Leicestershire Children and Families Services Gateway2Resources (G2R) - Supported Accommodation for Young People Aged 16+

DPS Paused – Update November 2022 This Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) is currently paused to new applications. This is to allow the Council sufficient time to review future requirements for the provision of accommodation and support for young people aged 16 and 17 years old. The Department for Education (DFE) is introducing new national standards for Supported Accommodation for Young People. Currently (14th November 2022) the Council understands Ofsted are working to the following steps/timescales, • Release a draft version of the new standards and the requirements for registration and inspection late November 2022. • Hold a period of consultation with providers and local authorities before releasing the final standards in February 2023. • Provider registrations are expected to start from April 2023. • It will be illegal for Local authorities to make placements with unregistered providers from September 2023. Pausing the DPS to new applications will allow the Council sufficient time to review the impact of the national standards on the Council’s current service delivery model and design a new procurement solution. It is likely that the new standards will mean the current DPS will be brought to an end in 2023 and a new procurement solution, to comply with the new regulations, will replace it. All providers will have the opportunity to tender for the new procurement solution during 2023. The Council is likely to publish the new tender opportunity in spring 2023 and it will be advertised on https://www.eastmidstenders.org/ Given that we are moving into a new model of service delivery and providers will very shortly need to be applying for the new tender/service model the Council feels it is unfair to accept new applications for the existing DPS at this time. New applications for the current DPS will take time to evaluate and quality assure before a provider can be added to the DPS. This will limit the amount of business new providers will receive through the DPS before the new solution is open to applications. Events Leicestershire County Council: Once Ofsted publishes the draft standards the Council is planning to hold an engagement event with Supported Accommodation for Young People providers. If you are interested in attending this event, please contact CFSCommissioningSupport@leics.gov.uk Ofsted: Ofsted are running a supported accommodation webinar for local authorities and providers on Wednesday 16 November 2022, 2.00pm – 3.00pm, please see the following link for the registration details: https://register.gotowebinar.com/rt/4974182234481713420 During this webinar, Ofsted policy leads will discuss the timeline leading up to the registration application window opening in 2023 and the likely arrangements for registration applications and subsequent inspections. Keywords: Supported Accommodation, Young People, Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children, Looked After Children, Leaving Care