Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name and addresses
Kent County Council
County Hall
Maidstone
ME14 1XQ
Contact
Ms Hazel South
Telephone
+44 3000418153
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKJ4 - Kent
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's address
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Contract for 16+ Accommodation and Support
Reference number
DN654239
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85311000 - Social work services with accommodation
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
Kent County Council has a statutory responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of
Kent Children in Care and ensure best value for money it spends on behalf of the Kent
population. It also has a statutory responsibility to ensure there is safe and sufficient
accommodation for Children in Care. The KCC Sufficiency Strategy for 2022-2027 sets out
our approach to meet this statutory responsibility over the next five years.
In addition, in December 2021, the Department for Education outlined its intention to
introduce national standards for independent and semi-independent provision for looked
after children and care leavers aged 16 and 17, which will be overseen by an Ofsted led
registration and inspection regime. The implication of this, is that current provision of
unregulated accommodation and support services within Kent, will need to be
re-commissioned during a 12 months transition process, commencing in April 2023, to meet
the new national regulation standards.
The Council is working to redesign and align the existing accommodation and support
pathways for Care Leavers, Children in Care and Children in Need 16 and 17 year-olds. This
includes purchasing a good range of stable, safe, and well-maintained accommodation and
support services that are flexible to meet individual and changing demands.
This Prior Information Notice (PIN) is to advise prospective providers of the Council's
intention to hold early market engagement with providers, in order to ascertain their
intention about becoming regulated providers, and plan and conduct the procurement of the
Accommodation and Support service, with the aim to commence the procurement by 1 April
2023.
Section six. Complementary information
six.6) Original notice reference
Notice number: 2023/S 000-003673
Section seven. Changes
seven.1.2) Text to be corrected in the original notice
Section number
II.1.4
Instead of
Text
Kent County Council has a statutory responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of
Kent Children in Care and ensure best value for money it spends on behalf of the Kent
population. It also has a statutory responsibility to ensure there is safe and sufficient
accommodation for Children in Care. The KCC Sufficiency Strategy for 2022-2027 sets out
our approach to meet this statutory responsibility over the next five years.
In addition, in December 2021, the Department for Education outlined its intention to
introduce national standards for independent and semi-independent provision for looked
after children and care leavers aged 16 and 17, which will be overseen by an Ofsted led
registration and inspection regime. The implication of this, is that current provision of
unregulated accommodation and support services within Kent, will need to be
decommissioned during a 12 months transition process, commencing in April 2023, to meet
the new national regulation standards.
The Council is working to redesign and align the existing accommodation and support
pathways for Care Leavers, Children in Care and Children in Need 16 and 17 year-olds. This
includes purchasing a good range of stable, safe, and well-maintained accommodation and
support services that are flexible to meet individual and changing demands.
This Prior Information Notice (PIN) is to advise prospective providers of the Council's
intention to hold early market engagement with providers, in order to ascertain their
intention about becoming regulated providers, and plan and conduct the procurement of the
Accommodation and Support service, with the aim to commence the procurement by 1 April
2023.
Read
Text
Kent County Council has a statutory responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of
Kent Children in Care and ensure best value for money it spends on behalf of the Kent
population. It also has a statutory responsibility to ensure there is safe and sufficient
accommodation for Children in Care. The KCC Sufficiency Strategy for 2022-2027 sets out
our approach to meet this statutory responsibility over the next five years.
In addition, in December 2021, the Department for Education outlined its intention to
introduce national standards for independent and semi-independent provision for looked
after children and care leavers aged 16 and 17, which will be overseen by an Ofsted led
registration and inspection regime. The implication of this, is that current provision of
unregulated accommodation and support services within Kent, will need to be
re-commissioned during a 12 months transition process, commencing in April 2023, to meet
the new national regulation standards.
The Council is working to redesign and align the existing accommodation and support
pathways for Care Leavers, Children in Care and Children in Need 16 and 17 year-olds. This
includes purchasing a good range of stable, safe, and well-maintained accommodation and
support services that are flexible to meet individual and changing demands.
This Prior Information Notice (PIN) is to advise prospective providers of the Council's
intention to hold early market engagement with providers, in order to ascertain their
intention about becoming regulated providers, and plan and conduct the procurement of the
Accommodation and Support service, with the aim to commence the procurement by 1 April
2023.