Semi-independent Accommodation and Support for Looked After Young People, Care Leavers and Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children - Round 2

Bedford Borough Council (‘the Council’) has received tenders from organisations wishing to enter into a Framework Agreement to deliver accommodation and support services for young people aged 16-21 on admission, with the aim of supporting these young people to develop and sustain their capacity to live independently within the community. Following evaluation, ten new framework agreements have been concluded. The Invitation to Tender for this Framework Agreement was originally issued on 20 January 2020. As per The Council’s stated intentions at the time, this Framework Agreement is to be reopened for competition before the anniversary of the original Commencement Date (August 2020). This is the first reopening of this Framework Agreement.

The services in Lot 3 will be available to young people aged over 16 and under 18 at the time of placement who are discharged from Police to local Council custody under PACE regulations, pending appearance in Court. Bedford Borough Council has a duty under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) to provide supervised accommodation to young people under the age of 18 years who may not be accommodated in local Council care, but have been arrested or charged in relation to a criminal offence and have been denied Police bail. Only those young people identified as not posing a risk to the public will be placed into overnight accommodation under PACE regulations. This accommodation may consist of a solo placement or a room in single or multiple occupied units with support onsite and on call 24 hours Monday–Sunday at appropriate levels. Any young person who is placed in a PACE bed must be supervised at all times, i.e. may not go out unaccompanied and must be escorted to Court by a staff member from the PACE placement and supervised at Court by a dedicated member of Children’s Social Care. If the young person absconds at any time, this must be reported immediately and the young person may be charged by the Police with an offence of ‘Escape Lawful Custody.’