Guide for Professionals

Partnership with commissioning authorities

We recognise that to consistently achieve quality outcomes for our young people, we need to build positive and sustainable relationships with Commissioning Authorities. Developing such relationships continues to enhance the quality and diversity of our support.

Having worked in social work, teaching and management roles within local authority settings, our Management Team are aware of the accountability that is expected of Bright Futures and representatives of the placing authorities. To this end, we work closely with partner agencies to achieve ‘Outstanding’ outcomes for their young people and adults including social care, healthcare and education services.

We recognise the importance of providing both financial and social value in our commissioning, which can be evidenced by the progress of each individual young person.

We provide transparent and inclusive placement fees for each placing authority, which enables clear financial planning and the reassurance that no additional fees will be requested for therapeutic support, repairs or contact requirements.

The clearest indication of the sustained quality of our partner relationships remains the number of authorities returning to commission placements from Bright Futures for their young people and adults.

This map illustrates which local authorities we currently support.

Partnership with regulators

Our three Children’s Home settings are regulated by Ofsted, our network of adult settings are regulated by the Care Quality Commission and our School is regulated by Ofsted.

Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission inspect and report on our services each year and provide detailed reports of their findings. This enables families, placing authorities, young people and adults to understand how each Home operates, inclusive of healthcare, safeguarding, inclusion and independent life skills support.

Ofsted provide ratings for Children’s Home settings following inspection as Inadequate, Adequate, Good or Outstanding. Our Children’s Homes have all been consistently rated as ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted since 2008.

When Ofsted, the Care Quality Commission and the Department for Education inspect our services, they do review current provision. However they also look at future planning and aspirations and so to sustain positive outcomes we recognise the need to listen to others including regulators, families, placing authorities and of course our young people and adults. Their feedback is invaluable and central to our ongoing development plans.

We are very proud of our young people’s achievements and remain committed to developing quality care, education and therapeutic services, whilst remaining mindful that complacency has no place within our Service.

Read our Ofsted and CQC Reports here