Care home placements - Find a freedom of information request

Contract between Lincolnshire County Council (Childrens Services) and Positive Independence.

1. Do they have a contract as a commissioned service for providing care home placements for Looked After Children in Lincolnshire under the age 18 year of age?  

2. Do LCC require Children's care homes to have Ofsted inspections/rating before they place Looked after children.

I can confirm that the information requested is held by Lincolnshire County Council. I have detailed below the information that is being released to you.

1. Lincolnshire County Council do not have a current, live contract with Positive Independence Ltd

2. It is Ofsted that requires children’s homes to be inspected as set out in their social care common inspection framework for children’s homes. LCC does not overrule Ofsted on this framework, however, we do adhere to it.

This framework states: Newly registered children’s homes that register between 1 April and 30 September in any given year receive at least one inspection between 1 October and 31 March.

Those that register between 1 October and 31 March in any given year will receive their first inspection between 1 April and 30 September of the following inspection year. Newly registered children’s homes are required to tell us when the first child arrives to stay. This will help us to arrange an appropriate first inspection date.

If we receive concerning information about a newly registered children’s home, we may inspect earlier than the regulations require.

This inspection will usually be a full or an assurance inspection.