---
title: "Children's Homes Workforce Review into Professional Development"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-067fef"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-067fef"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-067fef.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-067fef.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION"
published: "2026-04-10"
---

# Children's Homes Workforce Review into Professional Development

Buyer: DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-067fef

[View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-067fef)  
[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-067fef.json)

## Summary

The Department for Education, located in London, has completed the procurement process for the "Children’s Homes Workforce Review into Professional Development" project, which falls under the Education and Training Services industry category. This project entails a comprehensive review of the professional development needs for children's homes workforce in England, intended to inform upcoming reforms in social care. The contract was awarded directly to Catch 22 Charity Limited, a large supplier known for its innovative approach aligned with the Danish model of social pedagogy. The procurement method was a direct award justified for technical reasons under the Procurement Act 2023, reflecting the urgency and specialised nature of the service. The contract period is from 24th April 2026 to 31st August 2026, with an option for a three-month extension, covering multiple regions across the United Kingdom.

This procurement presents significant opportunities for businesses that specialise in workforce training and development, particularly those with expertise in social care and children’s services. By leveraging this contract, businesses can expand their reach and influence within the public sector, especially those capable of providing innovative and holistic development programmes. The focus on a specialised and innovative approach indicates opportunities for businesses that can offer unique, research-driven training solutions. Small and medium enterprises, as well as those involved in voluntary and charity sectors, are potentially well-suited to engage in similar tenders in the future, especially if they can demonstrate a unique methodology or capability that aligns with the strategic needs of public sector reforms.

## Notice

The Department for Education is to undertake a review of professional development for the children's homes workforce in England. The supplier will define the purpose of residential care, the knowledge and skills staff require, recommend improvements to qualifications and training, and consider how routes into the sector and career pathways can be developed to improve retention and progression.

### Procurement Information

The review needs to be completed as soon as possible to inform reforms underway in children's social care. This includes a smaller, more specialised children's homes sector. A specialist service provider is required. The supplier: Is a leader in innovation and practice in the children's homes workforce space. Adopts a unique approach grounded in the Danish model of social pedagogy, which integrates care and education in a holistic way. The supplier has recently developed and launched a Level 6 graduate diploma in residential care with Kingston University, to improve workforce practice. These factors align with the direct award justifications outlined in the Procurement Act 2023 for technical reasons.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/032797-2026 |
| Notice type | UK5 - Transparency Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Direct |
| Procurement method details | Direct award |
| Tender suitability | SME, VCSE |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 10 Apr 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 10 Apr 2026 |
| Contract period | 23 Apr 2026 - 31 Aug 2026 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £112,500 |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Complete |
| Awards status | Pending |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION |
| Locality | LONDON |
| Post town | South West London |
| Postcode | SW1P 3BT |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLI London |
| ITL 2 | TLI3 Inner London - West |
| ITL 3 | TLI35 Westminster and City of London |
| Local authority | Westminster |
| Electoral ward | St James's |
| Westminster constituency | Cities of London and Westminster |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | CATCH 22 CHARITY |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 80 - Education and training services

### Codes

- 80000000 - Education and training services

## Release History

- 10 Apr 2026 at 11:37 - Award - UK5 - Transparency Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/032797-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/032797-2026
  10th April 2026 - Transparency 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-067fef. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-067fef.json.