Children's Residential Personalised Block Contracts

The Council are not mandating precise details of how a provider should support a Child in Care, instead trusting in the specialisms, knowledge, and expertise of this market. This personalised specification approach allows providers (both fostering and residential) full autonomy and freedom around their individual model using their bids to detail how they will meet the individual needs of a Child in Care and the expected outcomes of this contract. Exact details of Children in Care requiring a placement are individually outlined in each output specification, these each form a Lot.

Each of these are anonymised referrals of a Young Person who is currently in an unregistered placement, or at risk of being in an unregistered placement, who requires a registered placement. The Council will consider all registered children's home/foster care placements so long as it is in accordance with the child or young person's care plan, the Council are therefore able to consider solo, dual or group homes. The Council are not mandating required minimum support hours (unless in accordance with a DoLS order) instead opting to hear from providers about how they best feel they can meet needs.

Placements for children and young people include those:

• With emotional and behavioural difficulties.
• With EHCP plans.
• With a history of disrupted familial relationships and/or have experienced break down of placements in foster care or children's homes.
• Who have been at risk of harm.
• Who have experienced neglect.
• Who have experienced emotional abuse.
• Who have an identified or suspected neurodiversity.
• Additional children and young people referred if / once the initial placement has ended are
• likely to include those aged 10-18 years old with behaviours including but not limited to:
• Self-harm, including suicidal thoughts.
• Offending
• Sexualised behaviours
• Fire setting
• Absconding
• The placement is not required to accommodate children and young people with:
• Physical disabilities.
• Severe Learning disabilities.
• Acute mental health needs who require inpatient treatment.
• Clinical / nursing needs.
• Severe drug dependency not on a treatment support program. In addition, the provider is to operate within Children's homes / fostering regulations, Ofsted requirements, and ensure Regulation 44 visits are in place as applicable. Criteria For Providing the Provision include that the provider will have a registered children's home vacancy or foster care placement which can be offered within the timescales detailed within the tender. Furthermore, this service must be provided in accordance with the following conditions:
• The placement must be delivered in Essex or within 20 miles.
• The provider must aspire for an Ofsted rating of good or outstanding.

This service specification has been drafted in accordance with the Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015 ("the Regulations") and accompanying guidance.