Health and social work services

Tender description

Kent County Council is looking at potentially re-procuring the supported accommodation in a family environment service, previously known as the Supported Lodgings (‘SLODS’) service. Supported accommodation in a family environment is a form of temporary supported accommodation for vulnerable young people and care leavers (aged 16-25) who are not ready to live independently for a variety of reasons. Young people placed in this accommodation will have their own room in a family home and be given support by the adult or adults (the Hosts) that live in the home. Kent County Council (the Council) is the largest county council in England covering an area of 3 500 km2. It has an annual expenditure of over 900 000 000 GBP on goods and services and a population of approx. 1,5 m. The Council provides a wide range of personal and strategic services on behalf of its residents, operating in partnership with 12 district council. The Council is looking at potentially re-procuring the supported accommodation in a family environment service, previously known as the Supported Lodgings (‘SLODS’) service. Supported accommodation in a family environment is a form of temporary supported accommodation for vulnerable young people and care leavers (aged 16-25) who are not ready to live independently for a variety of reasons. Young people placed in this accommodation will have their own room in a family home and be given support by the adult or adults (the Hosts) that live in the home. Hosts will have the capacity to offer each young person a bedroom of their own that is furnished and maintained to a good standard and will be expected to offer varying levels of support, including young people with both multiple and complex/intensive needs, and guidance to the young person when required, to help him or her towards independence. The Council are looking to procure a broker for this service, to recruit, manage, train and quality assure these Hosts on our behalf. Service demand is variable, and we expect that between 100 and 200 placements will be required at any one time from month to month. The responsibilities of any future contractor shall include: — recruiting, assessing and quality assuring suitable hosts, — supporting, training and developing authorised hosts, — ensuring hosts support young people to deliver outcomes identified in Pathway Plans, — increasing current levels of provision and diversifying the types of provision available, — arranging placements, appropriately matching young people with hosts, — effectively manage both planned and emergency placements, and — paying hosts fortnightly on behalf of the Council. The Council would like to hear from organisations, which may be interested in tendering for this opportunity (if/when it is available), to discuss ideas on how this could be most effectively and efficiently delivered and to provide greater insight into the market. The Council may arrange to meet with interested organisations, either individually or at an open market engagement event, depending on the levels of interest in this PIN. Any meetings that take place as a result of this PIN will be for the purpose of market engagement and information gathering and will not form part of the formal tendering process which may follow at a later date. If your organisation is interested in potentially delivering this service, please ‘Register an Interest’ in this PIN.