Freedom of information response

I would like to request the following information under the Freedom of Information Act (2000) regarding the use of Social Value in your organisation’s commissioning processes for care and accommodation services for Children Looked After.

1. The Social Value Act 2012 requires commissioning authorities to give consideration at the pre-procurement stage to how what is to be procured may improve the social, environmental and economic well-being of the relevant area over and above the core delivery of a contract; how any such improvement might be secured; and the need to consult.

Does your organisation give consideration to Social Value in commissioning the following services? 
• Independent Fostering Agencies (IFAs) 
• Residential children’s homes and/or parent and child units 
• 16+ semi-independent accommodation 
• Accommodation services for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children - Yes

2. If so, what Social Value/added value outcomes does your organisation seek to achieve from either procurement exercises or contracts for these services? The required social value outcome with these services is for the provider to source and support volunteering opportunities for young people who are looked after in placement

3. How does your organisation communicate its required Social Value outcomes to service providers (e.g. face-to-face engagement, building Social Value requirements into service specifications, including Social Value questions within the quality section of Invitations to Tender, etc.)? This requirement is built into the service specification that forms part of the contract

4. If your organisation includes Social Value questions within Invitations to Tender for these services, approximately what weighting is given to these questions? 3%

5. How are Social Value outcomes/returns measured and evaluated within your contract management processes for these services? Annual contract monitoring includes a requirement to evidence that volunteering opportunities have been sought and put in place where appropriate

6. What impact, if any, has been achieved for your local area as a result of including Social Value within your organisation’s commissioning process for these services? A number of young people have been able to take up these opportunities, however its full impact has not been subject to a full evaluation

7. What financial return, if any, has been achieved as a result of including Social Value within your organisation’s commissioning process for these services? The Council has not been able to quantify this (see question 6 response)

You are free to use any information supplied to you for your own use, including non-commercial research purposes. However, any other type of re-use, for example, by publishing the information or issuing copies to the public will require the permission of the copyright owner.

Where the copyright is owned by Thurrock Council, you must apply to the Council to re-use the information. Please email information.matters@thurrock.gov.uk if you wish to re-use the information you have been supplied. For information where the copyright is owned by another person or organisation, you must apply to the copyright owner to obtain their permission.

If you are dissatisfied with the way in which the council have managed your FOI request you can pursue an Internal Review by contacting us using the above email address. An internal review must be submitted within 40 working days of your original reply. Your request will be considered by a senior member of the Information Management Team who will update you with the outcome of the review.

If you remain unhappy following the outcome of your Internal Review you may wish to refer your case to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and details of this organisation can be found at www.ico.org.uk . Please be advised that the ICO will not consider your case until they have confirmation that you have already been through the Internal Review stage with the council.