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National Advocacy Information, Advice and Safety Net Service

Department for Education

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

PlanningUpdate

24 Sep 2026 at 09:58

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
PlanningUpdate

23 Sep 2026 at 14:37

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

23 Sep 2026 at 07:16

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Department for Education is planning to re-procure a national advocacy helpline and safety-net service for looked-after children, care leavers, children in need and other eligible children and young people across England. The service is intended to provide clear, child-friendly information about advocacy rights, national multi-channel information and advice, and signposting to local provision. It would provide independent advocacy where local services are unavailable, unreasonably delayed, inaccessible or denied. The provider would also keep information on advocacy provision, help children access local services and report national intelligence on demand, waiting times, access barriers and emerging themes. The Department is exploring a possible opt-out advocacy pilot for children in residential care, but its scope and design remain under development.

This is at the planning stage: the Department has not begun a competitive procurement or committed to buying the service. It is seeking market feedback on the proposed scope, delivery model, digital requirements, commercial approach and the feasibility, affordability and delivery of the residential-care pilot. An initial supplier engagement event is expected on 29 September 2026; registration was expected by 28 September 2026. A questionnaire is planned after the event, with its response timing to be communicated separately. The Department expects a future notice on 26 October 2026. The current estimated value is £540,000 excluding VAT (£648,000 including VAT). The planned contract runs from 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2029, with a possible extension to 31 March 2030. The service is planned as one lot.

This service is likely to suit organisations with experience delivering national or regional advocacy, information or advice, particularly for children in care, care leavers and vulnerable young people. Relevant strengths include independent advocacy in statutory or regulated settings; helplines, digital triage or online advice platforms; and safeguarding or children’s social care. Providers should be prepared to operate and maintain digital, telephony, case-management and reporting systems, and to meet safeguarding, information-governance, cyber-security and data-protection requirements. The Department expects sufficient workforce capacity, skills, training and quality assurance to maintain continuity, monitor performance and support evaluation and improvement. It is also seeking views on workforce and implementation implications, affordability and the practical delivery of a possible opt-out pilot. SMEs and voluntary, community and social enterprises are encouraged to engage; consortia, partnerships and collaborative participation are welcomed.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

National Advocacy Information, Advice and Safety Net Service

Notice Description

The Department for Education is seeking market feedback on the re-procurement of a national Advocacy Helpline and Safety Net Service for looked after children, care leavers, children in need, and other eligible children and young people in England. The service will provide clear, child-friendly information on advocacy rights; a national multi-channel information, advice and signposting service; and a Safety Net advocacy function where local advocacy provision is unavailable, unreasonably delayed, inaccessible or denied. In addition, the Department is exploring the inclusion of a pilot to test an opt-out advocacy model for children living in residential care. Under this model, advocacy would be routinely offered to children unless they choose to decline participation. The Department intends to use this market engagement to gather feedback on the feasibility, affordability and practical delivery considerations associated with incorporating such a pilot within the future contract. The scope, scale and final design of the pilot are therefore subject to further development and market testing. The provider will also be expected to: * maintain accurate information on advocacy provision across England and support children and young people to access appropriate local services; * provide national intelligence to the Department on advocacy demand, access, waiting times, barriers to provision and emerging themes; * maintain appropriate digital, telephony, case management and reporting systems; * comply with safeguarding, information governance, cyber security and data protection requirements; * ensure appropriate workforce capacity, skills, training and quality assurance arrangements; * support performance monitoring, evaluation and continuous improvement; and * ensure continuity of service throughout the contract period. The Department is particularly interested in market views on the delivery model, affordability, workforce implications and implementation requirements associated with integrating an opt-out advocacy pilot within the wider Advocacy Helpline and Safety Net Service.

Planning Information

The Department for Education (DfE) is undertaking preliminary market engagement to gather views on the proposed scope, delivery model, digital requirements and commercial approach for the re-procurement of the National Advocacy Information, Advice and Safety Net Service. Supplier experience and capability To support this engagement, the Department is interested in feedback from suppliers with experience in: • delivering national or regional advocacy, information or advice services; • supporting children in care, care leavers and vulnerable children and young people; • providing independent advocacy in statutory or regulated contexts; • operating helplines, digital triage services or online advice platforms; and • delivering safeguarding, children’s social care or -related services. These capability areas are indicative only and do not constitute formal selection or evaluation criteria. Feedback received through this engagement will help inform the Department's requirements and proposed specification, ensuring that any future service reflects the needs of children and young people, the sector and potential providers. Supplier engagement event The Department will hold an initial supplier engagement event on Tuesday 29th September 2026 10am-11am. The deadline for registering for this event is 12pm on Monday 28th September 2026 via Jaggaer. The event can be accessed through the "View Opportunities" section of the Jaggaer e-Tendering portal. Select the opportunity notice titled "National Advocacy Information, Advice and Safety Net Service - SSQ" to access the registration page. The event is open to all potential suppliers, regardless of any previous engagement with the Department. The session will provide an overview of the proposed National Advocacy Information, Advice and Safety Net Service and outline the subsequent market engagement activities. Market Engagement Questionnaire Following the engagement event, suppliers will be invited to complete a questionnaire. The questionnaire is intended solely to inform the Department's understanding of the market and the development of any future procurement strategy. Participation is voluntary and responses will not be evaluated as part of any future procurement process. The questionnaire will be made available via the Jaggaer e-Tendering portal following the supplier engagement event. Details of any deadlines will be communicated through the Jaggaer messaging system and during the supplier engagement event. All correspondence relating to this market engagement exercise will be issued through Jaggaer. Important notice This notice: • does not signify the commencement of a competitive procurement process; • does not constitute any commitment by the Department for Education to procure services; and • does not create any obligation on the Department. The DfE is keen to maximise opportunities for participation by Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprises (VCSEs). Consortia, partnerships and collaborative bids from all organisation types will be welcomed and considered. Any funding estimates referred to during this market engagement are indicative only and may be subject to change. The Department makes no commitment at this stage regarding the final scope, value or funding envelope of any future procurement activity.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-077808
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/090419-2026
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

85311300 - Welfare services for children and young people

85312300 - Guidance and counselling services

85320000 - Social services

85321000 - Administrative social services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£540,000 £500K-£1M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
24 Sep 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
26 Oct 20263 weeks to go
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
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
Postcode Area
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
TLC North East (England), TLD North West (England), TLE Yorkshire and The Humber, TLF East Midlands (England), TLG West Midlands (England), TLH East (England), TLI London, TLJ South East (England), TLK South West (England)
Local Authority
Westminster
Electoral Ward
St James's
Westminster Constituency
Cities of London and Westminster

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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