What is LCS?
London Care Services (LCS) is a subscription service available to authorities that have paid the annual membership for the year.
LCS delivers central management of the Model Contract that member authorites use to make placements. On behalf of member authorities, LCS will bulk negotiate the contract prices centrally to ensure there is access to good quality and affordable fostering and residential provision for looked after children and young people. The LCS register of providers contributes to meeting sufficiency duties by offering a wider choice of services with pre-negotiated prices and complementing in-house services and existing frameworks.
Key Services available to member authorities
Manage the London Model Contract
- Access to a centralised contracting service and use of Contract documents:
- Standard terms and conditions to create a shared understanding between contractors and councils to improve the procurement process
- Individual specification for foster and residential care
- Centralised administration to undertake due diligence checks and updates (insurance, accounts, Ofsted outcomes and certification), delivering cost savings through reduced administration
Provide a web portal for access to services, placements, contract documentation and prices through www.londoncareplacements.gov.uk
- Sourcing services and placements
- Making placement searches
- Sending referrals
- Viewing and downloading Contract documentation (including evidence of insurance and Ofsted ratings)
- Sharing information on, and access to pre-negotiated prices
- Information sharing across subscribing authorities on providers / placements
- Training and support material for the effective use of the portal and contract
LCS Approved Provider list offering Outstanding, Good and Requires Improvement providers of foster and residential care
- Access to a list of approved services offering a wide choice of different placement types to meet the needs of looked after children and young people
- Access to a wider choice of services with pre-negotiated prices, in addition to in-house services and existing frameworks, to provide the best match for the child's needs
- Less use of spot purchasing
Annual negotiation of fees to deliver best value for money prices for subscribing authorities
- Strong collective bargaining position
- Opportunity to use LCS price as the starting point for further individual local authority / sub-regional negotiations
Register and maintain a pool of quality Foster and Residential services to the LCS register
- Access to a wider range of services with pre-negotiated prices
- Less use of spot purchasing
Join LCS today, or request a temporary access pass to view a demo environment of the live portal and learn more about how LCS can help you
