Planning

Ask AI about this notice

Summarise, research or assess it with AI

View Markdown

Share this notice

Send this contract to a colleague

Provision of Children's Short Breaks Activities and Support (Aiming High)

Staffordshire County Council

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

23 Jul 2026 at 06:57

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Staffordshire County Council is exploring the future recommissioning of children’s short breaks activities and support, known as the Aiming High SEND Short Breaks Service. The service would provide inclusive, safe and outcome-focused activities for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities aged 0 to 25, and support their families. Provision is expected to include indoor, outdoor and community-based activities during term-time non-school hours and school holidays, supporting independence, friendships, participation, life skills and family resilience. It may cover both general targeted support for lower to moderate needs and enhanced targeted provision for higher or more complex needs. Delivery would take place across Staffordshire, including rural and underserved areas. The service category is disabled children’s and young people’s day care services (CPV 85312120).

This procurement is at the preliminary market engagement and planning stage; it is not an invitation to tender. The Council is consulting providers to understand market capacity, capability, innovation and possible delivery models before deciding the service design, contract structure or procurement approach. Providers are asked to review the existing specification, submit questions and complete a consultation survey, with responses requested by 24 August 2026. The future service is currently expected to start on 1 April 2027 and run until 31 March 2029, with a possible extension to 31 March 2030. The indicative estimated value is £900,000 excluding VAT and £1,080,000 including VAT. One planned lot is identified, with an expected light-touch services regime and renewal option; the Council has indicated that SMEs and voluntary, community and social enterprises may be suitable.

This engagement is likely to suit organisations delivering inclusive activities and short breaks for children and young people with SEND, particularly providers able to support complex disabilities and higher levels of need. Relevant capability may include enhanced supervision, higher staffing ratios, specialist skills, behavioural support, adapted environments and personalised participation arrangements. The Council is also seeking organisations able to work in rural and underserved communities, respond to local demand and demonstrate positive outcomes for children, young people and families. Potential participants include direct activity providers, specialist or enhanced services, lead organisations coordinating provider networks, partnership models and organisations offering innovative approaches that improve access, quality and value for money. Providers should be prepared to operate consistently with relevant safeguarding, equality, care, SEND and children’s legislation, statutory guidance and Staffordshire policies.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Provision of Children's Short Breaks Activities and Support (Aiming High)

Notice Description

Staffordshire County Council is undertaking Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) to inform the future recommissioning of its Provision of Children's Short Breaks Activities and Support (known internally as Aiming High SEND Short Breaks Service), currently expected to commence from April 2027. The Council wishes to engage with current and potential providers to better understand market capacity, capability, innovation, and potential delivery models for providing high-quality short breaks and support opportunities for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and their families across Staffordshire. The Aiming High programme forms part of Staffordshire's wider short breaks offer and aims to: * improve outcomes for children and young people with SEND; * promote independence, inclusion and preparation for adulthood; * enable children and young people to participate in positive activities within their communities; * support family resilience and help parents and carers continue in their caring role; * provide opportunities for social development, friendships and community participation; and * deliver timely support that helps prevent the escalation of need wherever appropriate. The Council is seeking feedback from organisations capable of delivering inclusive, high-quality, outcome-focused services and activities for children and young people with SEND aged 0-25 years. Providers should have a thorough understanding of, and be able to operate in accordance with, relevant legislation, statutory guidance and local policies, including: * Children Act 1989; * Children and Families Act 2014; * Care Act 2014; * SEND Code of Practice 2015; * Breaks for Carers of Disabled Children Regulations 2011; * Equality Act 2010; * Mental Capacity Act 2005; * Human Rights Act 1998; * Working Together to Safeguard Children; * Keeping Children Safe in Education (where applicable); * Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 (or any successor legislation); and * Staffordshire's SEND and Alternative Provision Strategy 2026-2029 * Staffordshire's SEND Local Offer. The future service is expected to include a range of accessible and inclusive short break opportunities that are: * meaningful, safe and enjoyable; * appropriate for different ages, abilities and levels of need; * delivered during term time (non-school hours) and school holidays; * available through a variety of indoor, outdoor and community-based activities; * responsive to local demand; * designed to support independence, confidence and life skills; and * capable of delivering positive outcomes for children, young people and their families. The Council is particularly interested in understanding market capacity to support children and young people with more complex disabilities and higher levels of need, including those who may require: * enhanced supervision and support; * higher staffing ratios; * specialist skills, training or behavioural support approaches; * adapted environments or activities; and * more personalised delivery arrangements. As part of this engagement, the Council is exploring whether future arrangements could include: * A General Targeted Offer Community-based short break opportunities for children and young people with lower to moderate support needs. * An Enhanced Targeted Offer A more specialist strand of provision for children and young people with higher levels of need who may require additional support, specialist expertise, enhanced staffing levels or tailored approaches to participation. The Council is also interested in receiving feedback on potential coordinated delivery models. This may include arrangements where a lead organisation supports the planning, organisation and coordination of a network of providers and may undertake activities such as: * managing bookings and allocations; * coordinating delivery across multiple providers; * supporting equitable access across Staffordshire; * monitoring quality, outcomes and performance; * supporting communication and engagement with families; and * helping to identify and address gaps in provision. Accordingly, the Council would particularly welcome engagement from organisations that may be interested in: * delivering short break activities directly; * delivering specialist or enhanced provision for children and young people with higher levels of need; * acting as a lead/coordinating provider; * participating in a provider network or partnership model; or * providing innovative solutions that improve access, quality, outcomes and value for money. The Council is especially keen to hear from providers able to deliver services in rural and underserved areas of Staffordshire and those with experience of supporting children and young people with complex SEND. This Preliminary Market Engagement exercise is intended solely to inform future commissioning arrangements. No final decisions have been made regarding service design, delivery model, contract structure or procurement approach.

Planning Information

Staffordshire County Council wishes to hear from you in connection with our PME for the Provision of Children's Short Breaks Activities and Support. • Providers will be able to access a document with the existing specification or service provision and a link to a MS Forms Survey. These documents will be available via our e-tendering portal Proactis. • Please ensure that you are registered on Proactis: https://supplierlive.proactisp2p.com/Account/Login • You can view the opportunity by searching for "Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) for Provision of Children's Short Breaks Activities and Support". The information will then be found in the "request documents" section. • Once you have digested the contents of the existing specification or service provision then you can ask any immediate questions via the dialogue part of Proactis. • A summarised Q&A log for all questions and their responses will be uploaded to Proactis for reference and clarity of approach. This log will be version controlled, and a refreshed version will be provided at appropriate points during the consultation process. • Following the questions and responses, you are requested to complete the MS Forms Survey, which will relate to our PME consultation. • The Council intends to respond to all questions and a summarised version of all responses received through the MS Forms Survey will be made available as part of any future tender documents.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06d154
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/069392-2026
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

85312120 - Daycare services for handicapped children and young people

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£900,000 £500K-£1M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
23 Jul 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Apr 2027 - 31 Mar 2029 2-3 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
Staffordshire 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
STAFFORD
Postcode
ST16 2DH
Postcode Area
Stoke-on-Trent
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLG West Midlands (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLG2 Shropshire and Staffordshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLG24 Staffordshire CC
Delivery Location
TLG24 Staffordshire CC
Local Authority
Stafford
Electoral Ward
Forebridge
Westminster Constituency
Stafford

Further Information

Notice Documents

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.

Loading OCDS record...