Decision ref
0064 2023/24
Decision date
29/12/2023
Portfolio
Children and Young People
Wards
All wards
Title
Programme Management Support for the Implementation of Children's Residential Homes Programme
Summary
To award a contract to C.Co to provide external support to progress the Children's Residential Programme.
Purpose
The purpose of this report is to provide the context of the additional challenges faced by children's services, the competitive residential market and escalating placement costs, the plans St Helens Borough Council have to address this and the rationale for commissioning C.Co to provide help in delivering these plans.
Background
St Helens Borough Council are dealing with several challenges including a significant budget gap, an inadequate Ofsted inspection from 2019 and rising demand and costs. A particular pressure is on the placement budget challenge is the limited in-house Children’s Residential provision which has resulted in an over reliance on the private sector, competing for placements with other Local Authorities and high costs.
The aspiration is to increase the provision of residential accommodation for children in the care of St Helens Borough Council by investing in the purchase, adaptation and fit out of suitable property within the Borough. This will enable the Council to provide local accommodation, greater choice and preventing our children whom we look after from having to move out of the Borough thereby enabling better support to those children and young people within our care.
The Transforming Together programme aims to address these challenges by delivering positive, collaborative change across the authority. C.Co were commissioned to provide additional resource and capacity to the Children's Residential Programme working collaboratively across the Council to progress this programme of work.
The first phase, Deliverable 1, has been completed (November 2022 to April 2023). This work has produced an evidence based, costed capital business case and cabinet paper which has been approved at Cabinet on 26 April 2023. The business case also sets out proposals for the next phase of deliverables.
C.Co have provided the capacity and capability required to deliver this work within timescale and budget. They have already completed the first phase, engaged with stakeholders and ensured the work was delivered at the pace required. The decision to continue with C.Co was the result of a competitive process where three quotes were obtained. The decision will ensure the programme maintains traction and provides continuity.
While the work progresses, the Council are investigating the opportunity to create internal capacity and capability to support the project and remove the need for the external support. The duration of this contract would be up to 12 months with a break clauses every three months to allow the work to be handed to our internal resource, once ready.
Conclusion
Having considered all alternatives the conclusion is to progress with the plan to continue to work with C.Co to deliver Phase 2 of Children's Residential Programme until internal resources are available. The work will include:
* Procuring a commissioned Children's Home care provider and registration with Ofsted
* Purchasing properties and all associated tasks including acquisition and planning change of use
This will ensure the planned work is delivered at pace and within timescale, with Ofsted registered children's homes in places from September 2023 onwards.
Risk Implications
The risk is the delay to establishing and opening the additional children's homes. The lack of in-house provision within St Helens means children and young people are having to move out of Borough, and there is an over reliance on external providers who have high demand (less choice of locality) and high cost provision. Delays would also put at risk the proposed savings that are associated with this programme.
Measures to Redress Risk
Commissioning a provider to support and continue the work to date until internal resource is established.
Declarations Of Interest
None
More information
Please contact Hilary Brooks on 01744 671187
