Childrens & Social Services Commissioning
Dear Bromley Borough Council,
I am seeking to establish a children’s residential placement service aimed at providing high-quality care and support for looked after children, care leavers, and unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC). My goal is to align my services with local authority needs and priorities, addressing placement gaps and contributing to better outcomes for children and young people.
To achieve this, I am gathering detailed information about your commissioning processes, funding arrangements, and current demand to ensure my service can meet your requirements effectively. I am particularly interested in understanding how to engage with your frameworks, block contracts, or spot purchasing arrangements, as well as any opportunities to support your strategic priorities in this area.
I would appreciate if you can please provide me with the following information.
General Commissioning Process
1. Could you outline your commissioning processes for providers of accommodation and/or support for the following groups:Do you primarily use spot purchasing, framework agreements, or block contracts for each of these categories?
a) Looked-after children in residential care
b) Looked-after children in semi-independent placements
c) Care leavers
d) Unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC)?
2. If you use framework agreements or block contracts for accommodation and/or support for these groups, could you provide the timelines for when these agreements are due to be re-tendered?
3. Are there any pre-registration requirements for organisations seeking to accommodate these groups on a spot-purchase basis?
Local Authority-Run Provisions
4. Do you operate local authority-run provisions for the following groups? If so, how many individuals are currently accommodated in these facilities?
a) Looked-after children in residential care
b) Looked-after children in semi-independent placements
c) Care leavers
d) UASC
5. What is the distribution of placements for these groups across the following categories?
a. Spot purchases
b. Framework agreements
c. Block contracts
Placement and Cost Insights
6. How many care leavers or UASC aged 16-17 years old are currently accommodated in residential children’s homes?
7. Could you provide the most recent (or most typical) average weekly costs for placing children or young adults in the following types of provisions? Please specify the fiscal year or time period these figures relate to (e.g., 2022/23)
a) Looked-after children aged under 16 in private residential children’s homes
b) Care leavers/UASC aged 16-17 in private residential children’s homes
c) Care leavers/UASC aged 16-17 in 24/7 supervised semi-independent provision
d) Care leavers/UASC aged 18-24 in 24/7 supervised semi-independent provision (please specify if this provision is not used)
e) Care leavers/UASC aged 18-24 in unsupervised semi-independent provision (please include floating support costs)
Contacts and Referrals
8. Could you provide the contact details for the relevant council personnel for the following areas:
a) Spot purchase commissioning, service provision, rates, and referrals for residential children’s homes
b) Spot purchase commissioning, service provision, rates, and referrals for care leavers/UASC aged 16-17
c) Spot purchase commissioning, service provision, rates, and referrals for care leavers/UASC aged 18-24
d) Framework agreements/block purchase commissioning for all categories mentioned above
Supplier Details
9. Could you share a list of current suppliers or providers under framework agreements or block purchase contracts for accommodating the following groups:
a) Looked-after children in residential care
b) Looked-after children in semi-independent placements
c) Care leavers
d) UASC
Additional Questions
10. What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) or outcome measures used to evaluate the success of providers in meeting the needs of these groups?
11. How does the council collaborate with providers to ensure compliance with regulations and to improve the quality of care?
12. Are there opportunities for providers to participate in consultations or strategic planning for services related to looked-after children, care leavers, and UASC?
13. Does the council maintain or publish a market position statement for children’s residential care and semi-independent living provisions? If so, could this be shared?
14. Are there any upcoming changes in policies, funding allocations, or strategic priorities that providers should be aware of?
15. What is your projected demand over the next 5-10 years for:
a) Residential care for looked after children
b) Semi-independent placements
c) Support for care leavers and UASC?
16. Are there specific geographic areas within the local authority where demand for placements is higher or underserved?
17. What quality standards or compliance requirements must providers meet to deliver services in these categories?
18. Do you offer any incentives, training, or support for new providers entering the market?
19. Are there particular challenges or gaps in service delivery that the local authority is seeking to address? For example:
a) Specialized care for children with complex needs
b) Placement capacity for UASC or care leavers
20. What is the approval process for rates and funding for providers, and how are rates negotiated for spot purchases or framework agreements?
21. Are there specific referral pathways or criteria for placing children with private providers versus local authority-run facilities?
22. Does the council have upcoming strategies or priorities around expanding or reshaping children’s residential care or semi-independent offerings? How might new providers align with these strategies?
23. Where do you currently see the highest demand or biggest gaps in provision? Are there particular needs (e.g., therapeutic support, higher-level behavioral needs) where the local authority struggles to find placements?
24. Could you detail how referrals are typically made to providers (e.g., is there a central brokerage team, direct contact by social workers, or an online portal)? What steps should a new provider follow to be added to referral lists?
25. How does the local authority monitor placements once a child or young person is accommodated? What reporting or review mechanisms are in place, and how frequently are providers expected to submit updates or undergo audits?
26. How are payments structured and processed? For instance, do you operate on a weekly invoicing system, monthly, or do you prefer retainer arrangements for block contracts? Are there any performance-related or outcome-based payment elements?
27. How do you involve children, young people, and their families in the decision-making process for placement and care provision?
Yours faithfully,
Mr Miller
Dear Mr Miller,
Your request has been successfully submitted. Your Request ID is Y7WXDD2HXD, please keep this for your records.
Request Id: Y7WXDD2HXD
Date Submitted: 28/01/2025 05:13 PM UTC
Select request type(s): Freedom of Information Request
First Name (Requester): XX
Last Name: XXXler
Contact Email: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXcom
Organisation: WhatDoTheyKnow
Which department do you require information from?: Children's Services and Education
Please provide details of the requested information :
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXnt
I understand that Bromley Council may need to obtain further information from me in order to comply with this request: Yes - I agree
If you have any questions, please contact a member of the Data Protection Team.
This email was sent from London Borough of Bromley
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Dear Mr Miller,
FOI Y7WXDD2HXD - Freedom of Information Request
Subject: Children & Social Services Commissioning
Thank you for your FOI request which we received on 27/01/2025. Please
accept our sincere apologies for the delay in acknowledging your enquiry
which is due to the high volume of requests received by the team. Your
request is now receiving attention and, depending on any necessary
clarifications, you should hear from the Council within 20 working days.
Kind regards,
FOI Co-ordinator
Strategy, Performance & Corporate Transformation Division
2 Westmoreland Road, Bromley, BR1 1AS
[1]www.bromley.gov.uk
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Please note: Section 12 (1) of the Freedom of the Freedom of Information
Act states that a public authority is not obliged to: “comply with a
request for information if the authority estimates that the cost of
complying with the request would exceed the appropriate time limit of 18
hours of an officer’s time to manually review records, retrieve and
collate the data” which we are not obliged to do under the Act if to do so
would exceed the 18 hour time limit.
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Bromley Council now has new webforms for submitting requests for information
To make the following requests for information please use the links below:
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Please note:
Section 1 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) places two duties
on public authorities. Unless exemptions apply, the first duty at Sec
(1)(a) is to confirm or deny whether the information specified in a
request is held. The second duty at Sec (1)(b) is to disclose information
which is permitted to the public domain and that has been confirmed as
being held. Where exemptions are relied upon s17 of FOIA requires that we
provide the requester with a notice which: a) states fact b) specifies
exemption(s) in question and c) states (if that would not otherwise be
apparent) why the exemption(s) applies.
If you are dissatisfied with the handling of your FOI request, you have
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the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a
decision. The information Commissioner can be contacted on 0303 123 1113
or 01625 545 745.
Dear Mr Miller,
FOI Y7WXDD2HXD - Freedom of Information Request
Subject: Children & Social Services Commissioning
Further to your recent FOI enquiry, please see our response attached.
We trust this completes your FOI enquiry which has now been closed.
If you are dissatisfied with the handling of your FOI request, you have
the right to ask for us to conduct an internal review.
If you are not content with the outcome of our internal review, you have
the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a
decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted on 0303 123 1113
Thank you for your enquiry.
Kind regards,
FOI Co-ordinator
Strategy, Performance & Corporate Transformation Division
2 Westmoreland Road, Bromley, BR1 1AS
[1]www.bromley.gov.uk
From: CYP Freedom of Information <[email address]>
Sent: 29 January 2025 09:59
To: '[FOI #1230337 email]' <[FOI #1230337 email]>
Subject: Re: Freedom of Information request - Childrens & Social Services
Commissioning
Dear Mr Miller,
FOI Y7WXDD2HXD - Freedom of Information Request
Subject: Children & Social Services Commissioning
Thank you for your FOI request which we received on 27/01/2025. Please
accept our sincere apologies for the delay in acknowledging your enquiry
which is due to the high volume of requests received by the team. Your
request is now receiving attention and, depending on any necessary
clarifications, you should hear from the Council within 20 working days.
Kind regards,
FOI Co-ordinator
Strategy, Performance & Corporate Transformation Division
2 Westmoreland Road, Bromley, BR1 1AS
[2]www.bromley.gov.uk
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please note: Section 12 (1) of the Freedom of the Freedom of Information
Act states that a public authority is not obliged to: “comply with a
request for information if the authority estimates that the cost of
complying with the request would exceed the appropriate time limit of 18
hours of an officer’s time to manually review records, retrieve and
collate the data” which we are not obliged to do under the Act if to do so
would exceed the 18 hour time limit.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bromley Council now has new webforms for submitting requests for information
To make the following requests for information please use the links below:
[3]Subject Access Request
[4]Freedom of Information Request
Environmental Information Regulations Requests
Please note:
Section 1 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) places two duties
on public authorities. Unless exemptions apply, the first duty at Sec
(1)(a) is to confirm or deny whether the information specified in a
request is held. The second duty at Sec (1)(b) is to disclose information
which is permitted to the public domain and that has been confirmed as
being held. Where exemptions are relied upon s17 of FOIA requires that we
provide the requester with a notice which: a) states fact b) specifies
exemption(s) in question and c) states (if that would not otherwise be
apparent) why the exemption(s) applies.
If you are dissatisfied with the handling of your FOI request, you have
the right to ask for us to conduct an internal review.
If you are not content with the outcome of our internal review, you have
the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a
decision. The information Commissioner can be contacted on 0303 123 1113
or 01625 545 745.
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