3.4.10 Placements with Preferred Providers and all Inclusive Fees |
Contents
- Children’s Social Care Preferred Provider Framework (PPF)
- Children’s Social Care - Children’s Residential Care - Preferred Provider Framework - 1st April 2005 Onwards
- Children’s Social Care - IFA - Preferred Provider Framework - 1st October 2007 Onwards
- Children’s Social Care - Semi Independence Preferred Provider Framework - 1st October 2008 Onwards
1. Children’s Social Care Preferred Provider Framework (PPF)
There are 4 Children’s Social Care PPF's and these are: Children’s Residential Care, Independent Foster Care Agencies, Semi-Independence Accommodation and Supervised Contact and the objectives of the PPF in Children’s Social Care are as follows:
- To significantly reduce spend on residential placements;
- Move from over reliance on spot purchasing to cost-volume in order to ensure value for money.
- To encourage Preferred Provider Framework (PPF) providers to develop services within a 20 mile radius of the borough;
- To streamline the volume of providers used by Lewisham Children's Social Care.
Preferred Provider Framework Requirements.
- PPF providers must be considered first. Only in exceptional circumstances will there be any deviation from the PPF. Permission will be given at CPP where appropriate or by Service Manager, Business Strategy, Fostering, Placements and Procurement Service (P&P).
- In these circumstances, it has been decided that Pan-London approved providers will be used as a contingency arrangement for spot purchasing, Placement and Procurement Officers (PPO’s) will ensure these providers have been awarded either Good or Outstanding ratings through their Ofsted Inspections.
- All-inclusive fees have already been agreed with providers. This means that Placements and Procurement Officers do not have to negotiate nor commit the Council to further expenditure for any extras, as these are likely to be included in the all-inclusive fee.
- Placement and Procurement Officers will be required to use the PPF to match the needs of individual looked after children requiring placements. Social Workers must complete and send electronically, the PIR indicating clearly the needs of the child requiring a placement.
- The PPF has been designed to achieve best value packages, ensuring Value for Money whilst maintaining high quality of care.
- An Electronic (E)-system has been introduced as part of Business Assurance which will expedite the referral and centralised invoicing processes and make them more robust, transparent and provide an accurate audit trail.
Young People - 18+ in Education
Children’s Social Care Service Management Team (SMT) made the decision on 31st May 2011, to uphold the principle that LAC in foster care who turn 18, should not change placement during the academic year.
There must be no change from foster care to supported lodgings status at the 18th birthday if the care leaver is in education and until the end of the academic year. Therefore, for example, if the care leaver is in education and reaches 18 in the Autumn /Spring i.e. between September and March, there must be no change to supported lodgings status until the following July. This will avoid the possibility of a placement move if the carer is unable to change from foster care to supported lodgings.
SMT made the decision that foster carers for such young people should continue being paid at the same fostering rate until end of the academic year to enable placement stability whilst the young person sits exams.
Changes to 18+ in Placements - Claiming Housing Benefit
All young people over the age of 18 who are eligible to claim benefits and are living in a placement funded by Leaving Care will now be required to claim Housing Benefit.
The young person will be required to sign a Licence Agreement and the allocated worker will assist the young person to claim the benefit. The ‘Provider’ of the placement will not be required to sign the Licence Agreement. Leaving Care will be the ‘Agent’ for the Supported Lodgings Provider/Foster Carer/Semi independent Provider therefore all monies will be paid straight to Leaving Care.
The Licence Agreement states:-
How much Housing Benefit should be claimed - (if the young person is living outside the Borough of Lewisham the allocated worker will have to contact the Local Housing Office to enquire how much benefit can be claimed for ‘single room rent exemption’).
The Housing Benefit Reference Number: 94544.
Foster Carers who have over 18 year olds living with them are required to ensure that they are not claiming Council Tax benefit as a sole occupier. This can still be claimed if the other person in the household is exempt from Council Tax e.g. students. Leaving Care will not be liable for any tax payments. However the carer should be able to earn at least £4000 before they are liable to pay tax.
- Process to Claim Housing Benefit for foster carers who have converted to Supported Lodgings
- Allocated worker and young person telephone housing benefit and make a claim to HB.
- A letter will be sent with the date and venue of the appointment to claim HB.
- This will usually be the local neighbourhood office.
- Young person is required to sign the Licence Agreement. (Page 1)
- Allocated workers will need to put in the correct address and sign the agreement. (Page 1)
- Allocated worker is required to accompany the young person to the Neighbourhood Office and ensure that the young person brings ID.
- During the meeting the allocated worker will need to ensure that the housing worker is aware that the young person is a care leaver and entitled to the ‘single room rent exemption’.
- Allocated worker will need to keep a copy of the Licence Agreement and the Housing Benefit form.
- Once this process is over HB should be paid the following week.
- This process may vary in other boroughs
- Process to Claim Housing Benefit for Supported Lodgings under Lewisham’s Scheme
- If a young person is living in a Supported Lodging Placement under the scheme the Coordinators will assist the young person to claim benefits.
- Process to Claim Housing benefit for Young People in Semi Independent Accommodation
- All providers of semi independent accommodation will be informed that The Leaving Care Services will be claiming housing benefit and they, if necessary will have to cease claiming housing benefit for any young person (eligible to claim benefits) over the age of 18 who are still in placement.
- Leaving Care Services will identify which young people are eligible to claim housing benefit and notify the Provider of the semi independent accommodation.
- The process to claim benefit will be exactly the same in directed in Point ‘1’, see above process to claim.
2. Children’s Social Care - Children’s Residential Care - Preferred Provider Framework - 1st April 2005 Onwards
Packages of Care All - Inclusive Fees
A key requirement of the Preferred Provider Framework is the move from placement to packages of care, which entail all - inclusive weekly fees. It will be for Service Providers to provide specific evidence as to the need for any additional payment and this must be put in writing to the senior manager responsible for children’s Commissioning and placements prior to these costs being incurred. The inclusive fee for the package of care must include the following for all categories in the PPF:
- Implementation of the care plan/Pathway Plan, Health Plan, and Personal Education Plan.
- Written progress reports and written assessments on individual children/young people for Planning and Review Meetings.
- Logged 24 hour-7 days a week, supervised direct care and board as specified in the Service Provider’s Statement of Purpose.
- Clothing Allowance including sports and leisure clothing for general leisure activities.
- Food including lunch at school and temporary periods away from the residential unit.
- Special dietary needs.
- Pocket money, in line with National Foster care allowances.
- Cultural, ethnic, religious and spiritual needs.
- Birthday and festival needs i.e. gifts/presents.
- Telephone calls to family members, advocates, guardians and Lewisham Council.
- Telephone calls to others as agreed and specified in the Individual Placement Plan.
- Toiletries, hair care and skin care.
- General recreational/leisure activities/outings including associated materials.
- General day to day travel specifically visiting family members and Lewisham SSD.
- Annual holiday away from the residential unit arranged by the Service Provider: 1 week.
- School transport costs.
- School outings/trips/court visits.
- Facilitating attendance at advocacy forums.
- Supervised contact: 2 hours per within the residential unit or neutral venue.
- Waking night staff, where required.
- Staff supported unit visits as specified in the Care Plan/Pathway Plan.
- Staff practical support to enable LAC to attend health care appointments, educational/work experience appointments and Statutory Reviews.
- All administrative work in line with National Minimum Standards.
- All other services described in the PPF Specification.
- All travel costs associated with the above.
3. Children’s Social Care - IFA - Preferred Provider Framework - 1st October 2007 Onwards
Packages of Care All - Inclusive Fees
Lewisham IFA Preferred Provider Framework will operate on the basis of all-inclusive fees for packages of care and this must include the cost of the following:
- Implementation of the Care Plan/Pathway Plan, Health Plan and Personal Education Plan
- Written progress reports and assessments on individual children/young people for Planning and Review Meetings
- Care provision as specified in the IFA Statement of Purpose.
- Clothing and replacement of due to wear and tear
- Special dietary needs
- Pocket money, in line with those recommended by the National Foster Care or Lewisham Council allowances (whichever is the higher rate)
- Cultural, ethnic, religious and spiritual needs
- Birthday and festivals (gifts/presents)
- Telephone calls to family members and Lewisham Council staff, Guardian, Advocate (within the UK)
- Telephone calls to others as agreed and specified in the Care Plan.
- Toiletries, hair care and skin care
- General recreation/leisure activities/outings including associated materials as specified and agreed in the Care Plan
- General day to day travel specifically visiting family members and Lewisham Council staff
- Annual holiday
- School transport costs (child and carer) up to a maximum of 20 miles per day
- In line with National curriculum school outings, parents evenings, visits and trips (excluding trips outside the UK)
- Facilitating attendance at local consultation and advocacy forums
- Contact arrangements as outlined in the Care Plan and as agreed at the Placement Planning Meeting
- Supervised contact within the carers home
- Transport to and from local contact centre (within 30 minutes drive)
- Foster carers to work with Looked After Children in line with expected outcomes as specified in the Care Plan/Pathway Plan
- Practical support to enable Looked After Children to attend health care appointments, educational/work experience appointments and statutory reviews
- All administrative work in line with National Minimum Standards
- Court Transport costs and visits for Remand Carers
- Out of hours support to carers
- Transport costs for Respite placements
- Children and young people having access to a home PC for educational purposes.
- Recruitment, selection, preparation and on-going training for foster carers
- Foster Carers approval and review
- Foster Carers insurance and membership to the Fostering Network
- Purchase / replacement of general everyday equipment / furnishings
- All other services described in this Specification.
4. Children’s Social Care - Semi Independence Preferred Provider Framework - 1st October 2008 Onwards
Packages of Care All - Inclusive Fees
The Lewisham Semi-Independence Preferred Provider Framework will operate on the basis of all-inclusive fees for packages of care and this must include the cost of the following:
- Implementation of the Young Person’s Pathway Plan, Health Plan and Personal Education Plan.
- Monthly progress reports and assessments on Lewisham young people, including end of placement reports and reports required by the courts. Supported Lodgings carers with be expected to provide a similar level of documentation to that of foster carers.
- Provision as specified in the Semi-Independence Service Provider’s Statement of Purpose.
- Weekly maintenance allowance for Lewisham young people under 18 years, adjusted accordingly for those young people receiving benefits. This will be at the same level as the Job Seeker’s Allowance.
- Staff accompanying young people to consultation and advocacy forums.
- Named Keyworkers progressing and ensuring the delivery of the expected outcomes of the Pathway Plan, as specified in the Needs Assessment, and providing the necessary support for young adults of 18 years and over.
- Staff accompanying and supporting Lewisham young people when they attend health care appointments, educational/work experience and employment appointments, statutory reviews and court appearances and appointments required within the criminal justice system.
- Staff undertaking the role of Appropriate Adult throughout the criminal justice system.
- Provision of a computer, in 24 hour staffed semi-independence units, located on the premises, for educational purposes. This computer must have the necessary access control and safeguards.
- Specific diets, as required, relating to culture, religion, heath and/or disability.
- *Contributing towards clothing costs for 16 and 17year olds, adjusted to the financial circumstances of the young people.
- Any additional payments needed to support the young person’s education that are in excess of the Education Maintenance Allowance, including fares.
- **Fares for family contact for journeys within 1 hour’s travelling distance each way of the placement.
- **Fares to work for the first four weeks of their employment.
- **Fares to travel to the Leaving Care Service, YOT, court, police station and Young Offenders Institutions where necessary.
- ***Maintaining a contribution scheme for working young people, in which a “service charge” will be put aside for their savings, for use when they achieve independence. The terms of this will be specified in the Pathway Plan. These savings must not be used for any other purpose, including any reparation charges for damage caused by the young person.
- Assisting Lewisham young people to claim allowances and benefits, including those for maternity and disability, where appropriate. With over-18s, the providers’ charges will be reduced in relation to the benefits the young adult is entitled to, except in exceptional circumstances and with the agreement of the Lewisham Service Manager.
- Assisting Lewisham young people in their transition from dependence to independence, including helping them to use Homesearch to identify available council accommodation, or, in the case of asylum seekers, assisting them to locate appropriate private rented accommodation.
- Assisting Lewisham young people in managing their money and budgeting. In particular, helping them to open a bank account and, for over 18s, ensuring that they do not get into rent and utilities arrears.
- The full range of services described in this Specification.
*Clothing costs
The majority of 16-17 year olds are eligible for the same weekly clothing allowance as if they were in a foster placement - currently £17.99.
This should be paid as part of the all-inclusive fee. The young person’s key worker will need to accompany them to purchase the clothing and submit receipts to young person’s social worker. We suggest that Providers put in a quarterly system to review accumulated allowances for Lewisham young people placed with them.
Any request over and above this amount should be requested in writing to the young person’s allocated Social Worker and Team Manager, Placements & Procurement Service.
**Travel costs
The majority of young people will be eligible for concessionary travel of some kind and therefore a contribution should only be required in exceptional circumstances following negotiations with the Team Manager, Placement & Procurement Service.
***Service charge
It is important for young people to learn the discipline of saving and our expectation is that providers will encourage this. We are suggesting a minimum of 5% of the young person’s weekly allowance be put aside as savings subject to their agreement of course
The following are not part of the all-inclusive fees, however, the requirement is for the service provider to make the allowances available to the young person, in consultation with the relevant Lewisham Team Manager and in their absence the Service Manager. The Semi-Independence Preferred Provider should include the costs of these when submitting their invoices for payment.
****Holiday Grant
- Holiday allowance for Lewisham young people under 18 years, as calculated by the Leaving Care Service (up to £270 a year, as at January 2008).
****Festival grant
- By this we mean an annual Christmas grant or festival grant as appropriate to the young person.
- The Grant to be paid is £50 once a year.
- Therefore, in the week it is paid it will be £50 + the usual weekly allowance
- This is only to be paid out by Providers who normally pay weekly allowances on behalf of Lewisham. (LBL pay those who receive their allowances directly).
- To be reclaimed by including in the regular invoice. Please itemise for clarity.
****Birthday payment
- Now £113.32. Providers to make payment and reclaim by including in the regular invoice. Please itemise for clarity.
NB: All amounts in this procedure are correct as of August 2011. Allowances are reviewed annually.
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