--- title: "Integrated Short Breaks Service" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-067a59" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-067a59" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-067a59.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-067a59.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "BUCKINGHAMSHIRE COUNCIL" published: "2026-04-01" --- # Integrated Short Breaks Service Buyer: BUCKINGHAMSHIRE COUNCIL Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-067a59 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-067a59) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-067a59.json) ## Summary Buckinghamshire Council is currently in the planning stage for a procurement project titled "Integrated Short Breaks Service," primarily associated with the social work services industry. The procurement aims to support children and young people with disabilities and their families within the United Kingdom, specifically in the region UKJ13. This service is a statutory requirement under the Children and Young Persons Act 2008, aimed at providing community, centre, and home-based short breaks. The procurement process will utilise a competitive flexible procedure under the Light Touch Regime, with an estimated tender notice publication expected by 1st October 2026. The contract is anticipated to begin on 1st April 2027 and run until 2034, subject to the next financial cycle, supporting the wider SEND strategies of local authorities. This tender presents significant opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations to engage in providing innovative short break services. Businesses capable of workforce development, safeguarding, personalised support planning, and inclusive activity design would find this tender particularly appealing. The initiative promotes early market engagement, encouraging providers to prepare and innovate service models, including community activities and digital coordination tools, thus fostering potential business growth through collaboration and delivering essential community services. ## Notice Buckinghamshire Council intends to procure an Integrated Short Breaks Service for children and young people with disabilities and their families. Short breaks form part of the statutory duties placed on local authorities under Section 25 of the Children and Young Persons Act 2008, which requires the provision of short breaks to support families with disabled children. The Integrated Short Breaks Service will aim to: - Provide a range of community-based, centre-based and home-based short break opportunities that promote personal development, independence, and enjoyment for children and young people with disabilities. - Deliver family-supporting breaks that strengthen resilience, enable rest for carers, and reduce family stress. - Enhance social inclusion, relationships, and participation within the community for disabled children. - Support children and young people to access meaningful activities that foster personal growth and allow families to maintain positive relationships. The integrated model is expected to bring together targeted short-break services with broader early help and social care pathways, ensuring seamless access, timely assessment, and equitable provision across the local area. Estimated Contract Value: This procurement is expected to exceed the PS2 million threshold, which requires the publication of an individual UK1 Pipeline Notice. Planned Procurement Approach: The authority anticipates using a competitive flexible procedure under the Light Touch Regime. The authority will ensure transparency, early engagement, and market-shaping opportunities ahead of formal tender publication. Market Considerations Publishing this pipeline notice will: - Provide early opportunity for SMEs and VCSE organisations to prepare, reflecting typical market engagement for short breaks services. - Enable providers to plan for workforce development, safeguarding, personalised support planning, and inclusive activity design. - Support innovation in service models, including blended community activities, holistic family support, and digital coordination tools. Estimated Procurement Timeline: - Estimated Tender Notice Publication: Within the upcoming reporting period, aligned with UK1 requirements for forward-looking visibility. Service Commencement: Expected to coincide with the next financial cycle; specific details will be set out in the Tender Notice. Contract Duration: A multi-year contract is anticipated to ensure service continuity and long-term stability. Additional Context: Integrated short breaks commissioning is a key part of local authorities' wider SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) strategies, which will demonstrate increasing emphasis on: - Aligning short breaks with early help pathways. - Co-production with families and young people. - Ensuring inclusive, accessible services that reflect diverse needs. This procurement will form part of the authority's drive to improve outcomes for disabled children, enhance family resilience, and ensure statutory compliance through a coordinated, child-centred approach. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/030180-2026 | | Notice type | UK1 - Pipeline Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Not Specified | | Procurement method details | Not specified | | Tender suitability | Not specified | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Planning | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 1 Apr 2026 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 1 Oct 2026 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 31 Mar 2027 - 31 Mar 2034 | | 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 | Planned | | Lots status | Planned | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | BUCKINGHAMSHIRE COUNCIL | | Locality | AYLESBURY | | Post town | Hemel Hempstead | | Postcode | HP19 8FF | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLJ South East (England) | | ITL 2 | TLJ1 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire | | ITL 3 | TLJ13 Buckinghamshire | | Local authority | Buckinghamshire | | Electoral ward | Aylesbury North West | | Westminster constituency | Aylesbury | | Delivery location | TLJ13 Buckinghamshire | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 85 - Health and social work services ### Codes - 85311000 - Social work services with accommodation ## Release History - 1 Apr 2026 at 09:31 - Planning - UK1 - Pipeline Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/030180-2026 ## Documents - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/030180-2026 1st April 2026 - Pipeline 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-067a59. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-067a59.json.