Issue - meetings
Meeting: 13/07/2022 - Cabinet (Item 190)
190 Recommissioning of Young People’s Homelessness Prevention Services PDF 428 KB
Report of the Director of Children and Young People's Futures (CS/22/7) on the commissioning for supported accommodation and housing-related support for 16/17 year-olds and care experienced young people, attached.
An Impact Assessment has also been prepared for the attention of Members at the meeting, attached, and available online at https://www.devon.gov.uk/impact/published/
Additional documents:
- Impact Assessment Homelessness Prevention Services, item 190 PDF 394 KB
- Webcast for Recommissioning of Young People’s Homelessness Prevention Services
Decision:
RESOLVED
(a) that Option 4 (Multi-provider Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS); as
outlined at section 3.5 of the Report, as a procurement approach to the
provider market be approved;
(b) that the preferred option for contract partners, as outlined in 3.8 of the
Report, enabling District Council’s to be named as potential users within the
new Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) arrangement be further approved;
(c) that a tendering process to be undertaken during August 2022 – January
2023 for the provision of supported accommodation and housing-related
support to:
(i) young people aged 16/17 years at risk of homelessness, who do not
need to come into care under section 20 of the Children Act; and
(ii) care experienced young people aged 18-25 years.
(d) that the Chief Officer for Children’s Services, in consultation with the
Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and Schools be given delegated
authority to the to agree non-material changes within the overarching strategy
detailed in section 4 (proposal); and
(e) that the Chief Officer for Children’s Services, in consultation with the
Cabinet Member for Children’s Services & Schools, be given delegated
authority, to approve contract award recommendations for supported
accommodation and housing-related support for 16/17 year olds and care
leavers.
Minutes:
(Councillors Adams and Biederman attended in accordance with Standing Order 25(2) and spoke to this item).
The Cabinet considered the Report of the Director of Children and Young People's Futures (CS/22/7) on the commissioning for supported accommodation and housing-related support for 16/17 year-olds and care experienced young people.
The Report had been circulated prior to the meeting in accordance with regulation 7(4) of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012.
The Report sought approval on the proposed retendering of supported accommodation and housing-related support services for 16/17-year-olds and care leavers. The services would support young people aged 16/17 years at risk of homelessness who did not need to be accommodated by the Council (DCC) as a child in care, as well as care experienced young people aged 18-25.
The services would be delivered by support providers offering support in settings including, but not limited to:
i. Supported lodgings with host families.
ii. Foyers.
iii. Training flats or shared houses.
iv. Private sector accommodation.
v. Social housing or social landlords.
vi. Specialist services.
The proposals had been developed in consultation with District Councils (Local Housing Authorities) in Devon. Both this Council and District Councils had responsibilities towards the young people accessing support via this contract. Accommodation and Intensive Housing Management costs for young people supported through this contract would be met through Housing Benefit via the District Council to which they had a local connection, subject to eligibility, with the County Council contract covering support elements of the contract. Although Devon County Council funded the support and not the accommodation, access to suitable accommodation for young people was a key qualifying criterion for providers to successfully be able to bid for this contract.
The availability and provision of supported accommodation and housing-related support for young people enabled both DCC and District Councils in meeting statutory duties under social care and housing legislation. It also supported in delivering strategic priorities as outlined in:
(i) A Place Called Home; and
(ii) Devon’s Corporate Parenting Strategy.
In developing the proposed commissioning and procurement arrangements for supported accommodation and housing-related support services for 16/17-year-olds and care leavers, several options (outlined in full in section 3 of the Report) and approaches to the market had been considered.
The recommended approach was to tender for a multi-provider Dynamic Purchasing System with a number of block contracts called off from the agreement for a minimum period of 3 years, with an option to extend for up to a further 2 years. This option was being recommended as it would allow sufficient stability to ensure sufficiency for young people and to engage strategically with providers around the development and delivery of services.
Section four of the Report outlined the elements that would be contained within the new arrangement as well as the proposed contract design.
There had been extensive consultation to inform the Report which was outlined in full at section 5 including a table with examples of themes, ideas and feedback ... view the full minutes text for item 190