--- title: "Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Mediation and Resolution Service" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-06e606" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06e606" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06e606.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06e606.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "Gateshead Borough Council" published: "2026-08-17" --- # Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Mediation and Resolution Service Buyer: Gateshead Borough Council Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-06e606 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06e606) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06e606.json) ## Summary Gateshead Borough Council is reviewing arrangements for a Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Mediation and Resolution Service. The service will support children and young people with SEND, their parents and carers, and the local authority to resolve disputes and disagreements concerning education, health and care matters. This is a public service contract in the health and social work services category, with delivery in the Gateshead area. The procurement is planned as one service lot and is subject to the light-touch regime. The council is considering future commissioning options and is using market engagement to understand available service models, delivery approaches, innovation opportunities and provider capacity. This procurement is at the planning stage: the council has stated an intention to procure but has not issued an invitation to tender. It is conducting preliminary market engagement, including an online Teams event planned for 14 September 2026 at 14:00 and a market engagement questionnaire on the OPEN platform. The council expects the service contract to run from 1 April 2027 to 1 April 2030, with a possible extension until 1 April 2032. The process is planned as a single-lot, below-threshold services procurement under the light-touch regime. The council is still considering its future commissioning options, so the eventual procedure and procurement arrangements may develop through engagement. The engagement will suit organisations experienced in resolving disputes involving children and young people with SEND, and in supporting parents, carers and local authorities around education, health and care matters. Relevant providers are likely to include specialist mediation, dispute resolution, advocacy, advice or related health and social care organisations. The council is seeking practical information from potential providers about service models, delivery approaches, innovation and the capacity of the market. Small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community and social enterprises are identified as suitable for the planned service. Organisations with demonstrable SEND expertise, a credible approach to impartial resolution and the capacity to deliver locally should prepare to contribute. ## Notice Gateshead Council (the Council) is reviewing its arrangements for the provision of a Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Mediation and Resolution Service, which supports children and young people with SEND, parents, carers and the Local Authority in resolving disputes and disagreements relating to education, health and care matters. The Council is considering future commissioning options for this service. As part of this process, the Council is undertaking a Market Engagement Exercise to establish the level of market interest, gather intelligence from potential providers, and improve its understanding of available service models, innovation opportunities, delivery approaches, and market capacity. Gateshead Council is exploring the market for SEND Mediation and Resolution Service and is therefore engaging with the market to establish interest and understand current provider capacity, expertise and innovative approaches to service delivery. Online Market Engagement Event to be held on Teams 14th September 2026 at 14:00 ### Planning Information Online Market Engagement Event to be held on teams Monday 14th September 2026 at 14:00. Please search 'Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Mediation and Resolution Service' on the OPEN portal : https://www.open-uk.org/ for further information. Please complete and submit the Market Engagement Questionnaire on the OPEN Platform. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/078299-2026 | | Notice type | UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Not Specified | | Procurement method details | Not specified | | Tender suitability | SME, VCSE | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Planning | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 17 Aug 2026 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 14 Sep 2026 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 1 Apr 2027 - 1 Apr 2030 | | 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 | Gateshead Borough Council | | Locality | GATESHEAD | | Postcode area | Newcastle upon Tyne | | Postcode | NE8 1HH | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLC North East (England) | | ITL 2 | TLC4 Northumberland, Durham and Tyne & Wear | | ITL 3 | TLC43 Tyneside | | Local authority | Gateshead | | Electoral ward | Bridges | | Westminster constituency | Gateshead Central and Whickham | | Delivery location | TLC2 Northumberland, and Tyne and Wear | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 85 - Health and social work services ### Codes - 85000000 - Health and social work services ## Release History - 17 Aug 2026 at 17:17 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/078299-2026 ## Documents - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/078299-2026 17th August 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender ## Notice URLs - https://www.gateshead.gov.uk/article/31230/Learning-and-Skills - https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents - https://www.open-uk.org/ ## 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-06e606. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06e606.json.