Commissioning services for children and young people

This page provides information and links about commissioning services for children and young people.

What is commissioning?

Commissioning is the systematic process of specifying, securing and monitoring services to meet identified and prioritised needs, including both immediate and anticipated needs. Statutory guidance issued under the Children Act 2004 require local authorities and other key agencies to develop an integrated approach to delivering services to improve the well being of children and young people. This involves setting up a joint commissioning framework for all partner agencies collectively to consider:

• how services can be specified to address identified needs most effectively in an outcome-focused way
• how best to allocate and utilise collective resources of all kinds in order to secure those services
• and what agreements, contracts and monitoring arrangements need to be put in place in order to ensure effective delivery and influence future planning activity.

In keeping with the guidance and expectations set out by Every Child Matters and the Children Act 2004, Lambeth Children and Young People’s Service (CYPS) has established a Strategic Commissioning Unit (SCU) to bring together commissioning activity in CYPS and other partner agencies including the Primary Care Trust (PCT).

The Strategic Commissioning Unit has embarked on a programme of commissioning, and has recently completed exercises for Early Years services and for universal youth services.

Current commissioning opportunities

Tender opportunities for young people services will be listed here when available.