Health and social work services

Tender description

Lancashire County Council (the ‘Authority’) will be inviting tenders from suitable independent fostering agencies for the provision of fostering placements for children looked after in Lancashire. It is the intention to publish the Contract Notice advertising the tender in late September / October 2017, and commence the new Framework on 5.4.2018. Detailed requirements will be issued in the tender documents which will be made available in due course on the Lancashire County Council iSupplier portal. Potential tenderers are recommended to register on the Lancashire County Council iSupplier portal if you are interested in this opportunity. For details on how to register, please visit: www.lancashire.gov.uk/business/tenders-and-procurement The purpose of this Framework Agreement is to support the Authority in fulfilling its sufficiency duty in relation to accommodation for looked after children and to improve the overall outcomes for these children. The Agreement will assist the Authority to improve the availability of suitable foster care placements at the right time and right location, delivering the right support, ensuring that Lancashire's Children Looked After: i. Receive the best care possible to meet their needs ii. Are effectively supported to improve their individual outcomes. iii. Their welfare is promoted and they are effectively safeguarded. The Authority's policy on the provision of finding and securing suitable fostering placements includes: i. The supply of placements and services using in-house foster carers. ii. The purchase of placements and services from Independent Fostering Agencies (IFAs). Step Down into Fostering placements will aim to offer targeted interventions with highly skilled and resourced foster carers for a limited time period either to support children to move out of residential care or as an alternative to going into residential care.