--- title: "WMSC Operator" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-05475f" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05475f" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05475f.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05475f.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "BIRMINGHAM CHILDREN'S TRUST COMMUNITY INTEREST COMPANY" published: "2025-06-12" --- # WMSC Operator Buyer: BIRMINGHAM CHILDREN'S TRUST COMMUNITY INTEREST COMPANY Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-05475f [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05475f) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05475f.json) ## Summary The Birmingham Children's Trust Community Interest Company is currently in the planning stage of a procurement process to open a new secure children's home, titled "West Midlands Safe Centre (WMSC)." This endeavour aims to address the national shortage of such facilities, particularly in the West Midlands, Birmingham. The procurement belongs to the "Health and Social Work Services" industry category and is scheduled to conclude market engagement with interested providers by 27th June 2025. The operation of the WMSC is anticipated to commence in early 2028, with potential contractual engagements lasting up to 2032, possibly extending to 2034. This procurement opportunity represents significant business growth potential for organisations in the health and social services sector, especially those with experience in operating secure children's homes. Companies that can offer comprehensive child-focused services, property management, health and safety, and business support services are well-suited to compete. Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), along with Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprises (VCSEs), are encouraged to engage, providing capabilities and capacity insights. As this is in the planning stage of market engagement, participating could influence the procurement strategy and future tender processes. ## Notice 1. Introduction Birmingham Children's Trust are leading on a project to open a new secure children's home on behalf of the West Midlands Region. There is currently a national shortage of secure children's homes, with no provision in the West Midlands. This means the most vulnerable children from the West Midlands are waiting months for a safe placement and often being placed far from their families and communities. Plans have been developed to build a 20 bedded secure children's home for the West Midlands at a site identified in Birmingham that will be known as the West Midlands Safe Centre (WMSC). It will consist of three residential houses, healthcare and educational facilities, with associated car parking, Multi Use Games Area (MUGA), sports building, and hard and soft landscaping. The construction of WMSC is being funded by the Department for Education. Options on the structure of a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) are currently being considered, once agreed an SPV will be established and up to 14 local authorities across the West Midlands will become members. The SPV will then take on the lease of WMSC and commission a provider to be the operator ahead of its opening in 2028. This early market engagement exercise is intended to test the market's capacity, capability, and appetite to deliver such a service, and to inform the development of any future procurement strategy. This is not a call for competition or a pre-qualification exercise. Participation in this engagement will not prejudice any supplier's ability to participate in a future procurement process, nor will it guarantee inclusion. ________________________________________ 2. West Midlands Safe Centre Some secure children's homes also provide youth custody placements which will not be the case here. WMSC will provide 20 secure welfare only beds and is designed to support children with highly complex needs, often arising from severe trauma. It will operate under Section 25 of the Children Act, offering a legally compliant, therapeutic, and trauma-informed environment. NHS England will commission health services. Whilst this is a national resource which all local authorities across the country can access, priority will be given to West Midlands children and partner members. Initial modelling suggests that staff numbers will be in the region of 180 FTEs, including care, education, and support roles. A phased recruitment strategy is required, starting with senior leadership and building up to full staffing by year three to ensure occupancy levels are safely managed to match children's needs. The operator will be responsible for the full operation of the building which includes both child focused requirements and all property, health & safety and business support services. ________________________________________ 3. Objectives of the Engagement This engagement seeks to: * Understand the level of market interest and capability in operating a Secure Children's Home. * Inform a make vs buy analysis as part of the development of the procurement strategy. ________________________________________ 4. How to Participate Interested providers are invited to: * Complete the short questionnaire in Appendix A. * Submit any supporting information or case studies that demonstrate relevant experience. Responses should be submitted by noon on 27th June to StrategicCommissioning@birminghamchildrenstrust.co.uk. ________________________________________ 5. Confidentiality and Compliance All information provided will be treated in confidence and used solely for the purposes of informing our procurement planning. This engagement is conducted in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023 and relevant guidance on preliminary market engagement Appendix A - Questionnaire 1. Company Name 2. Contact Name 3. Contact Email Address 4. Do you have experience of operating a secure children's home with welfare provision? (Yes/No) If "Yes" please provide details of this including: * Location * Contracting authority * Number of beds * Number of staff * Contract type and duration 5. Do you have capability and capacity to operate WMSC? (Yes/No) 6. What are the main risks and challenges you envisage to operating a secure children's home? 7. Do you have any other comments or observations to raise at this stage? ### Planning Information 1. Introduction Birmingham Children's Trust are leading on a project to open a new secure children's home on behalf of the West Midlands Region. There is currently a national shortage of secure children's homes, with no provision in the West Midlands. This means the most vulnerable children from the West Midlands are waiting months for a safe placement and often being placed far from their families and communities. Plans have been developed to build a 20 bedded secure children's home for the West Midlands at a site identified in Birmingham that will be known as the West Midlands Safe Centre (WMSC). It will consist of three residential houses, healthcare and educational facilities, with associated car parking, Multi Use Games Area (MUGA), sports building, and hard and soft landscaping. The construction of WMSC is being funded by the Department for Education. Options on the structure of a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) are currently being considered, once agreed an SPV will be established and up to 14 local authorities across the West Midlands will become members. The SPV will then take on the lease of WMSC and commission a provider to be the operator ahead of its opening in 2028. This early market engagement exercise is intended to test the market's capacity, capability, and appetite to deliver such a service, and to inform the development of any future procurement strategy. This is not a call for competition or a pre-qualification exercise. Participation in this engagement will not prejudice any supplier's ability to participate in a future procurement process, nor will it guarantee inclusion. ________________________________________ 2. West Midlands Safe Centre Some secure children's homes also provide youth custody placements which will not be the case here. WMSC will provide 20 secure welfare only beds and is designed to support children with highly complex needs, often arising from severe trauma. It will operate under Section 25 of the Children Act, offering a legally compliant, therapeutic, and trauma-informed environment. NHS England will commission health services. Whilst this is a national resource which all local authorities across the country can access, priority will be given to West Midlands children and partner members. Initial modelling suggests that staff numbers will be in the region of 180 FTEs, including care, education, and support roles. A phased recruitment strategy is required, starting with senior leadership and building up to full staffing by year three to ensure occupancy levels are safely managed to match children's needs. The operator will be responsible for the full operation of the building which includes both child focused requirements and all property, health & safety and business support services. ________________________________________ 3. Objectives of the Engagement This engagement seeks to: • Understand the level of market interest and capability in operating a Secure Children's Home. • Inform a make vs buy analysis as part of the development of the procurement strategy. ________________________________________ 4. How to Participate Interested providers are invited to: • Complete the short questionnaire in Appendix A. • Submit any supporting information or case studies that demonstrate relevant experience. Responses should be submitted by noon on 27th June to StrategicCommissioning@birminghamchildrenstrust.co.uk. ________________________________________ 5. Confidentiality and Compliance All information provided will be treated in confidence and used solely for the purposes of informing our procurement planning. This engagement is conducted in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023 and relevant guidance on preliminary market engagement Appendix A - Questionnaire 1. Company Name 2. Contact Name 3. Contact Email Address 4. Do you have experience of operating a secure children's home with welfare provision? (Yes/No) If "Yes" please provide details of this including: • Location • Contracting authority • Number of beds • Number of staff • Contract type and duration 5. Do you have capability and capacity to operate WMSC? (Yes/No) 6. What are the main risks and challenges you envisage to operating a secure children's home? 7. Do you have any other comments or observations to raise at this stage? ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/031809-2025 | | 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 | | All stages | Planning | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 12 Jun 2025 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 27 Jun 2025 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 3 Jan 2028 - 2 Jan 2032 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | Not specified | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Planning | | Lots status | Planning | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | BIRMINGHAM CHILDREN'S TRUST COMMUNITY INTEREST COMPANY | | Locality | BIRMINGHAM | | Post town | Birmingham | | Postcode | B6 4DU | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLG West Midlands (England) | | ITL 2 | TLG3 West Midlands | | ITL 3 | TLG31 Birmingham | | Local authority | Birmingham | | Electoral ward | Nechells | | Westminster constituency | Birmingham Ladywood | | Delivery location | TLG West Midlands (England) | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 85 - Health and social work services ### Codes - 85000000 - Health and social work services ## Release History - 12 Jun 2025 at 10:04 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/031809-2025 ## Documents - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/031809-2025 12th June 2025 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender ## Notice URLs - https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents ## Provenance This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05475f. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05475f.json.