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Commissioning, Contracts and Brokerage

The Commissioning, Contracts and Brokerage Team at the council make sure people can access the care, support and services they need

The team work across all age groups and is responsible for:

  • Commissioning services for
    • Adult Social Care
    • Children's Social Care
    • Education
    • Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
  • working jointly on commissioning with
    • Public Health
    • NHS commissioners through the Integrated Care Board (ICB)
  • managing contracts and monitoring quality and provision of commissioned services
  • brokering care and support packages for adult who need social care support
  • placement sourcing for children's services (social care and education/SEND)

What is commissioning?

Commissioning is the process of:

  • identifying what services people need
  • planning and designing services
  • purchasing or arranging services
  • monitoring and reviewing services to make sure they are effective.

The aim is to ensure services meet people's needs now and in the future. This often involves working with partners both within and outside the council.

What the team does

The team is responsible for:

  • reviewing how services are currently used and planning for future demand
  • listening to people who use services, as well as their families and carers, to understand what matters most to them
  • using feedback to improve services and outcomes
  • developing and supporting service providers and their workforce
  • encouraging services to be innovative, effective and make the best use of available resources
  • ensuring commissioned services help deliver the council's strategic priorities
  • ensuring contract process are clear with outcome focused specifications
  • monitoring services to make sure they:
    • are safe
    • meet quality standards
    • improve outcomes for people
    • provide value for money

Strategies and Documents

Information about our commissioning intentions can be found in the document below.

Darlington’s Looked After Children and Care Leavers Commissioning and Sufficiency Strategy (Refresh 2024 – 2025) explains:

  • what is the current need and the expected future demand
  • progress made against our previous commissioning plans

Having enough high-quality services and placement options available locally is important for meeting the needs of children and young people. This is for now and in the future.

By ensuring the right support is available, we aim to help children and young people:

  • achieve positive outcomes
  • be safe and well supported
  • have the best possible start in life
  • develop the skills and confidence needed for adulthood
  • access opportunities that help them reach their full potential

This approach supports the priorities and values set out in the Council Plan.

Looked After Children and Care Leavers Commissioning and Sufficiency Strategy pdf document]

Adult Social Care Commissioning Strategy and Market Position Statement

Darlington’s Adult Social Care Market Position Statement and Commissioning Strategy 2024–2027 explains our plans and priorities for Adult Social Care services in Darlington.

The document helps service providers understand:

  • the needs of local people
  • current challenges facing Adult Social Care
  • changes that may affect services in the coming years
  • the council’s commissioning priorities and future plans

The strategy also supports providers to plan and develop their services by setting out how we will work together to:

  • deliver the vision for Adult Social Care in Darlington
  • prevent, reduce and delay the need for care and support where possible
  • meet local needs using available resources effectively and efficiently
  • improve outcomes for people who use Adult Social Care services
  • ensure people can access high-quality support that helps them remain as independent as possible.

The council, service providers, local communities and partner organisations must work together. We can ensure people receive the right care and support when they need it.

Adult Social Care Commissioning Strategy and Market Position Statement [pdf document]

Adult Social Care Accommodation with Care and Support Strategy

The Adult Social Care Accommodation with Care and Support Strategy 2024 – 2027 is part of Darlington’s Market Position Statement and Commissioning Strategy for Adult Social Care. It also helps inform the wider Darlington Housing Strategy.

The council and its partners will work together to ensure people have access to suitable accommodation, care and support that meets their needs.

Our priorities are to work with partners to develop new and innovative solutions to support:

  • younger adults (18 – 65 years), who have a learning disability, autism and/or mental health condition. This is also the area which is most challenging in terms of increasingly complex cases and a less stable provider market
  • people with complex care needs who are at risk of being admitted to or are being discharged from in-patient settings
  • people with learning disabilities and mental health needs who are aged 65 and over
  • older carers who are supporting someone with a learning disability, autism and/or mental health condition
  • young people who are moving into adulthood who will continue to need care and support

The strategy aims to:

  • reduce the need for residential care, particularly for younger adults, by developing housing solutions and community support services
  • provide high standard accommodation in the right locations, supported by registered and responsive care providers
  • provide supported accommodation which can be flexible and adaptable, allowing people with complex needs to remain in their homes through the stages of their lives
  • encourage housing developers to work with providers to ensure supported accommodation makes the best use of assistive technology and strengths / asset based approaches to increase independence
  • reduce restrictive practices by providing support that focuses on what people can do and the support available to them
  • reduce the need for people to move out of Darlington by developing services that meet needs locally

Adult Social Care Accommodation with Care and Support Strategy [PDF Document]

Our Commissioning Approach

Our commissioning approach focuses on helping people live independently, achieve positive outcomes and access high-quality services and support when they need them.

We aim to:

  • help people make the most of their own strengths, and those of their family and community, to maintain their independence and wellbeing 
  • use information, data and evidence to make informed commissioning decisions, ensuring services continue to meet the needs of Darlington residents
  • work closely with people who use services, as well as their families and carers, to understand what is important to them
  • make effective use of technology to improve services and support
  • create better outcomes that improve people's health and wellbeing by ensuring all contracts are outcome focussed
  • support service providers through clear communication, collaboration and shared understanding
  • help providers make the best use of available resources and support them to recruit and retain a skilled workforce
  • build strong partnerships with:
    • The NHS
    • Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations
  • ensure unpaid carers receive the support they need to balance their own lives and their caring roles
  • commission services that are high quality, provide value for money and are financially sustainable
  • reduce future demand for services and reduce costs

Current Services

Information on services currently available in Darlington can be found on the Livingwell Darlington website [external site]

The Team

Team Structure Chart [pdf document].

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