Children's Act - Commissioning strategies for the recruitment of independent visitors
Case reference FOI2025/00815
Received 22 April 2025
Published 2 May 2025
Request
The Children Act 1989 guidance and regulations Volume 2: care planning, placement and case review dated July 2021, states that point 3.277, Local authorities should already have commissioning strategies in place for the recruitment of independent visitors.
A) Can the council state how often the commissioning strategy document is reviewed and how this reviewing action is recorded.
B) Does this council have a commissioning strategy for independent visitors?
C) Please supply, publish, the commissioning strategy document.
Response
The Children Act 1989 guidance and regulations Volume 2: care planning, placement and case review dated July 2021, states that point 3.277, Local authorities should already have commissioning strategies in place for the recruitment of independent visitors.
A) Can the council state how often the commissioning strategy document is reviewed and how this reviewing action is recorded.
Answer: The Service Area has advised the Council has an existing contract for IV ending 2029, There are review points to consider the effectiveness of the contract. We are currently undertaking a review of demand for service, and this will inform our expectations of the provider.
B) Does this council have a commissioning strategy for independent visitors?
Answer: The Service Area has advised Herefordshire does not have a published strategy to meet IV sufficiency, however we undertook a full business case analysis of demand and procured a service through competitive tender. Our strategy was therefore to source a quality service to meet the needs of children and young people in our care.
C) Please supply, publish, the commissioning strategy document.
Answer: The Service Area has advised there is no commissioning strategy other than the specification used as part of the tender. We evaluate impact and sufficiency and will respond accordingly as part of our ongoing contract monitoring.
Documents
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