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Short Breaks Services Framework

Worcestershire County Council

This public procurement record has 6 releases in its history.

Award

31 Jul 2026 at 10:34

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Tender

12 May 2026 at 11:27

UK4 - Tender Notice
PlanningUpdate

12 Feb 2026 at 10:50

UK1 - Pipeline Notice
PlanningUpdate

04 Feb 2026 at 14:33

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

26 Jan 2026 at 14:21

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

27 Nov 2025 at 14:01

UK1 - Pipeline Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Worcestershire County Council procured a Short Breaks Services Framework for children and young people with disabilities and/or complex needs. The services are intended to improve access to suitable short breaks, support children’s welfare and safeguarding, and improve their individual outcomes. The four service areas are overnight fostering short breaks, overnight residential short breaks, domiciliary care, and short breaks support workers. Delivery is in Worcestershire. This is health and social care work, including social work and welfare services for children and young people, with both accommodation-based and non-residential support. The framework is designed to create an approved supplier list from which the Council can award call-off contracts, with suppliers potentially appointed across the different service areas.

The procurement has reached award stage under an open procedure. Lot 1, Overnight Fostering Short Breaks, was awarded on 31 July 2026 to Barnardo’s and Progress Children’s Services Limited for £2,000,000 net (£2,200,000 gross), from 1 November 2026 to 31 October 2034. Lot 2, Overnight Residential Short Breaks, was awarded on the same date to Progress Children’s Services Limited for £2,000,000 net (£2,200,000 gross), from 1 November 2026 to 31 October 2030. Lots 3 and 4, covering domiciliary care and short breaks support workers, have an active framework award. The tender used one assessment stage, evaluating the Procurement Specific Questionnaire and a Quality Questionnaire including social value. Lot 1 received two final bids and Lot 2 received one.

This procurement shows established demand from Worcestershire County Council for specialist short-break provision across fostering, residential care, domiciliary care and support-worker services. Suppliers suited to comparable work will need qualified and experienced teams able to support disabled children and young people with complex needs, deliver safe and reliable care, and demonstrate positive outcomes. Relevant operational strength includes overnight accommodation or fostering provision, community-based domiciliary care, or appropriately supervised support workers, depending on the service area. Credibility also depends on meeting the Council’s procurement-specific requirements, explaining service quality clearly, and demonstrating effective safeguarding, welfare promotion and outcome-focused practice. The opportunity was identified as suitable for SMEs and voluntary, community and social enterprises, so smaller specialist providers may be well placed to compete.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Short Breaks Services Framework

Notice Description

Worcestershire County Council is seeking qualified and experienced suppliers to deliver services that support the Council to fulfil its Sufficiency Duty in relation to short breaks for Children with Disabilities and to improve the overall outcomes for these children. The framework agreement will assist the Council to improve the availability of suitable short breaks at the right time and right location, delivering the right support, ensuring that the Council's Children in Care: * Receive the best care possible to meet their needs. * Are effectively supported to improve their individual outcomes. * Have their welfare promoted and are effectively safeguarded. The open framework is divided into four (4) Lots: * Lot 1 - Overnight Fostering Short Breaks * Lot 2 - Overnight Residential Short Breaks * Lot 3 - Domiciliary Care * Lot 4 - Short Breaks Support Workers The Council is seeking to put in place an open framework to establish the initial framework and appoint one or more Suppliers to deliver services. This Procurement is intended to set up a list of approved Suppliers. There is no limit to the number of Suppliers who can join the framework. Call-off Award Procedures will then be conducted, and Call-off contracts will then be awarded. The initial open framework will be for Lot 1 - Overnight Fostering Short Breaks and Lot 2 - Overnight Residential Short Breaks only, with new open framework start date of 1st November 2026. Lot 3 - Domiciliary Care and Lot 4 - Short Breaks Support Workers 4 will continue on the existing Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) until 28th February 2027. The framework for Lot 3 - Domiciliary Care and Lot 4 - Short Breaks Support Workers will open in the autumn, with an open framework start date of 1st March 2027. Lot 1- Overnight Fostering Short Breaks and Lot 2 - Overnight Residential Short Breaks will also reopen at this time. All Lots will then reopen at least annually in the autumn.

Lot Information

Lot 1 - Overnight Fostering Short Breaks Lot 2 - Overnight Residential Short Breaks Lot 3 - Domiciliary Care Lot 4 - Short Breaks Support Workers

Planning Information

Worcestershire County Council is issuing this Preliminary Market Engagement notice to notify the market of an upcoming procurement opportunity for Short Breaks Services for children and young people with disabilities and / or complex needs. Our primary objective is to engage with experienced suppliers, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), and Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprises (VCSEs) to inform the design of the new framework and service specifications. The initial market engagement event will be held virtually by Microsoft Teams by invite only on 4th February 2026 (13.30 - 14.30). If you are interested in attending please email chscommissioning@worcestershire.gov.uk marked for the attention of Gail Blake including your organisation name and the name of attendees with relevant email address(es) for the invite. 04.02.2026 Update: A copy of the slide deck shared at the market engagement event held on 4th February 2026 has been uploaded to the council's e-tendering portal : https://www.in-tendhost.co.uk/worcestershire/aspx/ProjectManage/5731

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05ea2e
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/072566-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Planning, Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Dynamic, Framework
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Large, SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

85 - Health and social work services

98 - Other community, social and personal services

CPV Codes

85000000 - Health and social work services

85300000 - Social work and related services

85311000 - Social work services with accommodation

85311300 - Welfare services for children and young people

85312000 - Social work services without accommodation

85312200 - Homedelivery of provisions

85312400 - Welfare services not delivered through residential institutions

98000000 - Other community, social and personal services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£14,520,000 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
£14,520,000 £10M-£100M
Awards Value
£2,000,000 £1M-£10M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
31 Jul 20262 months ago
Submission Deadline
19 Jun 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
1 Apr 2026Expired
Award Date
31 Jul 20262 months ago
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
2026-09-01

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Active, Pending
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Worcestershire County Council
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
WORCESTER
Postcode
WR5 2NP
Postcode Area
Worcester
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLG West Midlands (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLG1 Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLG12 Worcestershire CC
Delivery Location
TLG12 Worcestershire CC
Local Authority
Worcester
Electoral Ward
Nunnery
Westminster Constituency
Worcester

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
2
Supplier Names

Barnardo's

Progress Children's Services 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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