4d3f-8850-66ef521fbc23 - 18 Apr 2018 at 12:30 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/5cee5928-72dc-4d3f-8850-66ef521fbc23 ## Documents - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/5cee5928-72dc-4d3f-8850-66ef521fbc23 17th May 2018 - Opportunity notice on Contracts Finder - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/60ea2c43-56d8-41ca-9e8d-132e8b16a7e9 E-tendering Portal Guidance ## Notice URLs - https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-education - https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2009/395/contents/made ## Provenance This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-b3d2ef85-e1a7-4708-a9cc-b199dea942ed. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-b3d2ef85-e1a7-4708-a9cc-b199dea942ed.json.