Planning

Staffing For Unregistered Places

CORNWALL COUNCIL

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

04 Jun 2025 at 11:28

UK1 - Pipeline Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Cornwall Council is in the planning stage of a procurement process titled "Staffing For Unregistered Places," aimed at addressing the statutory responsibility to provide personalised accommodations for children in care within and beyond Cornwall. This procurement falls within the "Other community, social and personal services" industry category, with services required across the UKK3 region of the United Kingdom. A formal tender is planned, with the contract expected to commence on 1st October 2025 and conclude on 30th September 2026. Interested parties should note a future notice date set for 1st August 2025. The procurement process seeks to establish a formal tendering system, moving away from the current spot placement method and aiming for a contract value of £6,000,000 GBP.

This tender presents clear opportunities for businesses specialising in service provision for children with complex needs and behavioural challenges, particularly those capable of offering tailored residential placements in unregistered settings. Companies with expertise in education, training, or social care sectors are likely well-suited to compete, as the nature of the services involves handling emergency situations and ensuring the immediate safety of vulnerable children. By participating in this procurement, businesses can expand their portfolio within the public sector and contribute to the care and wellbeing of children under the jurisdiction of a reputable public authority dedicated to community welfare.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Staffing For Unregistered Places

Notice Description

Cornwall Council has statutory responsibilities to provide children in Care with somewhere appropriate to live, whether this is on a voluntary basis or via a court order as per The Children Act 1989. This includes ensuring sufficiency to meet the individual needs of children through a range of residential placements. The aim for residential placements is to narrow the gap between the general outcomes for children and the outcomes for Children in Care. These responsibilities are fulfilled through individual tailored placements both in house and with a wide range of providers within and outside of Cornwall. An "unregistered" placement refers to a setting that meets the legal definition of a children's home under the Care Standards Act 2000 but has not been registered with Ofsted. Unregistered placements for children typically arise due to a shortage of suitable, regulated care options for vulnerable children, especially those with complex needs. There is a diminishing number of registered children's homes willing or able to accommodate children with high or complex needs. This includes children with behavioural challenges, mental health issues, or those requiring secure accommodation. Local authorities may need to resort to unregistered placements in emergency situations, such as: * Sudden placement breakdowns * Family crises * Immediate safeguarding concerns In these cases, there may be no time to secure a registered placement, and authorities prioritise the child's immediate safety . Some children are placed under Deprivation of Liberty (DoL) orders, meaning they require constant supervision or restrictions for their safety. There are very few regulated settings equipped to handle such cases, leading to the use of unregistered homes. Whilst Cornwall Council operates a Dynamic Purchase System (DPS) for children and young people placements (Fostering, Residential and SEND) we do not currently have a DPS for staffing unregistered placements. Therefore, every placement is currently via spot placement and Cornwall Council are looking to potentially,formally tender this opportunity.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-052c4f
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/029843-2025
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK1 - Pipeline Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

80 - Education and training services

98 - Other community, social and personal services

CPV Codes

80000000 - Education and training services

98000000 - Other community, social and personal services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£6,000,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
4 Jun 20258 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
1 Aug 2025Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Oct 2025 - 30 Sep 2026 6-12 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planned
Lots Status
Planned
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
CORNWALL COUNCIL
Contact Name
Mrs Christine Stone
Contact Email
christine.stone@cornwall.gov.uk
Contact Phone
+441872326050

Buyer Location

Locality
TRURO
Postcode
TR1 3AY
Post Town
Truro
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLK South West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLK3 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLK30 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly
Delivery Location
TLK3 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly
Local Authority
Cornwall
Electoral Ward
Truro Boscawen & Redannick
Westminster Constituency
Truro and Falmouth

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts. 

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