Planning

Supporting Stability and Sufficiency of children in care placements

DERBYSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Planning

10 Feb 2026 at 14:27

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

12 Jan 2026 at 16:04

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Derbyshire County Council is initiating a procurement process focused on "Supporting Stability and Sufficiency of Children in Care Placements." The procurement, classified under Health and Social Work Services, is currently at the planning stage with an emphasis on market engagement. A provider engagement event is scheduled for 16th March 2026 at Lea Green, Matlock, targeted at OFSTED registered providers within Derbyshire and neighbouring areas. Interested providers must RSVP by 9th March 2026. The procurement process aims to address the needs of over 1,000 children in care within Derbyshire, with the procurement contract slated to commence on 1st February 2027 and conclude on 31st January 2032.

This tender presents a significant opportunity for OFSTED registered providers of foster care, residential care, and supported accommodation to engage with Derbyshire County Council. It provides a platform for businesses focused on delivering high-quality, stable, and local placements. Moreover, the council seeks to foster partnerships that contribute to a child-centred placement market, offering quality and choice, and ensuring statutory duties are met effectively. With a focus on small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community, and social enterprises (VCSEs), the procurement invites innovative solutions that can enhance service delivery for the county's children in care, driving business growth in the region's social care sector.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Supporting Stability and Sufficiency of children in care placements

Notice Description

Market engagement event Derbyshire County Council has over 1000 children in care. Approximately 50% of these children in care are in placements sourced through external providers, within residential, fostering and supported accommodation. This is an opportunity for OFSTED registered providers to support in the delivery of Good and Outstanding quality, stable and local placements to the Council's Children in Care. The Council is committed to driving a dynamic, outcomes focused, child-centred placement market, which offers good value, quality and choice. The Council also aim to ensure that the right placement is found the first time, on time, every time and to deliver statutory duties. The Council is wanting to develop partnerships that will help the Council's Commissioners and Providers to address areas of sufficiency and establish a clear and strategic sense of direction for future provision within Derbyshire. The Council would welcome responses from foster care providers, residential providers, and supported accommodation providers to work with the Council to find creative solutions for Derbyshire's Children in Care.

Planning Information

Provider Engagement event The event will be held on Monday 16th March 2026 10am -12.30pm (commencing at 10.30am). The event will be held at Lea Green, Main Road, Lea, Matlock, Derbyshire, DE4 5GJ The event is about Supporting Stability and Sufficiency of children in care placements. The event is only for providers who are OFSTED registered for Children within Derbyshire (and neighbouring areas). In order to be eligible to attend the event, OFSTED registrations must either be complete now and the service in place, or for the OFSTED registration to be completed by the tender return date (estimated November 2026) at the latest (as providers without this will not be eligible to apply for the contract). Please RSVP by 9th March 2026 to ellena.outram@derbyshire.gov.uk

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-0603fc
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/011954-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

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
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
10 Feb 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
16 Mar 20261 day to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Feb 2027 - 31 Jan 2032 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Planning
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
DERBYSHIRE 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
MATLOCK
Postcode
DE4 3AG
Post Town
Derby
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLF East Midlands (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLF1 Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLF13 South and West Derbyshire
Delivery Location
TLF East Midlands (England)
Local Authority
Derbyshire Dales
Electoral Ward
Matlock West
Westminster Constituency
Derbyshire Dales

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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