Independent Review Mechanism (IRM) for Fostering and Adoption 24.27

Title: Independent Review Mechanism for fostering and adoption

Type of contract: Service

Short Description:

This PIN is for market engagement only. It does not signify the commencement of any procurement process and does not constitute any commitment by the Department for Education. If the Department for Education decides to commence any procurement process as contemplated by this notice, a separate notice will be published at the relevant time. The requirements and values set out below may be subject to change.

The Independent Review Mechanism (IRM) provides an essential statutory service to prospective and existing foster parents, adopters, and adult adoptees. The main function of the IRM is to offer an objective and independent route for applicants to request a review of decisions made by fostering and adoption services about their approval status and access to their records. The service offered by the IRM is unique within the sector and enables applicants to have their case heard by an independent panel of children's social care experts.

We will be holding a market engagement session to discuss our draft specification including the statutory requirements, indicative timeline, costing model, intended procurement process including the likely procurement asks within the tender documents.

The departments intention is to seek feedback from the sector through 1-2-1 engagement sessions on Friday 30th June. These will be allocated on a first come first service basis.

Following this market engagement session, we will be circulating a feedback questionnaire seeking your input on timelines, costing and contract mobilisation period.

To confirm your attendance and receive the draft documents please email Beth.Lord@education.gov.uk.

Estimated Contract Value: £600,000-735,000 for the total contract period including the optional extension (2 years +1 year optional extension)

Information about lots: n/a

Place of performance: UK

Description of the procurement:

The IRM is provided for in regulations and as a result, some elements of its delivery are prescribed in legislation. The service was introduced in 2005 through secondary legislation, under Sections 9 and 12 of the Adoption and Children Act 2002 . The purpose was to offer prospective adopters an opportunity to have decisions (Qualifying Determinations) reviewed by an independent panel if they had not been approved to adopt by their local authority or agency and were unhappy with the decision. The Independent Review of Determinations (Adoption and Fostering) Regulations 2009 expanded the original remit to provide a similar service to prospective and existing foster parents who are deemed ineligible to foster, or who face changes to their approvals; and to adult adoptees wishing to review historic decisions made about accessing their birth records.