Northamptonshire Residential Short Breaks for Disabled Children and Young People

Concepts

• northamptonshire children's trust
• health and social work
• northampton
• ccg
• disabled children
• northamptonshire residential short breaks
• nhs northamptonshire clinical commissioning group
• residential short breaks for disabled children and young people
• young people
• provision of residential short breaks

Location

Northampton

Description

Northamptonshire Children's Trust (NCT) and NHS Northamptonshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) are commissioning the provision of Residential Short Breaks for Disabled Children and Young People in Northamptonshire. The CCG and NCT that hold this contract are responsible for commissioning a range of health and social care services aimed at prevention of ill health and improvement of emotional health, mental health and physical health. Children, young people and their parents and carers have told us that they want services to be flexible, integrated and provided in places close to home and this is reflected in the service specification. The Light Touch Regime (LTR) applies to the services under this contract agreement, as per Public Contracts Regulations 2015.

Total Quantity or Scope

Short breaks are part of a continuum of services which support children in need and their families. They include the provision of day, evening, overnight and weekend activities for the child or young person, and can take place in the child’s own home, the home of an approved carer, or in a residential or community setting. Short breaks for children with disabilities are now well recognised to be a vital service which help families with disabled children to lead ordinary lives. The Purchaser and the CCG have a vital role in ensuring that sufficient and appropriate short breaks are commissioned in their local area. Together NCT and the CCG provide residential short breaks for disabled children and young people with the most complex needs to help families stay together as a family unit. A short break should assist parents and carers of disabled children to continue to do so, or to do so more effectively, by giving them breaks from caring to ensure that family life can be sustained effectively. Northamptonshire Children's Trust is the lead commissioner for the service.

Award Detail

CPV Codes

• 85000000 - Health and social work services

Indicators

Legal Justification

Residential Short Break services fall under the light touch regime (LTR) as set out in Regulations 74 to 76 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR). In 2018 the short breaks service was re-shaped and re-commissioned by Northamptonshire County Council. The subsequent tender in 2018 however did not result in any bids being received. On the 30th September 2020 following consultation, research and soft market testing, a new tender was launched. The deadline for submissions was 30th October 2020 and less than three bids were received from potential providers. The bids received did not meet the minimum criteria of the tender and therefore the contract was left un-awarded. On the 14th May 2019, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government issued a written statement confirming that, under the Local Government reform, all the existing Councils in Northamptonshire would be abolished and replaced with two new unitary authorities, one for the North and the one for the west of the County, with effect from April 2021. Furthermore, the service previously managed by Northamptonshire Childrens Services would move to a newly formed and independent Childrens Trust in November 2020. After careful consideration and to ensure continuity of service and support for families, while minimising the risk of disruption to families. The Authority have made the decision to award a contract for a period of 4 years to Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, the incumbent provider. This contract period would provide greater stability for families and the provider, it would also provide a suitable timeframe in which the planned integrated care system for children and young people can be developed, as well as co-production with families of alternative support such as Family Link and development of the market to increase viability of direct payments.