Commissioning and delivery of supported accommodation

I am writing to request detailed information regarding your local authority's commissioning and delivery of supported accommodation and support services for children in care and care leavers, including Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children (UASC).

1. Providers and Service Models

a. List all providers currently delivering supported accommodation and/or support services for:

Children in care aged 16-17

Care leavers aged 18+ UASC (if applicable)

b. For each provider, specify:

Type of provision (e.g. 24/7 staffed, floating support, outreach, safety pods)

Ofsted registration status (registered, pending, exempt)

Number of units or placements available

Number of young people currently placed

2. Costs and Funding

a. Provide the average weekly cost per young person for each type of supported accommodation and support service, broken down as follows:

Accommodation cost Support cost Additional costs (e.g. contingency placements, interpreters, transport)

b. Confirm whether young people are expected to contribute to accommodation costs (e.g. via Universal Credit housing element).

If so: How is this managed and monitored?

What is the average amount recovered per young person per week?

3. Numbers of Young People

a. As of the most recent reporting period, how many young people are placed in:

Supported accommodation (16-17-year-olds)

Transitional accommodation (18+ care leavers)

Emergency or contingency placements (e.g. safety pods)

b. Provide a breakdown by:

Provider Placement type

Age group UASC vs non-UASC

4. Contractual Arrangements

a. Specify the commissioning route used for each provider: Block contract Spot purchase Open or closed framework Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) Other (please specify)

b. For each contract or framework, provide:

Provider name Contract start and end date

Extension options

Total contract value or annual spend

Whether the contract is exclusive or non-exclusive

c. Provide a copy of the service specification and/or contract summary for each current contract or framework.

5. Procurement and Renewal

a. Confirm: When your current contracts or frameworks are due for renewal or re-tender

Whether you plan to re-procure these services in the next 12-24 months

How providers can express interest in future opportunities (e.g. market engagement events, PIN notices)

6. Quality Assurance and Young People's Feedback

a. Describe how you monitor the quality of supported accommodation and support services, including:

KPIs used

Frequency of audits or inspections

Use of external regulators (e.g. Ofsted)

b. How are the views of young people captured and used to inform:

Service delivery

Contract management

Provider performance reviews

1a. Please see attached spreadsheet

b. Please see attached spreadsheet.

NB: we are not familiar with the term 'safety pods'.

The type of provision is categorised as '24/7', 'floating', 'outreach' or 'needs dependent').

We are only able to provide the number of units available for the block contract; we do not know the number of units available where placements are made on an individual basis via the Open Select List or Closed Ordered List.

2a. Please see attached spreadsheet.

NB: average costs are broken down only by accommodation costs and support costs; accounting for additional costs for each individual would take 18+ hours to provide. The cost denoted is the average weekly cost - where indicated as 'needs dependent' costs can vary for each individual placement.

b. Young people aged 16-17 years old are not expected to pay the rent element of accommodation as this is either covered in full by the Local Authority (if they are Children in Care [CiC]) or covered by District Councils (Child in Need/Child Protection/Team Around the Family); care leavers aged 18+ are expected to claim Housing Benefit or contribute via earnings, with the exception of former-UASC care leavers awaiting a decision on their asylum claim from the Home Office who can do neither and are covered by the Local Authority. Social Care and/or Leaving Care manage rent contributions for 16-17 year old CiC, and support non-CiC and care leavers to set up payments to the accommodation provider.

All young people contribute a small amount in personal charge which varies by provider depending on agreements and/or property.

3. NB: in line with convention and to protect identities of vulnerable children, where a total is less than five, it will be shown as <5.

a. Please see attached spreadsheet b. Please see attached spreadsheet.

4. NB: for more details on the Open Select List can be found at: https://professionals.lincolnshire.gov.uk/children%E2%80%99s-commissioning

a. Please see attached spreadsheet.

b. Please see attached spreadsheet.

All extension options have been exhausted. Spend is shown as forecast for the financial year 2025/26.

c. Specification for the block contract and Closed Ordered List attached. Specification for Open Select List via link above at 4.

5a. For the Open Select List please see the link at 4 above; it will re-open for the last time in the current 2022-27 cycle in summer 2026.

Closed Ordered List is in place to September 2027.

Subject to decision making, tender opportunity for UASC SA is anticipated to go live around April 2027.

Youth Housing Service block contract tender expected to go-live in April 2026, with the new contract to start 1st April 2027.

See https://www.find tender.service.gov.uk/procurement/ocds-h6vhtk-060b93

All Lincolnshire County Council tender opportunities, including market engagement sessions and PIN notices will be advertised on Contracts Finder, Find a Tender Service with tender applications made through Panacea - https://app.panacea software.com/lcc/Login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2Flcc%2Fdefault.aspx

6a. Youth Housing Service contract management is quarterly, with review of progress against KPIs;

Closed

Ordered List contract management is bi-annually;

Open Select List is as required. Social care/Leaving Care visit young people min 6-weekly and collate any concerns or worries about service delivery. Site visits, including safe and well checks, occur as required, including following any concerns raised.

Ofsted feedback via inspections or focus visits is reviewed and acted upon. See specifications for more details.

b. Providers undertake 'You Said We Did' surveys with young people quarterly. Annual reports highlight service user feedback. Young people involved in Council-led service reviews. Young people are encouraged to take part in other ways through the Council's Participation Team. See specifications for more details.

Should you require the attachment mentioned above please contact customerinformationservice@lincolnshire.gov.uk with the below reference number and this can be provided.