Cabinet agreed to extend through variation, an existing contract to the incumbent providers of supported accommodation for young people in care aged 16+, for a period of 2 years to an estimated value of £6.78m.

Councillor Laing (Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Children’s Social Care, Culture and Communications) introduced the item and highlighted the following points:

a)     Providing safe, welcoming and caring homes for children and young people in care remained one a priority for PCC;

b)    Children in care and those who were care experienced needed choices about where they live as they become young adults to ensure they had the opportunities to live independently with support and guidance;

c)     PCC’s 16+ supported accommodation provided that choice with a range of shared houses and flats, helping young people to learn how to budget, cook and prepare for life as adults;

d)    100 young people a year who were in the Council’s care were placed in 16+ accommodation, with majority able to live in Plymouth to keep their links with family, friends, education, training and support.

Emma Crowther (Service Director for Integrated Commissioning) added:

e)     The contract had been in place since April 2021;

f)      The housing ranged from individual flats to shares houses with staff available 24 hours a day;

g)     All 16+ providers had been registered with OFSTED as part of new national regulations;

h)    Local providers had joined the 16+ provider forum to share ideas, experiences and challenges;

i)      The two-year contract variation would allow the providers to be inspected and help PCC to further understand the numbers and types of homes that would be needed in the future.

Chris Wiltshire (Commissioning Manager) added;

j)      The relational approach that providers had with young people was integral in ensuring consistency.

Councillor Lowry (Cabinet Member for Finance) added:

k)     The intention at the end of the two-year period was to go through another tender process.

Emma Crowther (Service Director for Integrated Commissioning) added:

l)      Due to new procurement regulations PCC were operating under a different procurement regime.

Cabinet agreed to extend through variation, an existing contract to the incumbent providers of supported accommodation for young people in care aged 16+, for a period of 2 years to an estimated value of £6.78m.