For Commissioners
You have been let down by providers before. Here is what we offer instead.
This page is written for local authority commissioners and placement teams. We are not asking for trust. We are setting out, precisely, how we intend to earn it – and what you can hold us to from the point of our first placement.
Commissioning Questions
When did you last receive a proactive update from a provider – before a problem, not after?
How many of your current placements are out-of-county because no suitable local alternative existed?
What would it mean for a child in your care to never lose the relationship with their key worker when a placement ends?
What does it cost – in human terms – when a placement breaks down for a reason that could have been anticipated?
Northamptonshire Context
A local provider, founded for a local commissioning reality.
Maar Haven is not a generic new entrant. We are founding in Corby specifically because the Northamptonshire commissioning context presents a genuine opportunity for a quality local provider.
Evidence gathered includes significant out-of-county EBD placement spend, a local authority commissioning recovery programme creating demand for reliable local provision, and an existing preference from commissioning contacts for locally embedded providers with transparent therapeutic models.
Out-of-county placements create two problems simultaneously – a quality problem for children and a cost problem for the authority. Joseph and Faith Bvumbe are active youth leaders in Corby with established relationships across local statutory services, schools, and community organisations.
Referral Pathway
How a referral conversation will work.
01
Initial Enquiry
Contact via email, phone, or enquiry form; response within one working day. The commissioner will speak to Joseph or Faith directly, not a referrals inbox.
02
Placement Matching Assessment
Every referral assessed against the Statement of Purpose and current group composition; clear response within 48 hours on therapeutic fit and why.
03
Pre-Placement Protocol
Before any placement: specific risk assessment, key worker identified, LA placement agreement reviewed, space and staffing confirmed.
04
Ongoing Reporting
Monthly written placement progress reports from day one; proactive contact whenever anything material changes; named contacts at RI and RM level.
Five Commitments
Commitments commissioners can hold us to.
01
Monthly written reports
Every commissioning authority receives monthly written updates covering wellbeing, education, relational progress, risk position, and emerging concerns.
02
Rigorous matching
Maar Haven will decline referrals that are not a therapeutic fit, even when there is vacancy. Placement stability is impossible without placement integrity.
03
Regulation 44 transparency
The RI’s monthly monitoring reports will be shared with commissioning authorities when requested. Maar Haven does not hide quality data.
04
Proactive communication
Named commissioner contacts at RI and RM level; quarterly strategic meetings for all placing authorities; no surprises policy.
05
Post-placement data
Placement stability, school attendance, wellbeing indicators, and post-placement outcomes tracked and shared without waiting to be asked.
When Things Go Wrong
Transparency under pressure.
Within 24 hours
Direct contact
The placing authority is contacted directly by the RI or RM, before the formal notification, not after.
Within 14 days
Written review
A written lessons-learned review is completed by the RM and reviewed by the RI.
Within 30 days
Training loop
Findings feed into staff training and, where relevant, are shared with the placing authority.
Annually
External audit
An independent reviewer examines safeguarding and quality position; results available to placing authorities on request.
KPI Comparison
Self-set targets against sector context.
Metric
Maar Haven target
Sector context
Review
Occupancy
≥75% by month 6, ≥85% by month 12
Variable, often emergency-driven
Monthly
Agency staff usage
<20% of shifts, target <15%
40-60%
Monthly
Placement breakdown rate
<15%
25-30%
Rolling 6-monthly
Staff turnover
<20% annually
30-40%
Quarterly
Notifiable events late-reported
Zero
Frequently cited in adverse Ofsted findings
Immediate
Ofsted judgement
Good minimum, Outstanding target
~65% Good or Outstanding
Each inspection
Post-placement key worker contact
6-12 months after placement move
Typically zero
Quarterly