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Children Residential Placements Framework

London Borough of Bexley

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

Award

04 Aug 2026 at 11:29

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Award

06 Mar 2026 at 16:14

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Tender

23 Oct 2025 at 14:43

UK4 - Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The London Borough of Bexley established a framework for residential placements for children with disabilities. It covers health and social work services, with placements delivered across England. The requirement is divided into three service areas: residential care for children with disabilities; residential care for children with social, emotional and mental health needs; and residential care for children affected by sexual or criminal exploitation. The framework is managed by the London Borough of Bexley, based in Bexleyheath. It is intended for specialist providers able to accommodate and support children whose needs require residential placement rather than ordinary community-based services. The framework uses a closed arrangement with competition reopened when individual placements or requirements are awarded, allowing approved providers to compete for suitable call-offs.

This procurement has been awarded and contracts have been signed. It used an accelerated, open competitive flexible procedure under the light-touch regime, with electronic submissions allowed in English. The expression-of-interest deadline was 17 November 2025, evaluation was due by 19 January 2026, and awards were made on 25 February 2026 for Lots 2 and 3 and 26 February 2026 for Lot 1. Each lot was evaluated on 40% price and 60% quality, with a minimum weighted selection score of 14. Lot 1, Children with Disabilities, was awarded to Oak Nest Children’s Homes Ltd and The Drive Care Homes Ltd for £14,404,800 net (£17,285,760 gross). Lot 2, Social, Emotional and Mental Health, was awarded to Acorn Homes (UK) Limited, Ethelbert Children’s Services, Little Feet Ltd and Meadows Care Limited for £40,200,000 net (£48,240,000 gross). Lot 3, Sexual and Criminal Exploitation, was awarded to Sanctuary 16 Ltd, Little Feet Ltd and Ethelbert Children’s Services for £15,600,000 net (£18,720,000 gross). Contracts run from 9 March 2026 to 9 March 2030, with a possible two-year extension to 9 March 2032.

This outcome shows sustained demand from Bexley for specialist children’s residential care across three distinct areas of need. Relevant competitors would need an established children’s home or residential placement operation, with the capability to support disability-related needs, social and emotional difficulties, mental health needs, or children vulnerable to sexual or criminal exploitation. Providers should be able to demonstrate safe, suitable accommodation, appropriately trained staff, effective safeguarding and care planning, and the capacity to accept referrals across England. The successful field included both smaller specialist businesses and a larger care provider, indicating that credible organisations can compete at different scales. A future participant would need strong evidence of service quality because quality carried greater weight than price, alongside the financial and operational resilience to deliver placements through a framework with reopened competition.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Children Residential Placements Framework

Notice Description

Provision of Residential Placements for Children with disabilities

Lot Information

Children with Disabilities

Renewal: option to extend for a further 2 years

Social, Emotional and Mental Health

Renewal: option to extend for a further 2 years

Sexual and Criminal Exploitation

Renewal: option to extend for a further 2 years

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05d297
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/073585-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Procurement Type
Framework
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Competitive flexible procedure
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large, SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

85 - Health and social work services

CPV Codes

85000000 - Health and social work services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£70,204,800 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
£70,204,800 £10M-£100M
Awards Value
£70,204,800 £10M-£100M
Contracts Value
£70,204,800 £10M-£100M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
4 Aug 20262 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
25 Feb 20266 months ago
Contract Period
9 Mar 2026 - 9 Mar 2030 4-5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
London Borough of Bexley
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
BEXLEYHEATH
Postcode
DA6 7AT
Postcode Area
Dartford
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI5 Outer London - East and North East
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI51 Bexley and Greenwich
Delivery Location
TLC North East (England), TLD North West (England), TLE Yorkshire and The Humber, TLF East Midlands (England), TLG West Midlands (England), TLH East (England), TLI London, TLJ South East (England), TLK South West (England)
Local Authority
Bexley
Electoral Ward
Bexleyheath
Westminster Constituency
Bexleyheath and Crayford

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
7
Supplier Names

ACORN HOMES (UK) LIMITED

Ethelbert Children's Services

LITTLE FEET LTD

MEADOWS CARE LIMITED

OAK NEST CHILDREN'S HOMES LTD

SANCTUARY 16 LTD

THE DRIVE CARE HOMES LIMITED

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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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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