Market Engagement for Respite and Short Breaks

A Market Engagement Event is being held on Tuesday 2nd of June 14.00-15.00 via Microsoft Teams to discuss Planned and Unplanned Building Based Short Break Services for Working-Age Adults.

Dorset Council is seeking to engage with the provider market to inform the future development of Planned and Unplanned (Crisis) short break services in Dorset.

To register for the event, please copy and paste the link below into your browser and sign up via Eventbrite:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1989299231552?aff=oddtdtcreator

If your organisation is unable to attend the event, but would like a copy of the recording, please also email accommodationwithsupport@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk to express an interest.

Description
The Council is reviewing current building based short break arrangements and considering the development of a new service approach for working-age adults (aged 18–64). This includes people aged 65 and over whose needs and outcomes align with the cohort, particularly those ageing with a learning disability or autism, and who may not be best served by traditional older people’s services.

The primary intended cohort is adults with Care Act eligible needs who may have:
Learning disabilities
Autism
Mental health needs (excluding primary dementia)
Physical disabilities/limited mobility
Sensory needs
Neurodivergence

We are also interested in talking to providers about provision of building based short break services for people aged 16-17 who will move into Adult social care services and your experiences or insights into how this could be incorporated into a service for young adults.

The age range is specified to ensure clarity and to clearly distinguish this provision from services commissioned for older people, which is not something we are considering for this service.

Scope of Procurement
The Council is exploring a more integrated model of building based short break provision, which would bring together:

Planned short breaks, and
Unplanned/crisis services, including step up and step down from hospital
The intention is to understand how these different types of building based short breaks could be successfully coordinated and potentially delivered within a single, cohesive service offer, while remaining flexible, preventative, and responsive to periods of increased need.

We are also interested to learn or explore how planned short break services can be used to develop independent living skills, assessing existing skills inside and outside the home and developing skills training in a home-like environment and supporting people to access the wider community. This could help to build resilience and skills for the future in people who are not quite ready to make that move but may wish to in future.
No decisions have been made regarding delivery models, pathways, contract structure, or the balance between planned and unplanned provision.

Purpose of Engagement
This engagement is intended to:
Provide early visibility of the Council’s commissioning considerations
Seek provider insight and experience at a formative stage
Explore potential service concepts and delivery models
Understand opportunities, risks, and challenges associated with integrated planned and crisis services for this cohort

During the session, the Council will:
Share its commissioning context and emerging direction of travel
Outline key issues and considerations
Invite providers to share insights, learning, and examples of good practice

Feedback from this engagement will be used to inform future service development and commissioning plans.

Participation in this engagement is voluntary and will not confer any advantage or disadvantage in any future procurement process.

Please note this is an early market engagement which may or may not result in a contract opportunity being advertised.