Community Support Service for Disabled Children and Young People 0-25 years of age

Kent County Council (KCC)is the largest Local Authority in England covering an area of over 3,500 square kilometres. It has an annual expenditure of over £1bn on goods and services and a population of 1.48m. The KCC provides a wide range of Services on behalf of its residents, operating in partnership with 12 district councils, 289 parish/town councils.
KCC is embarking on a journey to transform social care in Kent for those Disabled Children & Young People aged 0-25yrs, and their families, who are assessed as requiring support.

To support KCC’s strategic objective ‘children and young people get the best start in life’ KCC wish to procure a Community Support Service that will provide for disabled children & young people who are living at home with their parents or who are moving or have moved to more independent living arrangement/s. Within the context of this service opportunity, it is imperative that disabled children, young people and their families are at the heart of the care and support they receive. The service should support their families to continue to care for them, be easy to access, of good quality and maximises their ability to reach and maintain their optimum level of independence safely in their home or community. KCC has an ambition to deliver the service through a sustainable market that has the capability and capacity to deliver a quality, accessible countywide service, that supports transition from children to adults’ services.

The new Contract will replace Spot Purchased Services and the current Supporting Independence Service (SIS) bringing the delivery of these Services together under one Contract.
The aim being, to support a disabled child/young person to achieve the outcomes that are important to them and been identified in their Education, Health & Care plan or Care Plan.
For this tender, the Council will accept bids based on operational areas of the organisations making the bid.
A responsive, outcome focused Community Support Service will be vital to the delivery of services to Kent’s disabled children & young people. Community Support is the timely care and support provided by professional carers to individuals in their family or own home to encourage & enhance their independence in managing activities of daily living or support them with behaviours of concern (formerly behaviours that challenge) as set out in the Education, Health & Care plan or Care Plan.
Community Support will be person centred enabling the disabled child, young person and their family to feel involved, secure and confident in the care and support delivered to them.
Providers should be aware that the Council is not proposing mass mobilisation of people from existing Providers to any new Service Providers who may be awarded a Contract. Instead, people will be mobilised on an individual basis where appropriate and agreed with the person and relevant Providers. New Providers to the Contract will grow their presence over a transition period as they receive new referrals into the Service.
The Council are inviting CQC and Ofsted registered Services by way of this Invitation to Tender (ITT) documentation.
Expressions of Interest must be submitted by no later than 12pm on 21st January 2019. The Contract will commence on 1st June 2019.