Issue - meetings
COST AND VOLUME FOR FOSTERING CONTRACT AWARD
Meeting: 09/12/2014 - Cabinet (Item 95)
95 COST AND VOLUME FOR FOSTERING CONTRACT AWARD 
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Carole Burgoyne (Strategic Director for People) will submit a report on the contract award for the provision of foster placements for children in care which are purchased from independent sector fostering agencies and are being commissioned for Plymouth City Council, Devon County Council and Torbay Council.
A separate private briefing paper is also submitted on the tender submissions which contain commercially confidential information.
A background paper (the equality impact assessment) can be accessed at the Council’s website Council and Democracy/Councillors and Committees/Library/Cabinet background papers or using the following hyperlink –
Additional documents:
Minutes:
Carole Burgoyne (Strategic Director for People) submitted a report on the contract award to provide framework agreements for the provision of foster placements for children in care which were purchased from independent sector fostering agencies and were being commissioned for Plymouth City, Devon County and Torbay Councils. The report detailed the tender and evaluation process undertaken.
Councillor Evans (Council Leader) drew the attention of Cabinet Members to the separate private report, containing commercially sensitive information, referred to in minute 109 below.
Councillor McDonald (Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Public Health) introduced the proposals and indicated that –
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(a) |
the framework agreements provided foster placement stability and that the needs of the child were paramount; |
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(b) |
annual savings of £54,324.51 were forecast against current year spend; |
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(c) |
last year, there had been 3686 contacts at the front door and that this year, there had been 6345 contacts, to date, from agencies and others. The increase was as a result of greater awareness but also increased neglect of children; |
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(d) |
the tremendous work of corporate parents and foster parents was acknowledged and Councillor McDonald thanked all of the city’s foster parents for their commitment. |
Councillor Evans highlighted the method statement on child sexual exploitation and urged everyone to read it to gain an understanding of the harrowing cases that were dealt with by children’s social workers. He paid tribute to and thanked the social workers for their work.
Emma Crowther (Commissioning Officer) attended the meeting for this item and reported that she had tried to balance the commercial elements of the agreements with the need to maintain a quality service.
Alternative options considered and reasons for the decision –
As set out in the report.
Agreed that the seven fostering providers listed in the private report (minute 109 refers) are awarded a framework agreement to commence on 1 February 2015.