Decision details

Permission is being sought to commission an external organisation to deliver an Ofsted Inspection Readiness Programme for domestic childcare providers (childminders) locally. This will be done following the Invitation to Tender (ITT) on the North West Portal “The Chest” for a 1 year contract and an option to extend for a further year.
Local authorities (LA) are required by legislation to secure information, advice and training for providers in their area for:
•those registered on the Ofsted Early Years Register who are judged less than ‘good’ by Ofsted in their most recent inspection report;
•newly registered providers on the Ofsted Early Years Register who have not yet had an inspection report published;
•those on Part A (the compulsory part) of the Ofsted General Childcare Register who are assessed by Ofsted as not having met the requirements of registration or the requirements relating to their activities.
(Early education and childcare – Statutory guidance for local authorities)
Therefore, permission is being sought to approve the decision to commission an external organisation to deliver an Ofsted Inspection Readiness Programme for domestic childcare providers (childminders) locally to fulfil the LA statutory duty.

RESOLVED - That:
To approve Option 1 to award the 1 year contract with the option to extend for a further year to an external organisation through ITT.

Option 1 - Approval for the commissioning of an external organisation for the 1 year Ofsted Inspection Readiness Programme for domestic childcare providers with an option to extend for a further year.
This option poses limited risk to the Council as a formal tender process will be undertaken and quality of the submission agreed by the evaluation panel. Any risks to delivery and implementation of the programme have be identified and mitigation put in place. Emerging risks will be managed through formal contract monitoring processes.
Option 2 - Not to award the contract to any organisation
This could pose a risk to the sufficiency for childcare in Oldham, as not awarding the contract could lead to poor quality provision for Early Years and potentially resulting in an increase of childminder Ofsted judgements becoming less than good.
The implication of less than good Ofsted judgements would result in funding being withdrawn from the childminder for childcare places.

Option 2

N/A