SC21032 Therapies - SEN, Adoption Support Service and VSK

Tender description

SEN Therapies Lot 1 The Council recognises that SEN therapy service providers have an important role in improving a CYP’s participation in learning experiences and access to curriculum opportunities and outcomes for our children who have an EHC plan. We therefore want to establish a relational contracting approach with providers on the QPL that will: • recognise the interdependencies between local authorities, service providers, Ofsted, and other stakeholders; • facilitate co-operation, shared learning, and improvement; • enable us to anticipate and respond quickly to the changing needs of the Council's CYP with an EHC plan; • support joint working between the Council’s education and service providers to help improve outcomes for Council's CYP with an EHC plan; • help to ensure sufficiency and suitability of the therapy provision that is tailored to the current and anticipated needs of Council's CYP with an EHC plan; and • ensure fairness in the commercial arrangements between commissioners and providers and transparency of prices. Adoption Support Service Lot 2 The Adoption Support Fund (ASF) has been established to help adoptive families access the services they need more easily. The ASF provides funds to local authorities (LAs) and Regional Adoption Agency’s (RAA) to pay for essential therapeutic services for eligible adoptive and special guardianship order (SGO) families. The aim of the ASF and the support it funds is to: • Improve outcomes for young people and families • Improve the core adoption/SGO support offered to families • Build the evidence base so that interventions demonstrate the effectiveness and value for money Virtual Schools Kent (Lot 3) Virtual School Head Teachers (VSHs) are responsible for promoting the educational achievement of all the children looked after by the local authority they work for. With some young people a therapeutic approach or intervention may be needed in order to support access to or engagement with education. Kent Children in Care (CiC) aged from 3 to 18 years of age are supported by Virtual School Kent (VSK). Pupil Premium Plus funding (PP+), Post 16 Pupil Premium Plus (P16PP+) or Early Years Pupil Premium funding (EYPP) can be used to pay for activities that will: - a) Improve the learning targets in children’s Personal Education Plans (PEPs). b) Encourage CiC to be more involved and interested in their education. Lot 1: SEN Therapies Lot 1 SEN Therapies Successful bidders shall be invited to sign the framework agreement join the QPL for the appropriate lots they have bid for (Framework Agreement). Entry into this contract shall not guarantee that the Council will buy Therapy Services from any bidder but will ensure that successful bidder will be included in the Council's QPL. As and when the Council needs specific Therapy Services, the Council shall: 1. review the QPL and select the providers that have the professional qualifications to deliver the required services; 2. start a mini-competition by submitting a call-off request to those selected providers in accordance with the Framework Agreement (Order Form or request for service from relevant service (SEN therapies - Lot 1 or Adoption Support Service - Lot 2); 3. request a final price for the relevant Therapy Services; and 4. decide whether to proceed with the required Therapy Services at the price stated based on the award criteria set out at section. Where in the reasonable professional opinion of the Council there is only one provider with the relevant expertise to provide the required Therapy Services to a particular CYP, the Council may approach a single provider on the QPL. No call-off and/or contract for any requested Therapy Services shall be deemed to have taken place and/or been formed until the Council formally accepts the price quoted by the chosen provider in accordance with the Framework Agreement. Lot 2: Adoption Support Service Lot 2 Adoption Service - Therapies Successful bidders shall be invited to sign the framework agreement to join the QPL for the appropriate lots they have bid for (Framework Agreement). Entry into this contract shall not guarantee that the Council will buy Therapy Services from any bidder but will ensure that successful bidder will be included in the Council's QPL. As and when the Council needs specific Therapy Services, the Council shall: 1. review the QPL and select the providers that have the professional qualifications to deliver the required services; 2. start a mini-competition by submitting a call-off request to those selected providers in accordance with the Framework Agreement (Order Form or request for service from relevant service (SEN therapies - Lot 1 or Adoption Support Service - Lot 2); 3. request a final price for the relevant Therapy Services; and 4. decide whether to proceed with the required Therapy Services at the price stated based on the award criteria set out at section. Where in the reasonable professional opinion of the Council there is only one provider with the relevant expertise to provide the required Therapy Services to a particular CYP, the Council may approach a single provider on the QPL. No call-off and/or contract for any requested Therapy Services shall be deemed to have taken place and/or been formed until the Council formally accepts the price quoted by the chosen provider in accordance with the Framework Agreement. Lot 3: Virtual Schools Kent (Lot 3) Virtual School Head Teachers (VSHs) are responsible for promoting the educational achievement of all the children looked after by the local authority they work for. With some young people a therapeutic approach or intervention may be needed in order to support access to or engagement with education. Kent Children in Care (CiC) aged from 3 to 18 years of age are supported by Virtual School Kent (VSK). Pupil Premium Plus funding (PP+), Post 16 Pupil Premium Plus (P16PP+) or Early Years Pupil Premium funding (EYPP) can be used to pay for activities that will: - a) Improve the learning targets in children’s Personal Education Plans (PEPs). b) Encourage CiC to be more involved and interested in their education. Therapeutic support should not be regarded as alternative health provision of therapy services for gaps in commissioned NHS service delivery. Services required to support PEP targets, often involve intensive specialist interventions or approaches required to maintain educational placements and promote progress.