Issue - meetings

Cllr Stephen Davies, sought Cabinet approval to initiate a tendering process for a new contract or (as appropriate) contracts for the provision of the following three categories of service: (1) a 28-day same day/emergency placement service for Looked After Children; (2) a PACE (Police and Crime Evidence Act 1984) bed fostering service; and (3) a Remand Fostering service. This would allow a new contract or contracts to be awarded as part of Gloucestershire’s Sufficiency Strategy.

Having considered all of the information, Cabinet noted the report and

RESOLVED to:

Delegate authority to the Executive Director of Children’s Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children’s Safeguarding and Early Years to:

1. Conduct a competitive procurement process in respect of a contract or (as appropriate) contracts divided into the following lots:

Lot 1: supply of up to twelve (12) emergency/28 days or fewer foster

placements; and

Lot 2: supply of up to three (3) Police and Criminal Evidence (PACE)

beds to meet the needs of young people who have been arrested.
Additionally, this lot will include the supply of up to another three (3)

Remand foster carers for young people on remand to the Police or the

courts. (i.e., to supply both 3 PACE beds and 3 Remand beds)

Such lots may be awarded to the same tenderer under a single

contract or awarded to two separate tenderers under two separate

contracts. The proposed contract(s) shall continue for an initial period

of five years and include an option to extend its/their terms for a further

period of not more than two years.

2. Award such contract(s) to the preferred tenderer(s); and

3. Determine whether to exercise the option to extend the term of such

contract(s) for a further period of not more than two years on the expiry

of the initial five-year term.

Cllr Stephen Davies, sought Cabinet approval to initiate a tendering process for a new contract or (as appropriate) contracts for the provision of the following three categories of service: (1) a 28-day same day/emergency placement service for Looked After Children; (2) a PACE (Police and Crime Evidence Act 1984) bed fostering service; and (3) a Remand Fostering service. This would allow a new contract or contracts to be awarded as part of Gloucestershire’s Sufficiency Strategy.

There were three types of fostering identified in the report. Members noted that these were 28 Day Foster Homes for Children in Care - The aim would be to provide 12 short term foster homes within Gloucestershire, on an emergency basis for up to 28 days whilst there was a search for a permanent home.  In addition there were Fostering PACE BEDs - To provide 3 Emergency PACE beds for young people who are being investigated by the Police.  Finally the tender would include 3 REMAND Fostering Beds for young people who were remanded by the courts.

The 28-day window allowed appropriate long-term arrangements that might include finding permanent foster carers who were right for that child, limiting the risk of multiple placements, and causing any further unnecessary distress.

The aim of the Strategy and this provision was to reduce the number of short term moves which would contribute to improved stability for children

Having considered all of the information, Cabinet noted the report and

RESOLVED to:

Delegate authority to the Executive Director of Children’s Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children’s Safeguarding and Early Years to:

1. Conduct a competitive procurement process in respect of a contract or (as appropriate) contracts divided into the following lots:

Lot 1: supply of up to twelve (12) emergency/28 days or fewer foster

placements; and

Lot 2: supply of up to three (3) Police and Criminal Evidence (PACE)

beds to meet the needs of young people who have been arrested.
Additionally, this lot will include the supply of up to another three (3)

Remand foster carers for young people on remand to the Police or the

courts. (i.e., to supply both 3 PACE beds and 3 Remand beds)

Such lots may be awarded to the same tenderer under a single

contract or awarded to two separate tenderers under two separate

contracts. The proposed contract(s) shall continue for an initial period

of five years and include an option to extend its/their terms for a further

period of not more than two years.

2. Award such contract(s) to the preferred tenderer(s); and

3. Determine whether to exercise the option to extend the term of such

contract(s) for a further period of not more than two years on the expiry

of the initial five-year term.