Children with Disabilities Short Break and Respite Framework

The Council is establishing an Open Framework, in line with the Procurement Act 2023, to deliver specialised services to children with disabilities and additional needs and their families. Providers are invited to bid for any of the following lots to deliver a flexible provision of specialist services to children and young people with disabilities and additional needs and their families; Lot A Community Based Befriending and Mentoring Services Lot B Overnight Short Breaks (for Providers who Operate a Specific Overnight Premises) Lot C Specialist Group Activities for children and young people with disabilities and additional needs Lot D Home Care Services for children and young people with disabilities and additional needs.

Service requirements: Includes - community-based befriending and mentoring service to enable children and young people with disabilities and additional needs to access their community, socialise, have fun, access new experiences, make new connections, and develop existing and new life and social skills. Work collaboratively to provide support that allows children and young people to access the community and a range of social activities relevant to their interests and likes enabling positive experiences and outcomes.

Ensure that support starts within 20 working days of referral, unless the needs of the child or family dictate a longer transition period. Service requirement: Residential activity breaks for children and young people with disabilities and additional needs - aged 8 and over within a premises that is operated by the provider for the purpose of overnight short breaks.

This could include a property that is owned or regularly rented by the Provider, but it must be equipped for the purpose of delivering overnight short breaks to children with disabilities and additional needs. Ensure that premises are appropriately adapted, and that specialist equipment is available to meet the needs of referred children and young people.

Ensure the first overnight short break is offered within 4-6 weeks from referral. Organise and deliver overnight, weekend or longer breaks for individual children/young people, families and/or groups of young people with disabilities and additional needs.

Organise and deliver specialist playschemes and/or group activities for children and young people with disabilities and additional needs. Groups should provide children/young people with fun, engaging activities that are appropriate to their abilities, needs and interests.

They should encourage the development of social and life skills and be a safe positive space for children and young people with disabilities and additional needs. Where necessary children should be matched with other children and young people appropriately and with due regard to needs.

The service requirement is to provide support to children and young people with disabilities and additional needs and their families with personal, practical and social/emotional aspects of ordinary living that young people might usually perform for themselves or might be performed by their carers within the home. Providers who place a bid for the inclusion of this Lot must be able to deliver all personal care services described under section 3.6.5.

Day-time Care shall be required between the hours of 7am to 8pm. This includes practical home care support, personal care and independent support.

Night-time Care shall be required between the hours of 8pm to 7am. This includes practical home care support, personal care and independent support.

Sleep-in Care may be required between the hours of 10pm to 7am. This will usually not involve more than two waking periods each night.

Additional disturbances shall be charged at the night-time rate; the Care Plan must identify sleeping arrangements. Live-in Care is fully inclusive 24-hour support on a short-term or continuing basis.

The Care Plan for a Live-in Care package needs to identify sleeping arrangements and rest periods for the care worker; consistency of use of the same care workers; arrangements for the cost of the care workers' food and other day to day expenses incurred whilst providing the care. The Provider shall ensure that the service begins within 20 working days of referral, unless the needs of the child or family dictate a longer transition period