External Foster Care Services Framework Re-opening - Prospective Providers

Tender description

Essex County Council and Southend City Council are re-opening the framework agreement for External Foster Care Services. This Framework Agreement sets out the procedure for Placements, the terms and conditions for the provision of the Services and the obligations of a Provider under this Framework Agreement. Independent Foster Agencies (IFAs), who are not currently on the framework agreement, have the opportunity to enter up to 4 lots on a multi-provider framework agreement to provide Services to those customers who, if required, will make foster care placements in accordance with this Framework Agreement. It is important to note that despite entering the framework agreement, the Customers shall have no obligation to make placements with any particular IFA under this Framework Agreement and this Framework Agreement is not a commitment or guarantee from the Customers to procure any Services or any specific volume of Services from any particular IFA. Instead, the Customers shall only be committed under the terms of a valid and binding Individual Placement Agreement formed pursuant to this Framework Agreement. Each Individual Placement Agreement shall be an independent contract in its own right and therefore shall survive termination or expiry of this Framework Agreement with the relevant provisions of this Framework Agreement surviving as necessary until the expiry or earlier termination of any such Individual Placement Agreements. Lot 1: Standard Support Placements Placements for children or young people where they have a low to medium level of need. Lot 2: Enhanced Support Placements Placements for children or young people where they have a medium to high level of need e.g. history of placement breakdowns, mental health needs, mild to moderate disabilities. Lot 3: Intensive Support Placements Placements for children or young people where they have significant levels of need, e.g. complex health needs or disabilities, excluded from school, significant substance misuse. Lot 4: Parent and Child Placements Where the placement is for a parent and child, or parent with two or more children or two parents and a child or two parents with two or more children together. These include cases where there is a need for continuing assessment and on-going support.