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Staying Close

Essex County Council

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

Award

22 Sep 2026 at 09:22

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Award

22 Sep 2026 at 09:15

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Award

23 Jul 2026 at 15:38

UK5 - Transparency Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Essex County Council commissioned the Staying Close programme: a specialist intensive coaching and practical support service for children in care and care leavers, primarily aged 16 to 25, across Essex. It is designed for young people with complex needs, placement instability and heightened risks. The provider delivers relationship-based, trauma-informed, personalised and strengths-based interventions, working with young people, families, carers, social workers, placement providers and other agencies. Support covers emotional wellbeing, safety, resilience, family and social relationships, education, employment, training and transitions into adulthood. The service also helps reduce placement breakdowns, support safe step-down from higher-cost care, enable returns home where appropriate and promote sustainable independence. The work is classified as welfare services for children and young people and is a service contract suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community or social enterprises.

This procurement has been awarded and the contract is active. Essex County Council used a direct award below the applicable threshold, without competition, under the light-touch regime. The award was made to The Children’s Society (Services) Limited on 1 July 2026 for £445,493 gross, including one completed lot. The contract was signed on 21 August 2026 and runs from 21 August 2026 to 30 June 2027. The award record gives a service period from 22 September 2026 to 30 June 2027. Delivery requires flexible provision across Essex, including evenings, weekends and out-of-hours arrangements. Evaluation was not conducted through a competitive tender; the published outcome records the selected supplier and the single-lot award. The requirement is for up to 25 hours of support per week over a period of up to 18 months, with robust safeguarding, performance monitoring and outcome measurement.

For a future requirement of this kind, credible suppliers would need established expertise in intensive support for looked-after children and care leavers, particularly young people with complex needs, placement instability and heightened risk. Relevant capability includes trauma-informed, relationship-based coaching; personalised strengths-based practice; safeguarding; risk reduction; emotional wellbeing; family and social relationship work; and support with education, employment, training and transitions to adulthood. Providers would also need to recruit, manage and supervise skilled coaches, offer flexible delivery across Essex outside standard working hours, and work effectively with social workers, carers, placement providers, families and other agencies. Experience of preventing placement breakdown, supporting step-down from intensive care and measuring outcomes would be important. The procurement also indicates a role for organisations able to combine specialist social care delivery with strong partnership management and cost-effective support that promotes independence and resilience.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Staying Close

Notice Description

Essex County Council is procuring a specialist intensive coaching service to deliver the Staying Close programme for children in care and care leavers, primarily aged 16-25, who present with complex needs, placement instability and heightened risks. The service will provide relationship-based, trauma-informed coaching and practical support to vulnerable young people for up to 25 hours per week over a period of up to 18 months. The programme is designed to improve stability, safety, resilience and life outcomes by working closely with young people, their families, carers, social workers, placement providers and other relevant agencies. The appointed provider will recruit, manage and supervise skilled coaches who will deliver personalised, strengths-based interventions focused on reducing risk, improving emotional wellbeing, strengthening family and social relationships, supporting engagement in education, employment and training, and enabling successful transitions into adulthood. The service will also support young people to step down safely from higher-cost or higher-intensity care placements, return home where appropriate, or achieve greater stability within their existing placement arrangements. The provider will operate across Essex, delivering flexible support including evenings, weekends and out-of-hours arrangements, whilst maintaining strong multi-agency partnerships and robust safeguarding, performance monitoring and outcome measurement processes. The overall aim of the service is to achieve improved outcomes for vulnerable young people, reduce placement breakdowns, promote sustainable independence and resilience, and deliver a cost-effective alternative to more intensive care settings.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06d25a
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/089419-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Below threshold - without competition
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

85 - Health and social work services

CPV Codes

85311300 - Welfare services for children and young people

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£445,493 £100K-£500K
Contracts Value
£445,493 £100K-£500K

Notice Dates

Publication Date
22 Sep 20262 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
1 Jul 20263 months ago
Contract Period
21 Aug 2026 - 30 Jun 2027 6-12 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Essex 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
CHELMSFORD
Postcode
CM1 1QH
Postcode Area
Chelmsford
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLH East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLH3 Essex
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLH36 Heart of Essex
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Chelmsford
Electoral Ward
Moulsham and Central
Westminster Constituency
Chelmsford

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

THE CHILDREN'S SOCIETY (SERVICES) LIMITED

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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