Internal provider: The Maples
External Providers: Spot purchased according to need. This includes commissioned residential overnight breaks and home based agency care.
Family based care: Short Breaks foster carers, and Fee-Paid foster carers
Market Context
Section 25 of the Children and Young Person’s Act requires Local Authorities to provide a range of short breaks for families with disabled children. Overnight short breaks offer short term residential provision to families when a need is identified through social care assessment.
In April 2023, the decision was made to run the provision from one site, The Maples in Harlow. This delivers alongside externally commissioned provision, family based care, and home based overnight care.
Current Market Status
The mixed economy approach used is in response to lack of volume and capacity in the external market to meet demand for all overnight short breaks. Recognising the strengths in the ongoing development of the short breaks foster care provision.
Demand for overnight short breaks is stable, but could increase due to socioeconomic pressures on families. To future-proof, The Maples will increase staffing capacity enabling increased availability of nights available. The external market is stable and of good quality, but also responds to neighbouring local authorities. Recruitment is a challenge across providers. There is a commitment to link recruitment efforts across housing related support and overnight short breaks.
Market Rating
Across the whole overnight short breaks offer there is a fair range of providers responding to a wide range of need.
| Market Quality | Market Supply | Market Demand |
|---|---|---|
| Moderate | Good | High |
 |
 |
 |
| Market Workface | Market Ambition | Market Maturity |
| Very Low/Low | Manage Supply | Evolving |
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 |
 |
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Total Number of Providers: |
5 |
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Total Number of Placements: |
142 |
|
Total Market Spend per year: |
TBC |
|
ECC Funded Placements |
2935 nights |
|
Provider Quality – Good or Outstanding: |
Predominantly Good. One external provider RI |
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Average Accommodation Placement Size: |
Varied |
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Framework/spot Placement Ratio: |
TBA |
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Number of Placements/Night per year: |
TBA |
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Number of Emergency Placements: |
Not recorded |
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Number of Planned Placements: |
100% |
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Average Length of Stay: |
According to need: between 12 nights per year and 96 |
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Average Pack Cost per week: |
TBA |
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Expected future Capacity Required: |
Stable currently. Anticipated demand in North East of County. |
To deliver appropriate overnight short breaks to meet current demand. To future proof against potential future demand.
There is a range of provisions across the County, with challenges to meet need in specific locations. For example, in West Essex The Maples is our only internally run provision which holds 8 beds.
Following withdrawal of a market provider in the North East of the County in July 2023, providers on the boarders of Suffolk, but within safe travel times, are responding to local need. This has been successful, but there are potential demand risks in the North East of the County.
- Increased pressure to front line residential workers and providers retaining their workforce
- Increased fuel and facilities costs
- External provider fees are increasing in line with increased costs.
- Develop relationships with external providers in neighbouring counties.
- For example, Ipswich is more accessible to families living in North Essex than travelling across County.