--- title: "Best Start in Life: Perinatal Mental Health and Parent Infant Relationships Outreach Peer Support Groups" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-06b633" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06b633" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06b633.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06b633.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "KENT COUNTY COUNCIL" published: "2026-06-16" --- # Best Start in Life: Perinatal Mental Health and Parent Infant Relationships Outreach Peer Support Groups Buyer: KENT COUNTY COUNCIL Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-06b633 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06b633) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06b633.json) ## Summary The procurement process initiated by Kent County Council focuses on the planning stage of a project titled "Best Start in Life: Perinatal Mental Health and Parent Infant Relationships Outreach Peer Support Groups". Located in Maidstone, this service-oriented undertaking, categorised under community health services, aims to design support groups across several regions, including Thanet, Swale, Dartford, Dover, and Gravesham. The preliminary market engagement is set to conclude on 24th June 2026, with virtual sessions slated for late June and early July. The overall procurement aims to run from April 2027 to March 2029, with an indicative budget totalling £500,000. This initiative is aligned with the objective of improving health and education outcomes for families in Kent. This engagement provides a valuable opportunity for small voluntary sectors, charities, not-for-profit organisations, and community interest groups to influence the planning of essential community services. By participating, businesses can help develop a sustainable model for peer support that integrates market insights and best practices. The open nature of this engagement allows for various organisations, particularly those in the VCSE sector, to build early relationships and showcase their expertise, paving the way for potential future bids once the formal procurement process commences. This initiative is especially relevant for organisations possessing the skills to deliver community health services and support diverse groups, including Black and Asian mothers and young parents in high-need localities. ## Notice Market Engagement Notice Best Start in Life: Perinatal Mental Health and Parent Infant Relationships Outreach Peer Support Groups Authority: Kent County Council Dates: Note: final date will be selected depending on interest in the following options: Wednesday 24th June 09.30-10.30am - Virtual session Wednesday 1st July 09.00-10.00am - Virtual session Registration Form: Peer Support Groups: Pre-engagement event questions and registration - Fill out form https://forms.office.com/e/XnGHgZzZVh Contact: integratedteam@kent.gov.uk Kent County Council is inviting organisations to provide insight into our ambition to design a Perinatal Mental Health and Parent Infant Relationship Outreach Peer Support group programme to deliver on the Best Start in Life - Healthy Babies three-year programme in Kent. The peer support groups will be aimed at families/parents in the preconception phase, expecting a first or subsequent baby or with children aged 0-2 years who are at risk or affected by perinatal mental health/parent infant relationship concerns. The aim is for peer support groups to run in: *Thanet *Swale *Dartford *Dover *Gravesham Peer support groups would be offered to: *Black and Asian mothers *Young parents including care leavers (aged 18 to 25 years) *Expectant parents /parents of under twos living in specific areas of high need (tbc) within the districts listed above. Indicative budget: *April 2027 to March 2028 PS250k *April 2028 to March 2029 PS250k About the Best Start in Life - Healthy Babies Programme Link The Best Start in Life Healthy Babies programme aims are: *To provide support to parents and carers to help them nurture their babies and children and improving health and education outcomes for all *To contribute to a reduction in inequalities in health and education outcomes for babies, children and families ensuring that support provided is communicated to all parents and carers, including those facing multiple disadvantage and those who are seldom heard *To strengthen parent infant relationships and improve perinatal mental health *To build the evidence base for what works when it comes to improving health and education outcomes for babies, children and families in different delivery contexts. Market Engagement We are looking to: *gather market intelligence *build early relationships with established and new markets *develop a sustainable model which includes small voluntary sector, charities, not for profit organisations and small community interest groups *understand suppliers' interest, scope, and skills *understand if and how the proposal could be feasible and deliverable within the financial envelope *identify how the 3-year peer support programmes can be sustained and eventually owned by the community This is an opportunity to share your ideas, highlight best practice and help shape the planning for perinatal mental health and parent infant relationship peer support outreach programme that meet this needs of the communities. Interest is welcome from a range of organisations including VCSE organisations and community groups. Those attending will also have an opportunity to provide their views via a questionnaire. KCC will analyse the findings from the questionnaire and the findings will inform model development. Important information: This engagement is just an early conversation to help shape our thinking. It isn't a call for competition, and taking part won't give any organisation an advantage. No commercial decisions have been made yet, and anything we share at this stage may change. If a procurement process is needed later, full details will be published in line with the procurement regulations. ### Planning Information Kent County Council is inviting organisations to provide insight into our ambition to design a Perinatal Mental Health and Parent Infant Relationship Outreach Peer Support group programme to deliver on the Best Start in Life – Healthy Babies three-year programme in Kent. We are looking to: •gather market intelligence •build early relationships with established and new markets •develop a sustainable model which includes small voluntary sector, charities, not for profit organisations and small community interest groups •understand suppliers’ interest, scope, and skills •understand if and how the proposal could be feasible and deliverable within the financial envelope •identify how the 3-year peer support programmes can be sustained and eventually owned by the community This is an opportunity to share your ideas, highlight best practice and help shape the planning for perinatal mental health and parent infant relationship peer support outreach programme that meet this needs of the communities. Interest is welcome from a range of organisations including VCSE organisations and community groups. Those attending will also have an opportunity to provide their views via a questionnaire. KCC will analyse the findings from the questionnaire and the findings will inform model development. Important information: This engagement is just an early conversation to help shape our thinking. It isn’t a call for competition, and taking part won’t give any organisation an advantage. No commercial decisions have been made yet, and anything we share at this stage may change. If a procurement process is needed later, full details will be published in line with the procurement regulations. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/056762-2026 | | Notice type | UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement 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 | 16 Jun 2026 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 24 Jun 2026 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 31 Mar 2027 - 31 Mar 2029 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £500,000 | | 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 | KENT COUNTY COUNCIL | | Locality | MAIDSTONE | | Post town | Rochester | | Postcode | ME14 1XQ | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLJ South East (England) | | ITL 2 | TLJ4 Kent | | ITL 3 | TLJ45 Mid Kent | | Local authority | Maidstone | | Electoral ward | Penenden Heath | | Westminster constituency | Maidstone and Malling | | Delivery location | TLJ4 Kent | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 85 - Health and social work services ### Codes - 85323000 - Community health services ## Release History - 16 Jun 2026 at 14:47 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/056762-2026 ## Documents - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/056762-2026 16th June 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender ## Notice URLs - https://forms.office.com/e/XnGHgZzZVh - 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-06b633. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06b633.json.