Information for Care and Support Suppliers
Valuing Care
As part of Telford and Wrekin’s ongoing strategy to improve outcomes for children and young people in care, we are trialling an approach to understand and communicate the needs of our children and young people called Valuing Care.
The approach aims to achieve this by capturing and scoring the needs of children and using this information to ensure children's needs are best supported. A benefit of this approach is that it enables us to have clear and consistent language and approach to describing needs and identifying support. This will improve our referral processes, sharing better information at the point of placement about the support that will meet children’s needs.
We held a workshop on Wednesday 20th March 2024 with residential and supported accommodation providers who had expressed their interest in joining the event. The aim of the workshop was to introduce the Valuing Care approach, understand providers perspective of the home finding process and how we can make Valuing Care work best for providers. The outputs of the discussions from the workshop can be downloaded (.pdf Size: 749Kb) .
If anybody is interested in being involved in Valuing Care or has any questions please contact Charlotte Marlor via email: CMarlor@impower.co.uk.
Workforce
Adult Social Care, Care Provider Workforce Position Statement
People who work in Adult Social Care play a crucial role in ensuring consistent, good quality care and support for our residents in Telford and Wrekin.
Over the next few months, we will be developing an Adult Social Care, Care Providers workforce strategy.
We will be working with partners to shape a delivery plan that both recognises the challenges facing the social care workforce in Telford & Wrekin and defines the actions we need to take over the next three years. This will help to ensure the Borough has a highly skilled, resilient, and diverse care provider workforce that can provide quality care and support to residents who need help and support.
Download our Adult Social Care Provider Workforce Position Statement (.pdf Size: 487Kb)
International recruitment
For information and guidance for International Workers and Care Providers in the Care Industry please visit the Partners in Care webpages.
Tender opportunities
DPS - Dynamic Purchasing System
What support will this enable you to deliver: General non-specialised care and support services for domiciliary, residential and nursing, day care, extra care and support with more complex needs (such as MS or Huntington's) to Children and Adults Services. This will run across all ages.
Background: Telford and Wrekin Council utilise a Dynamic Purchasing System for Support and Personal Care Service for Adults and Children. This is a flexible agreement for Support and Personal Care Services that works to The Authority Commitment Statement; Right Help, Right Time to Promote Independence. This DPS is aligned to the national range of Government policies and initiatives for Support and Personal Care services and the Authority seeks Providers who are focussed on a whole family approach.
The DPS will set out guidelines for the governance of contracting terms, quality standards and expectations from both parties. For any provider wanting to actively deliver services within the borough, this will form the foundations of the business relationship.
The DPS will be split into separate lots, with each provider being required to state which lots they would like to sign up to. A lot will define the type of care the provider will supply, for example, domiciliary care. Providers will be required to sign up to and complete the elements for each type of care they wish to deliver.
- Lot 1 – Adults Domiciliary Care.
- Lot 2 – Children and Young People Community Care and Support.
- Lot 3 – Adults Residential Placements.
- Lot 4 – Adults Nursing Placements.
- Lot 5 – Adults Day Care.
The support Telford & Wrekin expect to source using the above lots would predominantly be:
- Adults: Frail and elderly support, Dementia support, Physical disability support, and slightly more complex support (for example, with conditions such as (but not limited to) Multiple Sclerosis, Huntingtons, Bariatric support)
- Children's: Community Based Support – Community based outreach support to children and their families in their own homes or in a community setting to support their residential placement or as an alternative to residential short breaks. This could include daytime or overnight support in their own home
- Overnight Short Breaks – an overnight short break in an appropriate setting.
For more specialised care and support, please see the FCA and CAFSS below.
Standard rates
Domiciliary care packages and extra care packages: This will be advertised on the fees tab of this webpage.
Residential and Nursing: No standard rate, providers are required to submit their most competitive quote
Day Centres: No standard rate, providers are required to submit their most competitive quote.
Signing up to and being approved on the DPS will bring fast access to any available packages and placements relevant to your organisation, a structured approach to contract management. To apply, please follow the below link and register as a provider. The Support and Personal Care DPS will then be available to view under the ‘Tenders’ section.
Visit the In-Tend website to apply for Support and Personal Care DPS.
Children's and Families Support Services (CAFSS)
What support will this enable you to deliver:
CAFSS contains 20 Lots across a wide of non-accommodation services, including.
- Therapy
- Psychological Assessment Specification
- Parent & Child Community and Residential Assessment
- Supervised Contact
- Family Group Conference
- Mediation and SEND Mediation
- Secure Transport
- Occupational Therapy
- Speech and Language Therapy
- Independent Service
- Form F and Form C
- Special Guardianship Order
- Return Home Interviews
- Positive Behaviour Support
- Parental Advocacy
- Mentoring
- Positive Activities
Background: The Children's and Family Support Services (CAFSS) framework has been developed by Telford & Wrekin Council in conjunction with all of the West Midlands Local Authorities/Trusts. The CAFSS framework provides a go to list of providers and their services across twenty specialisms which Children's services practitioners can draw from.
CAFSS replaces the Non Accommodation Services Framework which contained six specialisms or Lots. We have built on the success on the previous framework to develop a much larger opportunity for providers large and small.
We have used intelligence gathered from commissioning and social care colleagues from the previous framework to develop CAFSS to meet the growing needs arising across the areas of children in need, child protection, children in care and care leavers.
The West Midlands region covers 14 local authority areas with a mixture of some of the country’s largest and diverse cities, towns and rural areas. Whether urban or rural children and families need to be supported and therefore there is an increased requirement for a wide range of non-accommodation services that local authorities can use to support children and families in their areas.
The 14 West Midlands Local Authorities/Trusts Commissioners have a long history of working collaboratively together to commission the very best services for children across the region.
Access code TWC000006
Information update
Bidding for and delivering services as part of a consortium is both challenging and rewarding. From our experience we think the key issues are:
- it is about delivering a single discrete service better by working collaboratively, bringing a range of expertise together into one service rather than providing a collection of independent services funded from a single pot
- trust is essential, built on due diligence, openness and transparency, shared values and vision
- partners need to be flexible and adaptable to change
- commitment is needed from each partner agency from all their Trustees, staff, volunteers and other stakeholders
- there is need to work closely with commissioners, being creative and solution focused but also realistic. Consortium partners, commissioners and Council staff should work together to create a culture of co-operation rather than 'us and them'.
Prime provider - a few tips:
- don't underestimate the time required as the main point of contact for both partners and commissioners
- be realistic about what you are offering from the outset in the bidding process
- learn about your partners, how they work, how the contract fits with their other services etc
- work together to identify risks, anticipate problems and find solutions.
Disadvantages:
- a lot of time is needed to support the consortium - meetings, financial arrangements etc. and the funding is likely to be insufficient to cover all of these costs
- knock on effect on other parts of your organisation - the consortium contract can distract from other roles.
Advantages:
- the opportunity to attract additional funding through the consortium
- stronger and fitter organisations from shared learning, new staff with additional skills and experience, sharing resources, building capacity to change etc
- stronger relationships with commissioners and new networks
- better service for our clients.
More information can be found in the Cabinet Office Document - Working in a consortium - A guide for third sector organisations involved in public service delivery.
Cold Weather Alerts and Business Continuity Plans
Please note we will be in contact with you when we receive any updates.
Visit the GOV.UK website to view the Public Health England Cold Weather Plan 2016.
Business Continuity Plans
Please ensure that Business Continuity Plans are in place and up to date. If you need support contact Helen Gordon in our Civil Resilience team at Helen.Gordon@telford.gov.uk or 01952 381958 for further advice or help.
Wellbeing and Independence Partnership (WIP)
The Wellbeing and Independence Partnership (WIP) provides information, advice and guidance to residents of the Borough of Telford & Wrekin. Download a leaflet of their services.
Last updated : 11 September 2025
Following competitive tender processes the following contracts have been awarded:
Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) – April 2024
Contract awards for the Support and Personal Care DPS are at an ongoing basis. We are using this DPS to broker packages of support, residential and nursing placements and day care placements, including home from hospital enablement packages. Please note that acceptance to the DPS is not a guarantee of award of packages due to the extremely competitive nature of the social care market within Telford & Wrekin.
Our market position statement for Adults Services is currently available here (Telford & Wrekin Council | Market position statement).
If you would like to register for the DPS, please register with In-Tend.
Keep up to date and join our mailing list
If you do not receive emails in relation to our events, newsletters and consultation and would like to please send your name, email address, organisation name and job role to commissioningadults@telford.gov.uk quoting "Mailing list" in the subject line.
Last updated : 11 September 2025
Please view all updates on brokerage and social care below:
- there are currently no updates.
Keep up to date and join our mailing list
If you do not receive emails in relation to our events, newsletters and consultation and would like to please send your name, email address, organisation name and job role to commissioningadults@telford.gov.uk quoting "Mailing list" in the subject line.
Last updated : 21 June 2024
Please view a full list of forthcoming meetings, events and updates below:
Telford & Wrekin Council are seeking to commission a range of services for Adults with Learning Disabilities, Autism, Mental Health and Acquired Brain Injury needs
Services will cover:
- Community led support services for low level needs
- Regulated Community Support services for moderate level needs
- Specialist Complex Community Support for high level or complex needs
- Residential Services for specialist residential services
We wish to undertake a Market Engagement Event in order to communicate our thoughts around these future services and to seek market thoughts on our commissioning requirements and eventual tendering process and would welcome your participation.
Market Engagement Event Details:
Date: Friday, 3rd October 2025
Time: 1:00 PM
Location: Microsoft Teams (link to be provided 1st October 2025)
If you wish to attend, please email MarketSustainability@telford.gov.uk by end of day Tuesday, 30th September 2025, providing the following details for each attendee:
- Name
- Role
- Contact email address
Please note that places are limited to two representatives per organisation.
We look forward to your participation and thank you for your continued support in delivering high-quality services to our community.
Keep up to date and join our mailing list
If you do not receive emails in relation to our events, newsletters and consultation and would like to please send your name, email address, organisation name and job role to commissioningadults@telford.gov.uk quoting "Mailing list" in the subject line.
Last updated : 11 September 2025
Fair Cost of Care (FCOC)
As part of the government's adult social care reform agenda announced in 2021, local authorities was required to complete a fair cost of care exercise to arrive at a shared understanding with providers of the local cost of providing care.
To ensure the care market is represented, we worked jointly with our local care provider representative association Shropshire Partners in Care, to gain a shared understanding of the local cost or providing care.
Following on from the Council's submission of the Fair Cost of Care report and Provisional Market Sustainability Plan (MSP) to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) on 14 October 2022, Central Government announced a delay to the introduction of the financial elements of Social Care Reforms until October 2025.
Visit the GOV.UK website - People at the Heart of Care: adult social care reform white paper.
Visit the UK Parliament website for more information about the social care charging reforms delay.
Telford & Wrekin Councils Cost of Care Report (Annex B) is now available to view and download:
- Annex B Telford & Wrekin Council Home Care (.pdf Size: 697Kb)
- Annex B Telford & Wrekin Council Care Home (.pdf Size: 844Kb) .
Next steps:
Telford & Wrekin Councils Market Sustainability Plan (Annex C) identifies the key risks to market sustainability for the 65+ care home market and the 18+ domiciliary care market and to establish plans to address any issues identified.
We would like to thank our providers for their support in completing the Fair Cost of Care exercise and will continue to work with you.
Keep up to date and join our mailing list
If you do not receive emails in relation to our events, newsletters and consultation and would like to please send your name, email address, organisation name and job role to commissioningadults@telford.gov.uk quoting "Mailing list" in the subject line.
Last updated : 24 July 2024
Uplift process 2024 to 2025
The cabinet has approved an annual uplift in fees paid to Adult Social Care providers in 2024/2025. This will be implemented on the 1 April 2024.
Download the Adult Social Care fee uplift letter for 2024 - 2025 (.pdf Size: 302Kb)
As a Council, we remain committed to ensuring we have a sustainable market and to ensure that continuity of care is maintained for all people that use Care and Support services. If you believe your business to be at financial risk as a result of the Council's fee rates, please email procurement@telford.gov.uk.
Advice and guidance will be issued, any such requests must be submitted on or before the 30th June 2024 to be considered for 2024/2025.
Uplift process 2023 to 2024
The cabinet has approved annual uplift in fees paid to adult social care providers in 2023/2024.
Download the Adult Social Care fee uplift letter for 2023 - 2024 (.pdf Size: 398Kb)
As a Council we remain committed to ensuring we have a sustainable market and to ensure that continuity of care is maintained for all people that use care and support services. If you believe your business to be a financial risk as a result of the Councils fee rates, please email procurement@telford.gov.uk. Advice and guidance will be issued and we will request that you complete a cost of care calculation tool. Any such requests must be submitted on or before 30 June 2023 to be considered for 2023/2024.
Keep up to date and join our mailing list
If you do not receive emails in relation to our events, newsletters and consultation and would like to please send your name, email address, organisation name and job role to commissioningadults@telford.gov.uk quoting "Mailing list" in the subject line.
Last updated : 24 July 2024