--- title: "Independent Review Mechanism (IRM) for fostering and adoption" ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-df99496f-9020-4238-952a-dc0de05ecccd" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-df99496f-9020-4238-952a-dc0de05ecccd" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-df99496f-9020-4238-952a-dc0de05ecccd.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-df99496f-9020-4238-952a-dc0de05ecccd.json" source: "Contracts Finder" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION" published: "2018-02-22" --- # Independent Review Mechanism (IRM) for fostering and adoption Buyer: DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-b5fd17-df99496f-9020-4238-952a-dc0de05ecccd [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-df99496f-9020-4238-952a-dc0de05ecccd) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-df99496f-9020-4238-952a-dc0de05ecccd.json) ## Summary The Department for Education is preparing to invite tenders for the Independent Review Mechanism (IRM) concerning fostering and adoption services. This procurement process is currently at the planning stage, with the contract period set to commence on 31 May 2018 and conclude on 30 March 2020. The estimated budget for this initiative stands at £300,000, and the procurement method will be through an open procedure above the threshold, allowing a broad range of suppliers to participate. The IRM is classified under the CPV code for Other community, social and personal services, which covers various locations across the United Kingdom. This tender presents significant opportunities for organisations specialising in social care and independent review processes. Businesses with experience in children's social services, particularly those capable of managing independent panels and facilitating reviews, would be well-suited to compete for this contract. Additionally, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can leverage their agility and specialised expertise to deliver the required services efficiently, allowing them to position themselves favourably in the competitive landscape. ## Notice The Department for Education will soon be inviting organisations to tender for the provision of the independent review mechanism for fostering and adoption. 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. Additional information: The contractor will: * respond to applicants in a timely manner, requesting the appropriate evidence required from the applicant, their agency, and any other sources * organise and run all review panels, recruiting panellists with the correct expertise, as detailed in Regulations * provide applicants with the recommendations of the panels within the required timeframe, as stipulated in Regulations * run the service in a modern, streamlined and legally robust way, making use of technology to achieve this * make sure the IRM is accessible and that those who need it are aware of it * actively try to improve the IRM's reputation within the sector, making this a key part of the overarching strategy for the service * work closely with Department for Education staff in a collaborative manner, in order to ensure the service is of the highest quality possible, is run efficiently, and provides good value for money. History of the IRM 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. The IRM process The applicant contacts the IRM if they are unhappy with their agency's decision about them - usually that they are ineligible to foster or adopt. The majority of applications come from foster carers who have been deemed as no longer eligible to foster. An IRM caseworker looks at the applicant's case in detail, and requests further written evidence from their local authority/agency as necessary and from any other source. The IRM will then organise a panel of 3-10 people who are social workers or who have direct experience of children's social care and are independent of the parties concerned, to review the case. During the panel, the panellists hear from both the applicant and their local authority or agency. The IRM panellists decide whether they agree with the agency's original decision or not, and then make their recommendation to that agency. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Contracts Finder | | Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/f6a8b446-cf22-4928-97b3-ee6159c4de06 | | Notice type | Planned Procurement Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Not specified | | Procurement method | Open | | Procurement method details | Open procedure (above threshold) | | Tender suitability | SME | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Planning | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 22 Feb 2018 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 28 Mar 2018 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 30 May 2018 - 30 Mar 2020 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £300,000 | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Planned | | Lots status | Not specified | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION | | Locality | WESTMINSTER, 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 | TLC North East (England), TLD North West (England), TLE Yorkshire and The Humber, TLF East Midlands (England), TLG West Midlands (England), TLI London, TLJ South East (England), TLK South West (England) | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 98 - Other community, social and personal services ### Codes - 98000000 - Other community, social and personal services ## Release History - 22 Feb 2018 at 12:38 - Planning - Planned Procurement Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/f6a8b446-cf22-4928-97b3-ee6159c4de06 - 22 Feb 2018 at 11:12 - Planning - Planned Procurement Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/f6a8b446-cf22-4928-97b3-ee6159c4de06 ## Documents - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/f6a8b446-cf22-4928-97b3-ee6159c4de06 22nd February 2018 - Future opportunity notice on Contracts Finder - 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-df99496f-9020-4238-952a-dc0de05ecccd. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-df99496f-9020-4238-952a-dc0de05ecccd.json.