UK4 Tender Notice- Assessment of Needs Tool and Digital Platform for Children at Risk of Deprivation of Liberty

DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION

This public procurement record has 5 releases in its history.

TenderUpdate

29 Jun 2026 at 13:22

TenderUpdate

09 Jun 2026 at 09:28

TenderUpdate

09 Jun 2026 at 09:24

Tender

08 Jun 2026 at 15:01

Planning

02 Mar 2026 at 13:16

Summary of the contracting process

The Department for Education (DfE) is currently in the tender stage of procuring an Assessment of Needs Tool and Digital Platform aimed at supporting children at risk of deprivation of liberty. This initiative falls under the services category, with a focus on information technology and social services across the United Kingdom. The open procedure procurement method has been employed, allowing for broad participation. Key dates include the submission deadline of 3rd July 2026 and a contract commencement on 1st September 2026, running through to 31st March 2029, with an optional one-year extension. The procurement is valued at up to £1,680,000 (gross) and aims to support various partners including social care, health, youth justice, and educational sectors.

This tender presents significant opportunities for business growth, especially for Small to Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprises (VCSEs), as well as for consortia and collaborative bids. Businesses with expertise in IT services, data analysis, digital platform development, and social services are particularly well-suited to compete. The project's ambition to provide a unified system for early intervention and organisational learning across disparate care sectors makes it ideal for companies seeking to leverage their experience in delivering integrated, large-scale solutions. Participating in this procurement can facilitate not only the growth of the companies involved but also foster innovation and improved service delivery for children and young people in complex situations.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Title

UK4 Tender Notice- Assessment of Needs Tool and Digital Platform for Children at Risk of Deprivation of Liberty

Notice Description

Department for Education (DfE) invites tenders for the procurement of an Assessment of Needs Tool and integrated digital platform. DfE is funding a number of Regional Care Cooperatives (RCCs) to test an integrated systems intervention model. The model brings together children's social care, health, youth justice, education and other relevant partners to provide earlier, coordinated and evidence based responses for children at risk of or subject to deprivation of liberty. At the core of the model is a validated assessment of need tool that provides a holistic picture of each child's needs, risks, strengths and required support. The tool will provide a whole-child picture and inform multidisciplinary planning through the Home Again service and support proactive, timely intervention. To ensure consistency, interoperability and effective multi agency working, the tool must be supported by a secure, integrated digital platform. The platform will enable professionals to complete assessments, share information appropriately, run local reports on activity and outcomes, and generate anonymised aggregate data for national analysis. Together, the tool and platform will strengthen systemwide understanding of this cohort, support better commissioning and planning decisions, and provide insights to inform practice models that keep children and young people (CYP) safe without unnecessary deprivation of liberty. In addition to improving practice in the areas, this programme is intended to generate learning about the conditions required for effective implementation of a validated assessment of need tool across different local systems. This includes learning about organisational, cultural, technical and commercial factors that support or constrain adoption, usability, sustainability and impact across children's social care, health and youth justice settings. DfE is keen to maximise opportunities to participate in procurement for Small to Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprises (VCSEs). Consideration will also be given to consortia and collaborative bids from all forms of organisations.

Planning Information

Market Engagement event will take place Tuesday 17 March at 10:00. To register interest please send an email by close of business on Monday 16 March at 5pm to - HelpingHands.PILOT@education.gov.uk - and we will provide meeting details. Market Engagement Activities DfE plans to hold virtual briefings, one‑to‑one discussions, and may issue a request for information. Suppliers will be invited to share capabilities, innovations, risks, and delivery considerations. Participation will not give any advantage in future procurement. The Department for Education (DfE) is seeking early market engagement to inform a potential procurement for a Needs Assessment Tool and integrated e‑platform. This work aims to support children and young people (CYP) aged 8–18 with multiple and complex needs who are at risk of, or subject to, Deprivation of Liberty Orders (DoLO). Background Increasing numbers of CYP with complex needs require multi‑agency support across social care, health, and youth justice. Current processes are fragmented, resulting in inconsistent assessment practices, delayed interventions, and rising use of unregistered or high‑cost placements. A unified, evidence‑based assessment tool is needed to improve early identification, planning, and outcomes. Purpose of the Project The proposed project will design, develop, and implement: - A validated, holistic assessment tool capturing needs, risks, and strengths. - A secure, interoperable e‑platform with analytical capabilities. - A training and implementation model for use across five pilot areas. - Aggregate data and insights to support strategic planning and commissioning. What DfE Is Seeking from the Market DfE seeks supplier expertise in: - Assessment tool design (including modular and rapid‑assessment formats). - Digital platform development, interoperability, security, and predictive analytics. - Training delivery, engagement, and large‑scale implementation. - Data governance, UK GDPR compliance, and DPIA processes. - Aggregate data analysis, profiling, and reporting. Indicative Timescales The potential project will run for up to 30 months, covering development, rollout, assessment delivery, data analysis, and final reporting.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-065f95
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/060801-2026
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, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

85 - Health and social work services


CPV Codes

72212100 - Industry specific software development services

72222300 - Information technology services

72316000 - Data analysis services

72330000 - Content or data standardization and classification services

85320000 - Social services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£1,400,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
£1,400,000 £1M-£10M
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
29 Jun 20262 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
3 Jul 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
16 Mar 2026Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
31 Aug 2026 - 31 Mar 2029 2-3 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
SW1P 3BT
Post Town
South West London
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI3 Inner London - West
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI35 Westminster and City of London
Delivery Location
Not specified

Local Authority
Westminster
Electoral Ward
St James's
Westminster Constituency
Cities of London and Westminster

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

JSON Markdown

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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