Independent Fostering Framework Agreement

• Short Term/Task Centred/Bridging, up to 12 months
• Long Term or permanent homes (as per the Care/Placement Plan; 12 months and over)
• Parent(s) and Child(ren)
• Short Break Homes
• Children with Disabilities
• Solo homes, with no other children/young people within the fostering household.
• Homes for large sibling groups to enable brothers and sisters to live together.
• Emergency foster care beds, where foster carers are able to care for children without the usual planning and/or thorough assessment process having taken place because of the need to ensure the immediate safety and welfare of the child.
• Homes for large sibling groups to enable brothers and sisters to live together.
• Emergency foster care beds, where foster carers are able to care for children without the usual planning and/or thorough assessment process having taken place because of the need to ensure the immediate safety and welfare of the child.

A small number of our children and young people in care, are placed within a residential children’s home due to the complexity of their needs during a specific period in their childhood. For some, past adverse family experiences may lead to poor emotional and mental health expressed through depression, self-harming behaviours or separation anxieties and attachment disorders. They are often highly vulnerable young people whose behaviour could be perceived to make them or others more at risk

We are seeking specialist foster carers, predominantly for adolescents. For some, past adverse family experiences may have led to poor emotional and mental health expressed through depression, self-harming behaviours or separation anxieties and attachment disorders. They are often highly vulnerable young people whose behaviour could be perceived to make them or others more at risk.

These young people:

• may be stepping down from residential care or
• more likely requiring a fostering home at short notice (similar to an Emergency Bed).

The foster carers will need to care for a young person with complex needs and potentially a number of risk-taking behaviours which may include violence, absconding, offending and gang association. It is expected that these would be predominately a solo arrangement.

The level of complexity and need of these young people are above the thresholds that the Placing Authorities would source as part of an enhanced placement through its IFP Fostering Framework Agreement. It is anticipated that only a very small number of these young people would require this type of fostering home in any given year.

The purpose of this notice is to ensure that IFP’s are aware and can prepare for this upcoming opportunity.

Independent Fostering Placements

It is recognised that a child’s needs are best met by a nurturing family, and we are committed to placing children who are not able to remain within their own family in an appropriate alternative family placement wherever possible.

There is a commitment to place children and young people with local foster families in order to allow them to maintain contact with families and friends continue at the same school and thrive within their own community.

The aims of the service will be to:

• Enable access to a wide range of foster care placement types from registered, good quality IFP’s
• Improve placement stability supported by effective matching
• Exhibit strong collaboration and partnership working to ensure the child’s needs and outcomes are at the centre of the work
• Demonstrate the involvement of the child ensuring their voice is heard and listened to through participation in decision making (where appropriate)
• Demonstrate effective and efficient communication to support placement finding
• Reduce the need to spot purchase

We shall be seeking to commission through a new Framework Agreement fostering placements for children and young people from 0-18 years. Albeit subject to changes and additions, as a minimum we shall require the following placement types:

• Long term or permanent placements
• Short Term / Task Focused / Bridging placements
• Short Break Placements for disabled children
• Parent(s) and Child(ren)
• Step Down from residential placements
• Emergency (same day, out of hours and/or within 24 hours of referral)
• Sibling groups
• Solo placements (with no other children within the foster household)

No action is required at this time and further information regarding this forthcoming procurement will follow in due course.