Residential Children’s Home Services (block bed purchase) Westmorland and Furness

This Service is being commissioned to ensure that the Council has direct access to residential children’s homes placements within its local area. This will reduce the number of Cared for Children placed at a distance from their homes and local connections.

When children are unable to continue to live with their family and need to be cared for by the Council, foster care is often the best option, where they can continue to live and thrive in a family environment.

However, in some situations foster care may not be the right option to meet a child’s needs, and a residential children’s home is more suitable at that time in a child’s life.

In most circumstances, whether moving to foster or residential care, it is preferable for a child to remain living within their local area close to family, friends, contacts, and education. Children often choose to return to live in their home area when they get older, which can be a smoother transition if they have remained living close.

The Provider will have responsibility to provide high quality care for all children placed under this Contract, including their ongoing care, wellbeing and progress.

The Council will retain overall responsibility for the child. The Provider must work closely with the Council to ensure that the care provided is in line with Child’s Care and Placement Plans, monitoring progress against their plans. The Provider will also work in line with any other relevant plans in place for the child.

Provider’s staff must be qualified, trained and experienced, led by a highly skilled management team with robust oversight by senior managers, the Responsible Individual and Directors.

The residential children’s home will be within the Westmorland and Furness Council area boundaries. The accommodation be high of quality including the building, outdoor space, furnishings, equipment and decoration, with a high standard of cleanliness so that children are proud of and enjoy their home