The report contains no reference to children's services, but it is vitally important for the sector and raises huge questions about how the whole "business" of competitive tendering for public service contracts is approached. Here are three critical findings children's services leaders and commissioners should learn from.
First, the committee raises "grave concern" at "the government's preoccupation with price" - which it says is too often the primary rationale for contracting. This, they say, is at the expense of a proper understanding of quality, or of the financial sustainability of the businesses they contract with. Focusing on lowest price is high risk in commissioning "complex services for vulnerable people" - a term that could describe all services for children and families. With the advent of 100 per cent price-weighting - in other words no credit given for quality at all - on tenders in some areas' fostering contracts, and having seen 4Children grow rapidly by undercutting other bidders on price, only to then watch them collapse as a business, this is a long-overdue warning from parliament that the children's sector must heed.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
