MARKET ENGAGEMENT - Learning Disabilities Choice and Support Services

To Providers and Voluntary Sector Organisations

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and the City of Westminster invite providers and voluntary sector organisations to take part in a "Choices Day" on Thursday 30th November 2017 for people with learning disabilities who are 16 years of age or over, their families and carers.

The event is being co-produced with customers and the purpose of the day is to promote choice by showcasing the types of activities and support that are available for people with learning disabilities in Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster that can be purchased with a personal budget or through a direct payment.

Date:Thursday 30th November

Time:1.30pm to 4pm

Place:The Main Hall, The Stowe Centre, 258 Harrow Road, W2 5ES

Stalls are free for providers and voluntary sector organisations, who are encouraged to provide information leaflets outlining their services and/or activity offers. Stall holders may also provide a "taster session" of an activity for customers and their families/carers to try out if they wish.

Please ensure the information you plan to give out on your stall is in easy read format (see guidance attached for more information). To book a stall or request more information please email Titlail Mekuria on Titlail.Mekuria@lbhf.gov.uk by 5pm on Monday 30th October with the name of your organisation, contact details and a brief outline of the services you wish to market on the day and details of any taster sessions you wish to offer.

Stalls will be allocated on a first come first served basis, so please respond as early as possible.

We wish to encourage provider organisations to attend who have personal budget, direct payment or Individual Service Fund offers for customers with high functioning autism or Asperger's Syndrome.

We would also like to encourage providers to come forward with offers to customers regarding managing personal budgets via Individual Service Fund arrangements (see link for more information): https://www.thinklocalactpersonal.org.uk/_assets/Resources/SDS/TLAPISFsContractingFINAL.pdf Providers please note:

•This 'Choices Day' event is part of preliminary market consultation to stimulate the provider market and promote choice for customers.

•This is not a call for competition. For avoidance of doubt, this does not formally signify the beginning of a procurement exercise and does not constitute any commitment by the councils to undertake any procurement exercise.

•Participation in this event will not include or preclude any organisation from participating in any potential future formal procurement exercise.

•Participation in this event by providers should not give rise to expectation that their organisation will have an agreement to make service offers to customers.

•The councils will not reimburse providers for any expenses incurred for participating in this event.

•An easy read leaflet to advertise this event for customers, carers and families will be available nearer the time