Agenda item

[Report of the Director of Adults and Health. To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Adults and Health]

This report seeks agreement from Cabinet for the extension and variation of the contract held by Humankind for the Children, Young People and Families Substance Misuse to enable a one year extension of the contract to  31st March 2021.

The Cabinet Member for Adults and Health introduced the report which sought agreement to the extension and variation of the contract held by Humankind for the Children, Young People and Families Substance Misuse to enable a one year extension of the contract to 31^st March 2021. The provider has provided a valuable service with good outcomes for families with substance misuse issues.

Cabinet noted the current service Insight Platform plays a central role in identifying substance misuse problems early. For those identified with a problem it provides a whole family service. Its universal level outreach service going into schools, colleges and youth services, last year reached over eight hundred children and young people and four hundred and forty-one parents and families. Its targeted work links into alternative education, early help and the criminal justice youth service. Each year the number of children and young people needing structured help is increasing, last year the service saw two hundred and thirteen young people under 18 years. Outcomes were impressive with 92% leaving the service in a planned way.

RESOLVED

To agree to the extension and variation of the contract with Humankind Charity for the provision of Children, Young People and Families Substance Misuse services - as allowed under Contract Standing Orders 10.2.1 (b) for a period of up to 1 year from 31st March 2020 to 1st April 2021 at a maximum value of £285,000. The total cost over the life of the contract is therefore, £570,000.

Reasons for decision

In Haringey, since 2010, Humankind has successfully bid for and run Insight Platform Children, Young People and Families Substance Misuse Service. In 2014, Cabinet awarded a contract to Humankind post an open tender process. Contact performance has been highly satisfactory. It is proposed that Cabinet vary and extend the current contract to enable a further year. An extension and variation would allow Haringey to align this contract with the March 2021 ensuing of the externally funded Innovation Fund Children of Alcohol Dependent Parents project (CADP), which is delivered by Humankind alongside this contract. Alignment would prevent potential disruption to the CADP were Humankind not successful in bidding for the main service. As the CAPD's grant funding is dependent on delivery of key performance indicators the Council would wish to avoid disruption.

There is in place a timetable for the retendering of this contract during the extension period to allow for the award of a new contract from 1st April 2021.

Alternative options considered

The Council is not mandated to provide this service. It could decide to no longer commission this service to its residents. However, there is high demand for this service and no alternative project to refer children, young people and families into. The commissioning of this service is in line with the Council's intention to ensure every child thrives.

The Council could extend the contract for the initial 6 months placed as allowed under the contract in order to out to market. However, a tender process at this time could be disruptive to CADP, as the current provider might be distracted from the project or could be unsuccessful in securing the new contract potentially setting back CADP delivery timeframes. The impact on the Council of any failure to reach the key performance indicators of the Innovation Grant Agreement, could lead to the withdrawal of funding.