Expression of Interest (EOI): Soft Block Contract for Independent Fostering

Expression of Interest (EOI) Bristol City Council wishes to test the level of market interest in providing a service o increase the sufficiency of foster carers for our children in care in Bristol and the surrounding areas (BANES / Bath and North East Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Gloucestershire and North Somerset). Simultaneously this will create an innovative partnership with an independent fostering agency (IFA) offering priority utilisation in regard to foster carers managed by the same IFA that reside outside of Bristol. Our overall aim of this soft block contract is to prevent children moving into residential care, where not appropriate.

Once carers have been identified by our Home Finding Team (HFT) in partnership with the IFA, BCC children’s commissioning can utilise the agreed and current financial scheme of delegation to put funding for foster placements into place.