Decision details

Having complied with paragraph 15 of the Council’s Access to Information Procedure Rules:

(i)  To approve changes to the way the Council delivers Edge of care provision through a contracted service

(ii)  To approve estimated spend of up to £921,000 per annum for the duration of the contract on outcomes payments and contract management arrangements, to be funded from the Children and Families Services revenue budget for Looked After Children Placements.

(iii)  To delegate authority to the Service Director for Children & Families Services to procure the service in accordance with Contract Procedure Rules and, following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children’s Social Care, to do anything necessary to give effect to the proposals in the report within overall budget envelope and Constitutional requirements.

1  This report is submitted for consideration as a General Exception under paragraph 15 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules in Part 4 of the City Council’s Constitution, notice having been given to the Chair of the relevant Scrutiny Panel and the Public.

Having been through stages of ‘in principle’ business case sign-off, potential providers showing strong interest, and awaiting confirmation of external funding award, an urgent decision allowing tendering to begin November will allow mobilisation at pace by an April 2017 timeline addressing escalating costs and numbers of children in care as soon as is viable. It was not possible to add the item to the Forward Plan prior to confirmation of project sign off and indicative funding confirmation had been received.

2  The proposals will deliver improved outcomes for children by employing a specialist evidenced based model, effecting positive change in families, and maintaining and sustaining children safely at home as an alternative to care. Where this is not successful, accelerating the process of securing permanence via the courts thereby preventing potential drift, delay and cost to the Council.

The proposals offer the potential for savings through reduced cost of children being in care.

In house provision. Providing this service internally would result in the Council carrying all the financial risk at time of budget and service reductions, coupled with a highly challenging task of replicating sufficient specialism or expertise deployed at the requisite speed to address an urgent need to reduce the numbers of children entering the care system.