HCC08/24 - Emergency Residential Placements for One Child- Young Person Aged 7-18 With Highly Challenging Behaviour and Complex Needs- Hertford Hub - AWARD

Hertfordshire County Council went out to procurement for an emergency residential placement service contract.

This contract is now awarded to:

CF SUPPORT SERVICES LIMITED

Award Notice 2025/S 000-002404

Hertfordshire County Council (the 'Council') wish to procure a 'Block Contract' arrangement with a single Provider to provide an O F S T E D registered One (1) to two (2) bed emergency residential home utilising the Council's existing property for children and young people aged 7 to 18 with high levels of challenging behaviour and complex needs. Needs may include trauma, attachment, mental health including hospital step down, neurodevelopment (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder- A D H D and or Autism Spectrum Disorder A S D), substance use and child criminal or sexual exploitation presenting high levels of risk.

The Council is looking to commission the following:

• One independent residential provider who will O F S T E D register, manage and run an emergency residential children's home for one (1) Child or Young Person to be located at Hertford Hub, Hertford, Hertfordshire. Hertford is situated in East Hertfordshire.

• The expectation is for the home to operate as a one (1) bed children's home but for the provider to O F S T E D register as a two (2) bed home with option to utilise the second bed to support emergency sibling placements.

• To offer bespoke, excellent quality care and support for Children or Young People with highly complex needs, on an emergency short-term basis in line with the Young Person's care plan including eventual step down. The Service must be able to respond to urgent referrals, supporting Children and Young People in immediate crisis, creating stability in the short-term allowing for a swift move-on to a longer-term placement. The home will offer provision which always has a minimum of two (2) Staff during the day and one (1) waking night and one (1) sleep in during the night.

• The duration of the stay at the provision will be led by the needs of the Child or Young Person and part of their care planning into other services however the intention is for each Child or Young Person to move on within 2 weeks of admission. It is not intended as a long-term home but will be used flexibly to support Children and Young People in immediate crisis in order to return home or to come back into Hertfordshire so a longer-term solution can be found.

• It is likely that given the emergency nature of this provision, many placement requests will be communicated by our Out of Hours Service and therefore a strong working relationship with this team is essential. It may also be necessary to support the Rapid Response Team at short notice should there be capacity to do so.

• Placements will be block purchased for the exclusive use of the Council and the Council will have the final decision on who will be placed, in collaboration with the Registered...