News

Whitefield Academy Trust is currently working with DFN Project SEARCH and looking to commission an experienced Supported Employment Provider (SEP) to support Whipps Cross Hospital Supported Internship Programme 2021/2, and Whipps Cross Hospital & Barts Hospital Supported Internship Programme 2022/3. They have issued the attached Request for Quotation document and the closing date for returns is 5 July 2021. They are aiming for a contract start date of 1 August 2021.

Kirklees Council is looking into a potential procurement option to put in place future contractual arrangements for suitably qualified and experienced organisations to deliver Kirklees Mental Health Employment Services.

Ofsted has published a report looking at long-standing problems in the system of care for children and young people with SEND and finds that these have been made even worse by the COVID-19 pandemic. SEND: old issues, new issues, next steps is published on gov.uk

The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) has published a new guide to delivering high-quality apprenticeships. The guide sets out the essential steps for every stage of the apprenticeship journey. The event is aimed at both providers new to apprenticeships, and those who are already experienced to support continuous improvement.

The Education and Training Foundation (ETF) is tendering for six new providers to become mini-hubs for best practice around engaging with employers. The hubs will work with the three existing centres of Excellence; Derby College, Weston College and City College Norwich to develop best practice in engaging employers. 

The invitation to tender goes out on May 21 and £30,000 will be available to each provider, who will need to be Ofsted grade 2 or above and working in the north-west, north-east, Yorkshire and the Humber, West Midlands, London or the south-east.

The Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers (RoATP) is about to open for applications from providers wishing to deliver apprenticeships. The register will open for applications on 17 May. Application guidance is available at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/roatp-application-guidance-digital-may-2021

The Department for Work and Pensions may soon advertise a number of opportunities and go out to tender via the Test & Learn Dynamic Purchasing System (T&L DPS). They want to warm up the market to these possible opportunities and DWP reserves the right not proceed to an invitation to tender.  The opportunities currently under consideration are in the following areas:

  • Local Supported Employment
  • Quality and accreditations (Autism support and Occupational Health)
  • Occupational Health
  • Individual Placement Support

Transport for London (TfL) has issued a market sounding questionnaire. It seeks to obtain market feedback in relation to the design, delivery and management of supported internship provision for the Steps into Work programme. The primary focus of the MSQ is to better understand market/supplier appetite, capacity and capability, as well as perceived risks and opportunities.

TfL's employability programmes provide work readiness skills and opens doors to employment to some of the most disadvantaged groups in society. Individuals who fall into these groups have been disproportionately impacted by the current pandemic and now face even greater barriers to employment. The employability programmes are currently undergoing a redesign to better support those that most need it, through partnerships with charities, delivery partners and business stakeholders.

DWP has announced that it has awarded Restart contracts to bidders in all 12 contract package areas following a commercial process through the Commercial Agreement for Employment and Health Related Services [CAEHRS].

Four of the Restart bidders were successful and have each been awarded two contracts, these are: Ingeus, Maximus, Reed in Partnership and Serco. All other successful bidders have been awarded one contract each area, these are: Fedcap Employment, G4S, Jobs 22 and Seetec Pluss. 

Now is the Time. As we move towards publication of a national disability strategy, it is timely to reflect on how things stand within the Supported Employment sector. It is telling that 40 years after the introduction of Supported Employment to the UK, we have still not seen any national funding of a sector that is predominantly funded through local authorities and charitable sources.

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