WCC Market Testing - Short Term Emergency Placements (STEPS) & Bail and Remand Intensive Care & Support (BRICS)

The BRICS service is designed to provide the Warwickshire Youth Justice Service with beds to those children and young people on bail from the criminal courts who are unable to return home. These placements are not time limited; their duration depends on the court process. As the Warwickshire Youth Justice Service is reliant on the court's decisions, placements are often required by 12pm on the same day.

The STEPS service provides emergency intensive foster care placements for up to 28 days. These are intended for young people ages 10 and above who require urgent care due to placement breakdowns or other emergency situations. The service allows for proper planning and identification of longer-term solutions. As an emergency service, placements are required at short notice, typically on the same day. After the placement ends, a carer is entitled to a two-day break before the next placement starts.

WCC, like other authorities nationally, is experiencing challenges with placing young people with complex needs in stable foster placements. The STEPs model, which was adopted in 2020, has helped alleviate these challenges by providing a short-term intensive foster placement that gives the young person stability and positive outcomes. As with the STEPS service, the BRICS service has played a vital role in supporting children at risk of remand offering an alternative to custody. The current block contract comes to an end 31/03/2026 and WCC needs to consider options for the commencement of a new service from 01/04/2026.

WCC would like to engage with providers to explore and work with providers that could offer short emergency foster care placements, children who are at risk of remand and those with complex needs outlined above. We also seek feedback from providers on what they know of other models in other parts of the country including any innovative approaches or services that encourage stability in foster care placements.