Decision details

Background Information:

KCC currently has a two-year contract plus two-year extension with Catch 22 for the delivery of Supported Accommodation in a Family Environment (SAIFE) – officially known as Supported Lodgings provision.  This contract is due to expire on 31st May 2020, having utilised the two-year extension.

The service provides 16-21-year-old young people who are in care or who are care leavers (aged 21-25 if in further education) with accommodation and support. This is delivered through a family setting, known as a “Host”, who provides guidance and support to the young person, with the aim of supporting them to independence. The current provider Catch 22 is contracted to recruit, train, manage and support the Hosts including any Staying Put arrangements, when a young person in Foster Care wishes to remain in situ after their 18th birthday under Kent County Councils Staying Put Policy.  The Foster Carer will convert to a Host and will be managed by Catch 22.  Young People placed in this accommodation have their own room in the Hosts family home and will be given support by the adult(s) in the home.

There are three levels of support (Standard, Complex and Intensive) which are based on the number of hours required each week to support the Young People.

The annual contract value is £335,976 for management costs and approximately £1.9 million for support costs/rent, which varies each year as this figure is based on demand. Young people are expected to claim eligible benefits including universal credit and housing benefit to contribute towards the costs of the provision.

As Cabinet Member for Integrated Children’s Services,I agree to:

a)    the continuation of Supported Lodgings and Staying Put accommodation for Children and Young People aged 16-21 years (or up to 25 if in further education) through a change of delivery from contracted provision to being managed in-house;

b)    a short extension of no more than nine months to the current contracted arrangements, currently due to expire on 31 May 2020, to enable the changes to take place; and

c)    delegation of authority to the Corporate Director for Children, Young People and Education, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Integrated Children’s Services, to take relevant actions, including but not limited to establishing the new in-house service, as necessary to implement this decision.