Housing Related Support

Kent County Council is seeking to commission three county-wide services regarding Kent Integrated Homelessness Support, Young People Supported Accommodation & Floating Support, and Offender Services. These services will be available to those living with the Kent County Council geographical area.

The services will consist of three distinct elements:

Kent Integrated Homelessness Support Service
This service assists vulnerable homeless adults and their families. The redesign and recommissioning of services will bring together current disparate accommodation services, floating support and rough sleeper support services into a holistic model of support which supports improved outcomes for those who use the services, and improved client journeys.

Young People Supported Accommodation and Floating Support Service
The newly reconfigured service will ensure the range of the offer of accommodation and support is enhanced for Children in Care and Care Leavers in line with the Kent County Council’s Corporate Parent statutory responsibilities. It will also work with District Councils to support homeless 16/17-year olds to prevent young people coming into care and being placed in temporary accommodation, such as bed & breakfasts.

Offender Services
This service will be accessible to offenders being discharged from custody, and offenders in need of accommodation-based housing related support who are supervised by Probation or serving community orders. The Council will continue existing service provision through the Framework for the first six months of operation, pending the outcome of discussions with key partners regarding future provision for this client group.

Kent County Council is seeking to award eight geographically-based contracts (Lots 1-8) to a Prime Contractor in each area who can design and deliver a flexible, consolidated and cohesive integrated offer, which includes innovative approaches focussed upon improved outcomes for vulnerable people. There is also a countywide Lot for Secondary Contractors and a countywide Lot for Offender Services:

Lot No: 1 East Kent Homelessness Support Service – Canterbury, Dover, Folkestone & Hythe and Thanet
Lot No: 2 Mid Kent Homelessness Support Service – Maidstone and Ashford
Lot No: 3 North Kent Homelessness Support Service – Dartford, Gravesham and Swale
Lot No: 4 West Kent Homelessness Support Service – Sevenoaks, Tonbridge & Malling and Tunbridge Wells
Lot No: 5 Young People Supported Accommodation & Floating Support East Kent – Canterbury, Swale and Thanet
Lot No: 6 Young People Supported Accommodation & Floating Support South Kent – Ashford, Dover and Folkestone & Hythe
Lot No: 7 Young People Supported Accommodation & Floating Support West Kent – Maidstone, Tonbridge & Malling and Tunbridge Wells
Lot No: 8 Young People Supported Accommodation & Floating Support North Kent – Dartford, Gravesham and Sevenoaks
Lot No: 9 Secondary Contractors for all areas in the above Lots (Lots 1-8)
Lot No: 10 Contractors for Offender Services
Each service will incorporate an accommodation-based offer utilising, in the first instance, existing hostels and supported housing schemes to deliver accommodation-based support within each area, as well as floating support and outreach services to vulnerable adults, young people, and those threatened with homelessness, bringing together previously disparate service elements into a holistic support offer.

Services will work within the contracted budget, managing demand and the service offer based on the level of risk and need of individual clients, developing and enhancing the preventative and early intervention offer to deliver an evolving model of support through the life of the contract.

It is the Council’s intention to award contracts for a period of four years (Lots 1-8). The contract(s) will commence on 1st October 2018. Further details on service delivery are contained in the Invitation to Tender. Applications must be submitted via the Kent Business Portal www.kentbusinessportal.org.uk