We were recently awarded the Delivering Better Value grant to the value of £1m. In the application we set out £300k to commission the Thrive Approach for all Halton schools. This is a transformational approach to service delivery based on Trauma Informed Practice. It trains up specialist practitioners in educational settings and provide online support and network. The approach is proven to reduce exclusions and suspensions and improve both attendance and attainment for vulnerable learners.
Thrive are an independent provider, the only UK company who can provide this service directly to schools, covering all aspects of Trauma Informed Practice. Thrive are accredited by the DfE.
The grant application specifically committed us to commission Thrive to deliver this and was agreed on that understanding. No other company that can provide the level and scale of service that we require. Executive board do not meet until June, but we need to commence this work now, in line with the DBV implementation plan. We need urgent approval to sign the contract, so that the work can commence. It will take two years to roll this out across all settings, and the work must commence as soon as possible, so wave 1 are ready for September. The DBV timeframe is very aggressive and we are being monitored by the DfE and CIPFA to ensure that we are delivering to schedule. We need to commence now to comply with the schedule. Our legal team have agreed that this can be done via Procurement Standing Order 1.14.2 – Emergency Procedures, this option would be for Stephen Young to use his delegated authority to make an urgent decision on the matter.
A retrospective report will go to Executive Board (EB) at the next planned meeting in June 2024. The Waiver will be completed and returned to Procurement for verification before seeking approval from EB.