Decision details

The County Council has a duty to take steps to secure, so far as reasonably practicable, sufficient accommodation within its area which meets the needs of children within its care. Sourcing stable placements which adequately meet the requirements of children with complex needs is a particular challenge, and this picture is reflected nationally.

The County Council has been working with other local authorities, as well as providers of residential care, to identify potential solutions to these issues, the culmination of which will be the procurement of a new service.  The procurement will be conducted in partnership with other authorities in the region – Kent, Portsmouth and Southampton – with the aim of developing new and innovative approaches to residential care provision for looked after children with complex needs, to better support sufficiency within the region.  Each authority will contract individually with the successful provider for their area, but with the flexibility to transfer unused residential places between partners, and even to sell to authorities outside the partnership if appropriate. The partnership will also continue to work together throughout the life of the contract to collaboratively develop services.

The Cabinet Member for Children and Young People has approved -

(1)         Entering into an inter-authority agreement with Kent County Council, Portsmouth City Council and Southampton City Council governing all aspects of the procurement and management of the contract(s) for residential provision for children with complex needs.

(2)         The delegation of authority to the Director of Children, Young People and Learning to enter into the inter-authority agreement as set out above.

(3)         The commencement of a procurement process for a block contract of 20 residential places for children with complex needs in West Sussex for a period of 10 years with an estimated total value of £104m.  This is for the West Sussex lot only – a further 30 places will be procured in separate lots by the other 3 authorities, creating 50 places in total across the partnership.

(4)         The delegation of authority to the Director of Children, Young People and Learning to award the service contract(s) to the successful bidder(s).

None