Commissioning Landscape


Commissioning Landscape

Currently the Greater Manchester LAs all commission children’s social care placements through a number of regional arrangements detailed below.

All Greater Manchester tenders are managed through The Chest.

North-West Foster Care Flexible Purchasing System (FPS) 2018, DN319102

Start date:

April 2018

End date:

March 2028

Number of providers:

Currently 48 Foster Care Providers are on the FPS

Which GM LAs?

All (Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, and Wigan)

Description

North-West local authorities, including all those in GM, to benefit from the consolidation of demand for foster care placements.

The contract reopens for new IFAs to join twice a year.

The FPS includes three Service Type Lots each split across 4 different age bands:

  • Lot 1: Standard foster care
  • Lot 2: Specialist foster care
  • Lot 3: Cohort placements
  • Lot 4: GM Enhanced Purchase
  • Lot 5: Parent and Child Assessment

GM Enhanced Foster Care (Commissioned through North-West Foster Care FPS 2018)

Start date:

The delivery launch was in August 2020

End date:

Reviewed every 12 months - expiry in line with NW FPS (Foster Care), so March 2028

Number of providers:

5

Which GM LAs?

All (Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, and Wigan)

Description

The arrangement, launched in 2020, creates a bespoke partnership arrangement regarding an enhanced service for children and young people who have a long-term plan to live in fostering but are currently living in children's homes and for those children with complex needs requiring a specialist placement.

Some of these children will need extra support to make the transition to fostering successful. However, finding placements for those children has in recent years proven difficult.

Greater Manchester set up this arrangement to work differently with a small number of providers to help more of our children access family environments with the right support.

North-West Residential Care Flexible Purchasing System, DN299325

Start date:

January 2018

End date:

December 2027

Number of providers:

Currently 152 Residential Care Providers on the FPS, covering 615 Children's Homes.

Which GM LAs?

All (Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, and Wigan)

Description

Similar to the Foster Care FPS above, this arrangement also commenced in 2018 and is open to all 24 North West LAs, including those in GM. It reopens twice a year for providers to join.

There are 6 main placement-type lots in the FPS:

  • Lot 1: Residential Care - Flexible mainstream provision located in or within 40 miles of the North West.
  • Lot 2: Therapeutic Care Services - In or within 40 miles of the North West, which meet the needs of children and young people needing more specialist care and will employ or procure specialist resources to do so.
  • Lot 3: Complex Health / Medical Care - Providers must be trained, competent and able to meet the needs of children and young people requiring more specialist health care and are located in or within 40 miles of the North West.
  • Lot 4: Short Break Services - Short break and respite residential care located in or within 40 miles of the North West.
  • Lot 5: Short Break Residential Services to Support Transition - Time limited, intensive support placements purchased for the sole purpose of stabilising behaviours, and supporting the young person and LA in transitioning into a longer-term placement.
  • Lot 6: Services located at a distance - Services located more than 40 miles outside of the boundaries of the North West.

No Wrong Door

Start date

Launched in January 2020

End date

n/a

Number of providers

The model is live in six Greater Manchester LAs (Manchester, Trafford, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport and Wigan)

Which GM LAs?

The model is live in six Greater Manchester LAs (Manchester, Trafford, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport and Wigan)

Description

NWD is a multi-disciplinary approach to providing support to young people who are on the edge of care or within the care system. The model, developed initially by North Yorkshire, replaces the traditional approach to residential care through "hubs" which provide specialist and relationship support to young people living in the hub, as well as young people in foster care and at home.

This support is provided through a team including key workers, speech and language therapists, police officers, clinical psychologists, and hub foster carers. These workers stick with the young person, ensuring they are able to access the right services at the right time and in the right place to meet their needs.

Although in the early stages of implementation, the No Wrong Door approach across GM is demonstrating real successes. This includes a strengthened edge of care offer drawing on the expertise of a range of professionals and the use of bespoke placements to support families to remain together and to stabilise placements.

North West Supported Accommodation and Independent Living (SAILS) Dynamic Purchasing System, DN436233

Start date:

April 2020

End date:

Planned to end January 2024

Number of providers:

75

Which GM LAs?

All (Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, and Wigan)

Description

Supported accommodation needs for 16-to-18 year olds who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and Care Leavers who have support needs.

This arrangement is open to all 24 North West LAs, including those in GM. It covers support and accommodation services for young people aged 16 and over and reopens a minimum of annually for new providers to join.

There are three lots in the DPS:

  • Lot 1: Group Living - Accommodation based support services offering a group living environment and communal areas with staff available to meet the needs of the Young Person.
  • Lot 2: Accommodation with Support - Community-based dispersed accommodation services sourced within the social housing or the private rental market, providing direct 1:1 support and, where specified group / shared floating support in accordance with assessed need.
  • Lot 3: Floating Support - Community-based services providing floating / resettlement support to young people in their chosen accommodation.

North West Supported Accommodation (Young People) Dynamic Purchasing System

Start date:

1 November 2023

End date:

31 October 2031

Number of providers:

First round planned for August 2023

Which GM LAs?

All (Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, and Wigan)

Description

Supported accommodation for those aged 16 plus in Ofsted registered provision.

This arrangement is open to all 24 North West LAs, including those in GM. It covers support and accommodation services for young people aged 16 and over and reopens a minimum of annually for new providers to join.

There are four lots in the DPS:

  • Category 1: Supported Accommodation in a self-contained unit, where the accommodation is for the sole use of the child or for the child and other individuals living with the child as agreed by the accommodating authority or the supported accommodation undertaking.
  • Category 2: Supported accommodation in a shared or group living situation in premises used to accommodate only looked after children and care leavers.
  • Category 3: Supported accommodation in a shared or group living situation in premises which are not limited to accommodating looked after children and care leavers.
  • Category 4: Supported accommodation provided by an individual or individuals in a private residence which is the main residence of that individual or those individuals.

North West SEND Flexible Purchasing System, DN505246

Start date:

1 March 2021

End date:

February 2031

Number of providers:

35 providers covering 94 settings

Which GM LAs?

All (Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, and Wigan)

Description

School placements for children with an Educational Health and Care Plan.

This arrangement is open to all 24 North West LAs, including those in GM. It covers Independent and Non Maintained Special Schools.

There are three lots in the DPS:

  • Lot 1 - Day placements
  • Lot 2 - Education with 38-week residential placement
  • Lot 3 - Education with 52-week residential placement