Procurement Process for High Needs SEND Placements
Case reference FOI2026/00042
Received 6 January 2026
Published 27 January 2026
Request
Please provide the following information regarding the commissioning of placements for children with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) in Independent and Non-Maintained Special Schools (INMSS):
1. Procurement Mechanism: Does the Council commission these placements via a Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS), a Framework Agreement, or purely via Spot Purchasing?
2. Access: If a DPS or Framework is in place, please provide the name of the portal used (e.g., ProContract, Adam, SProc.net), the website link for that portal, and the reference number for the contract.
3. Spot Purchasing: If the Council utilizes "Spot Purchasing" for individual placements, please provide a copy of the "Pre-Placement Quality Assurance" criteria or "Vendor Onboarding" documents required for a new school to be set up as a supplier, and contact details of those responsible.
4. Sufficiency Strategy: Please provide a link to the Council’s most recent "Market Position Statement" or "SEND Sufficiency Strategy" outlining future commissioning intentions.
Response
Please provide the following information regarding the commissioning of placements for children with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) in Independent and Non-Maintained Special Schools (INMSS):
1. Procurement Mechanism: Does the Council commission these placements via a Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS), a Framework Agreement, or purely via Spot Purchasing?
A: Spot Purchasing
2. Access: If a DPS or Framework is in place, please provide the name of the portal used (e.g., ProContract, Adam, SProc.net), the website link for that portal, and the reference number for the contract.
A: N/A
3. Spot Purchasing: If the Council utilizes "Spot Purchasing" for individual placements, please provide a copy of the "Pre-Placement Quality Assurance" criteria or "Vendor Onboarding" documents required for a new school to be set up as a supplier, and contact details of those responsible.
A: The Service area have advised that while they do not currently operate a single, formally defined pre placement quality assurance framework, placement decisions are subject to a structured, case by case consideration that takes account of risk, need and value for money. These decisions are informed by professional judgement and oversight, and they are actively exploring how this approach can be further strengthened and formalised.
In practice, placements are identified through a combination of routes, including liaison with a child’s home authority (particularly for regional placements), consideration of parental preference, and the use of specialist placement databases aligned to the child’s identified needs. Caseworkers are expected to undertake due diligence, including exploration of suitability and discussion with their line manager. Decisions then proceed through the appropriate financial authorisation process.
As part of the placement process, they consult directly with the proposed setting using the Education, Health and Care Plan to establish whether the provision can meet the child’s needs. Where a setting is new or not previously used by the authority, a visit to the school or college is typically arranged to support assurance around quality and suitability. While this process is not currently captured within a single formal document, it is embedded within operational practice and subject to managerial and financial oversight.
4. Sufficiency Strategy: Please provide a link to the Council’s most recent "Market Position Statement" or "SEND Sufficiency Strategy" outlining future commissioning intentions.
A: Please see below:
https://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/media/ztedjosy/send_capital_investment_strategy_2020-2030.pdf
Documents
This is Herefordshire Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.
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