Health and social work services

Tender description

Essex County Council (“the Council”) is seeking to secure a range of effective, reliable and efficient independent fostering agencies to deliver external fostering placements to enable the Council to fulfil its statutory duties as a corporate parent under section 22 of the Children’s Act 1989. The overarching aim of this service is to provide a stable placement in suitable accommodation which supports young people to develop the requisite resilience, wellbeing, form positive relationships in preparation for their transition to adulthood and progression to independent living. This procurement will be conducted under the light touch regime and incorporate the following four lots: Limited, Standard, Intensive and Parent and Child. Candidates are advised that this framework will incorporate a refresh mechanism to enable new entrants to apply to join the framework which is anticipated to be enacted at the 2 year anniversary or as required by ECC during its 4 year lifetime. This lot is designed to secure suitable external fostering placements for children or young people with low to medium needs with no on-going challenging behaviours. This lot is designed to secure suitable external fostering placements for children or young people with medium to high level needs; which may include, but not be limited to, a history of placement breakdowns, mental health needs, mild to moderate disabilities. This lot is designed to secure suitable external fostering placements for children and young people with significant levels of need, including but not limited to complex health needs or disabilities, exclusion from mainstream school, significant substance misuse. This lot is designed to secure suitable external fostering placements for a parent and child, or parent with 2 or more children or two parents and a child or 2 parents with 2 or more children together. These would include cases where there is a need for continuing assessment and on-going support.