Award

CP2678-25 Occupational Therapy Services into Atkinson Secure Childrens Home

DEVON COUNTY COUNCIL

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

TenderUpdate

04 Aug 2025 at 11:50

Award

17 Jun 2025 at 14:22

Summary of the contracting process

Devon County Council has awarded a contract for occupational therapy services at Atkinson Secure Children's Home in Exeter, United Kingdom. This contract, valued at £230,100, will span from 1st July 2025 to 31st March 2029, under the Provider Selection Regime (PSR). The contract aims to deliver professional therapy services that cater to the trauma, sensory, and attachment needs of young individuals placed at the home, which accommodates eight residents aged 10 to 17. The procurement process used a direct award procedure, and the services fall under the miscellaneous health services category. The contract award follows an 'Outstanding' Ofsted rating in September 2023, enhancing the home's well-regarded status.

The awarded contract creates substantial business growth opportunities for service providers experienced in healthcare, particularly those specialising in occupational therapy and support for trauma and sensory needs. Businesses that can offer innovative services, integrate well with existing staff, and focus on reducing health inequalities will find this tender beneficial. The procurement aligns with Devon County Council's partnership arrangements with NHS England, highlighting collaborative work and service sustainability as essential criteria. Such opportunities suit companies that can navigate the complexities of mental health and emotional well-being in secure environments and are positioned to positively impact the young residents' health and future prospects. This tender fosters engagement and collaboration for SMEs like Sensory Connections Ltd, serving to improve access to health services and create social value.

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Notice Title

CP2678-25 Occupational Therapy Services into Atkinson Secure Childrens Home

Notice Description

The Service Provider will deliver Occupational Therapy services for children and young people accessing secure accommodation within the Atkinson Secure Children's Home, to support the needs of the young people within Atkinson from a trauma, sensory, and attachment perspective. Where appropriate, the Service Provider will carry out standardized and non-standardized assessments, considering the young person's motor organization, sensory processing, arousal and attachment behaviours. The Service Provider will also be responsible for meeting the needs of the young people at the home who have difficulties with sensory processing, and emotional regulation and supporting staff in further understanding these needs, and developing and using regulating strategies to support these. Atkinson Secure Childrens Home is a purpose-built welfare only secure unit in Exeter which is managed by Devon County Council and provides full residential care, healthcare, and education on site in dedicated facilities. The home is registered for 8 young people who are aged between 10 and 17 years-old and accommodated under section 25 of the Childrens Act 1989. The home has been operating for over 30-years and young people are placed with in Atkinson due to either having a history of absconding or are likely to abscond, likely to suffer significant harm or likely to injure themselves or others. Atkinson secure children's home provides a nurturing and caring atmosphere which develops young people's confidence and self-esteem. All staff are trained in attachment, trauma and restorative approaches enabling the home to effectively manage behaviour and repair relationships. In the most recent Ofsted Inspection in September 2023, Atkinson Secure Childrens Home received a grading of 'Outstanding', prior to which they had maintained a grading of 'Good' for 6-years. Feedback following the inspection noted that "The secure children's home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children's home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care." Devon County Council currently have a section 10/75 agreement with NHS England to commission the health and wellbeing services. The section 10/75 in place in this arrangement constitutes a transition between the previous Section 10 and an intention to align to Section 75 agreements throughout the secure estate. Pursuant to Section 10 of the Childrens Act 2004 and Section 75 of the NHS Act 2006 the Local Authority must make arrangements to promote co-operation between the authority and the authority's relevant partners. These arrangements are to be made with a view to improving the well-being of children in the authority's area relating to their physical and mental health and emotional well-being. For this purpose, NHS England is a relevant partner of the local authority with an area of responsibility which falls within the area of the authority.

Lot Information

Lot 1

The Service Provider will deliver Occupational Therapy services for children and young people accessing secure accommodation within the Atkinson Secure Children's Home, to support the needs of the young people within Atkinson from a trauma, sensory, and attachment perspective. Where appropriate, the Service Provider will carry out standardized and non-standardized assessments, considering the young person's motor organization, sensory processing, arousal and attachment behaviours. The Service Provider will also be responsible for meeting the needs of the young people at the home who have difficulties with sensory processing, and emotional regulation and supporting staff in further understanding these needs, and developing and using regulating strategies to support these. This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) Intention to Award Notice. The Authority intends to award this contract to the existing provider following Direct Award Process C. The lifetime value of the contract is PS230,100. The contract will commence on 1st July 2025 and will expire on 31st March 2029. There is an option to potentially extend the contract for a further 3 periods of 12 months.

Procurement Information

This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) intention to award notice. The awarding of this contract is subject to the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 do not apply to this award. The publication of this notice marks the start of the standstill period. Representations by providers must be made to the relevant authority by 27th June 2025. This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-054e79
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/045629-2025
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Limited
Procurement Method Details
Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

85 - Health and social work services


CPV Codes

85140000 - Miscellaneous health services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£230,100 £100K-£500K

Notice Dates

Publication Date
4 Aug 20256 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
16 Jun 20258 months ago
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Cancelled
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
DEVON COUNTY COUNCIL
Contact Name
Grace Evans
Contact Email
grace.evans@devon.gov.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
EXETER,
Postcode
EX2 4QD
Post Town
Exeter
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLK South West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLK4 Devon
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLK43 Devon CC
Delivery Location
TLK43 Devon CC

Local Authority
Exeter
Electoral Ward
Newtown and St Leonard's
Westminster Constituency
Exeter

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

SENSORY CONNECTIONS

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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