Carers & Young Carers Support Service

The London Borough of Barnet wishes to commission evidence-based best practice carers and young carers support services. Carers and young carers support services play a vital role in maintaining and maximising the health and wellbeing of carers and young carers and are a key component on the councils early intervention and prevention offer. Policy and Resources Committee agreed on 16th February 2016 to authorise procurement of Carers and Young Carers Support Services and the Services were put out to tender on 22nd April 2016. The contract term was for three years with the option to extend by up to a further two years subject to satisfactory performance and finances (1+1). The current provider for carers and young carers support services is Barnet Carers Centre and in 2019 the council enacted the option to extend the current contract in place by up to a further two years. This contract forms part of the Council’s statutory duties under the Care Act 2014 including duties in regards to; promoting wellbeing (see section 1 of the Care Act 2014), prevention (see Section 2 of the Care Act 2014), information and advice (see Section 4 of the Care Act 2014), transition to adult care and support (see Sections 58-66 of the Care Act 2014) and, duty and power to meet carer’s need for support (see Section 20 of the Care Act 2014). This contract also forms part of the Council’s statutory duties under the Children and Families Act 2014 in regards to assessments for young carers. The current contract was due to end on 2nd October 2021 however, due to the impact of the Covid 19 pandemic the council completed a DPR to apply a further extension to the contract until 31st April 2022. Therefore, the London Borough of Barnet intends to reprocure carers and young carers support services. The council intend to carry out a competitive procurement process for the purpose of this re-procurement exercise and the intended contract term of the new contract will be for 5 years with break clauses at ends of year 3 and 4.