Tender: Hampshire County Council Independent Fostering Agencies Framework for Looked After Children

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Hampshire County Council is seeking suppliers to join a light-touch Independent Fostering Agencies (IFA) framework to provide a range of fostering arrangements for its looked after children cohort. The framework will, as a minimum, include standard foster placements (including respite), parent & child placements, placements for children with complex/challenging behaviours, children with disabilities or complex healthcare needs, and separated children, while remaining flexible to capture additional fostering requirements. The framework will be open for the initial period as set out in paragraph 4.1, will be reopened in January 2026 and remain open for the initial term. The Council will run call-offs to establish which suppliers can meet different fostering arrangements before making individual placements to suppliers awarded call-off contracts, and providers on the framework may amend and resubmit their framework questionnaire to add registered branches/offices during the contract. The priority is to secure Hampshire placements for Hampshire children and young people to support their education, training, contact and existing support networks.