IA2455 Childrens Community Support Flexible Framework

Staffordshire County Council (SCC) has a legal duty to ensure Children's

Community Support (including Domiciliary Care) provision is in place to support

Children and Young People (C/YP) with a range of Disabilities who have been

assessed by a qualified Social Worker as being eligible for a personal care service

within the family home and local community.

Currently Providers support Children and Young People with a range of Disabilities,

including Children and Young People with physical and learning Disabilities, autism

and challenging behaviours, and many children have multiple needs. They provide a

range of Care Packages across Staffordshire which are tailored to the specific needs

of eligible Children and Young People.

Similarly, SCC also has a legal duty to offer a range of commissioned community

short breaks opportunities, ranging from community-based breaks of a few hours, to

overnight short breaks for Children with Disabilities under the Breaks for Carers of

Disabled Children regulations 2011.

This programme of support is known as 'Aiming High for Children with Disabilities' in

Staffordshire, and augments our in-house and commissioned Overnight Short

Breaks Units, and the support of Short Breaks Foster Carers in providing the range

of short breaks for Children to give parents and carers a meaningful short break from

their caring responsibilities in order that they can maintained for the long term.

SCC have previously commissioned a range of Providers from across Staffordshire to

deliver Children's Community Support and Short Breaks on behalf of the Council,

contracted as two separate support programmes.

The Council has decided to commission 1:1 Lifeskills and Independence, which was

part of the Children's Community Support and Short Breaks offer, as combined

service under this Children's Community Support (including domiciliary) Service

Specification. It is expected to be able to provide a more flexible, responsive support

service that can draw on the Children, Young People and families' existing strengths,

and focuses on development, independence, preparedness for adulthood, and

provide cost effectiveness