CHILDREN’S SERVICES
DIRECTORATE
Judith Brown
Head of Looked After Children
Denton Centre, Acre Street,
Mr L Jones
Denton, M34 2BW
By Email:
Call Centre
0161-342-8355
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
www.tameside.gov.uk
email
: judith.bxxxx@xxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
Doc Ref
FOI 8979
Ask for
Judith Brown
Direct Line
0161 342 2821
Date
27 August 2019
Dear Mr Jones,
Freedom of Information – Request for Information
Unique Reference: FOI 8979
Thank you for your request for information dated 19 June 2019, and further to my email sent to you
on the 17 July 2019, apologising for the delay in responding. You have requested the following
information:
We are a provider of high quality accommodation and support for semi-independent living
for Care Leavers 16+ based in Merseyside and have a few questions:
1) Who specifically can we contact to gain access to the portal/tender?
2) Once all mandatory documents have been uploaded and verified on your portal, how
long is it before a new provider starts getting referrals?
3) Can you advise on the councils required property standards for up to 3 different
tenants/occupants 16+?
4) Does the Local authority/Childrens Trust carry out an inspection of the property before
placements commence?
5) How many young people 16+ have been placed with private providers in the local
authority since beginning of 2019?
6) Do you hold provider meetings? If so how can one arrange to attend one of these?
7) How often does the local authority/childrens' trust make payments to providers for
services provided?
8) What is the average weekly payment amount to semi-independent living providers for
16+?
9) Please supply list of standard policies & procedures the Local authority/Childrens' Trust
expect from providers?
10) Apart from the placements portal, is there any other way of getting care leaver
placements?
I am pleased to advise that the Council can provide the information that you have requested.
1) Placements
North
West
/
Fostering
Front
Door
Bolton Council, Castle Hill Centre, 2nd Floor, Castleton Street, Bolton, BL2 2JW
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxx.xxx.xx
2) The response to this information would be best provided by Placements North West as they
manage the framework. Once a provider has been accepted and approved onto the Dynamic
Purchasing System, Local Authorities can commence sending placement referrals to providers.
3) Once approved as a provider on the Placements North West Framework there are minimum
standards which are set. Minimum standard visits are undertaken to ensure that they are being
met by the provider, if however there is a lack of compliance Local Authorities will be notified by
Placements North West which could restrict placement referrals being issued to a provider.
4) See answer to Question 3.
5) 75.
6) Tameside Council does not hold regular provider meetings for Semi-Independent providers;
however this is something the Council are looking to introduce in the future.
7) Payments are made on a monthly basis. Payment is made 30 days from the date the invoice is
received by our Creditors department.
8) £832.
9) All approved providers on the Placement North West Framework are signed up to a Service
Specification. There is an expectation that providers have their own policies and procedures in
place to support their own business expectations.
10) All Local Authorities who are signed up to the Placements North West Framework are required
to utilise the framework when searching for placements. There are sufficient providers with
accommodation and support to meet the needs our 16-18yrs young people.
If you have any queries about this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me.
If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to your request and wish to make
a complaint, or request a review of the Council's decision, please write to Sandra J Stewart,
Borough Solicitor, at PO BOX 317, Ashton under Lyne, OL6 0GS.
If you are not content with the outcome of your complaint, you may apply directly to the Information
Commissioner for a decision. The Commissioner cannot normally make a decision unless you
have exhausted the complaints procedure provided by the Council. The Information Commissioner
can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane,
Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF and at
www.ico.org.uk. Yours sincerely,
Judith Brown
Head of Looked After Children