Tender

Fitness to Practise Partner Training Programme

SOCIAL WORK ENGLAND

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

Tender

03 Dec 2025 at 12:43

Planning

30 Sep 2025 at 13:44

Planning

18 Aug 2025 at 12:10

Summary of the contracting process

Social Work England is conducting an active procurement process to establish a Fitness to Practise Partner Training Programme. The procurement is in the tender stage, emphasising the need for an experienced training provider to design and deliver education for adjudicators, legal advisers, and case examiners involved in Fitness to Practise decision-making. Located in Sheffield, this central government public authority seeks to ensure consistency and quality through comprehensive training that covers statutory frameworks, bias management, and decision drafting. Interested parties must submit their proposals by 19 December 2025, with the award period concluding on 21 January 2026. The contract, starting on March 16, 2026, offers a three-year term with the possibility of extension for two additional years.

This tender presents significant business growth opportunities, particularly for training providers with expertise in legal advisory and health and social care regulation. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) experienced in regulatory environments and capable of delivering training remotely or in hybrid formats would be well-suited for this contract. The programme's focus on interactive learning and collaboration with Social Work England's teams suggests that businesses with a strong digital delivery platform and commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusivity in training will be competitive applicants. The open procedure procurement method allows businesses to showcase innovative e-learning solutions, making it a strategic opportunity to expand service offerings within the public sector.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Fitness to Practise Partner Training Programme

Notice Description

Social Work England intends to procure a suitably qualified and experienced training provider to design, deliver and continuously improve a comprehensive training programme for Adjudicators, Legal Advisers (Partners) and Case Examiners involved in Fitness to Practise (FtP) decision-making. The programme will support newly appointed decision-makers through mandatory induction training and provide ongoing annual refresher training for existing cohorts, ensuring consistency, legal soundness and quality across all FtP decisions. The appointed provider will be required to develop, implement and deliver training covering the statutory and regulatory framework applicable to Social Work England's adjudication and case examination functions. This includes but is not limited to: the Fitness to Practise Rules 2019 (as amended), the Social Workers Regulations 2018 (as amended), relevant regulatory case law, approaches to impairment, preliminary issues, procedural fairness, managing unrepresented registrants, avoiding bias, the realistic prospect test, and drafting clear and reasoned decisions. The training must incorporate interactive and practice-based learning, with anonymised examples where appropriate. Training for FtP Partners will be delivered remotely. Training for Case Examiners will be delivered through a blend of remote, hybrid or in-person sessions, including an initial two-day programme. The contract includes the development of webinars, e-learning modules, virtual workshops, peer-led learning forums and reflective practice groups to broaden access through Social Work England's digital learning platform. All training must incorporate principles of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, including relevant legal duties, unconscious bias mitigation and cultural competence. The provider will collaborate closely with Social Work England's Fitness to Practise, Legal and ED&I teams in planning, reviewing and refining the training offer. They will also be responsible for supplying training materials, pre-reading, recordings and an annual programme of delivery. Ongoing evaluation and quarterly performance reporting will be required, alongside participation in continuous improvement activity informed by appeals, Professional Standards Authority learning and internal quality assurance. The initial contract term will be three years, with the option to extend for a further two years.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Options: The contract may include optional additional services proposed by the supplier, which the authority may take up at its discretion if deemed to meet organisational needs. These optional services are not guaranteed and will be subject to agreement following award.

Renewal: The authority may, at its sole discretion, exercise extension options of up to an additional two years (in one or more increments), contingent upon ongoing requirements and acceptable contractor performance.

Planning Information

Social Work England is seeking to engage with the market in preparation for a potential future procurement. As part of this early engagement, we invite interested organisations to complete the Market Engagement Questionnaire which is available on the Social Work England website here: https://www.socialworkengland.org.uk/media/xpbj1ld3/swe10553-expression-of-interest-questionnaire.docx Please return the completed questionnaire by 17:30 on 14 October 2025 by email to tenders@socialworkengland.org.uk This is not a call for competition or part of a formal procurement process, but a means of gathering information to help inform our approach.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-0589bd
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/079334-2025
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Planning, Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK4 - Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

80 - Education and training services


CPV Codes

79140000 - Legal advisory and information services

80500000 - Training services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£354,167 £100K-£500K
Lots Value
£354,167 £100K-£500K
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
3 Dec 2025Yesterday
Submission Deadline
19 Dec 20252 weeks to go
Future Notice Date
7 Nov 2025Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
16 Mar 2026 - 15 Mar 2029 3-4 years
Recurrence
2030-11-01

Notice Status

Tender Status
Active
Lots Status
Active
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
SOCIAL WORK ENGLAND
Contact Name
Andrew Bailey
Contact Email
commercial.team@socialworkengland.org.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
SHEFFIELD
Postcode
S3 8JY
Post Town
Sheffield
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLE Yorkshire and The Humber
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLE3 South Yorkshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLE32 Sheffield
Delivery Location
TLE32 Sheffield

Local Authority
Sheffield
Electoral Ward
City
Westminster Constituency
Sheffield Central

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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