--- title: "Short Breaks, Community Clubs and Activities (SBCCA)" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-078c0f" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-078c0f" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-078c0f.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-078c0f.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "Essex County Council" published: "2026-10-20" --- # Short Breaks, Community Clubs and Activities (SBCCA) Buyer: Essex County Council Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-078c0f [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-078c0f) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-078c0f.json) ## Summary Essex County Council intends to procure Short Breaks Community Clubs and Activities for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The service is designed to give parents and carers a break from additional caring responsibilities, while providing children and young people with opportunities to develop, learn, socialise and interact with peers. This is a community and social support service, covering Essex. The council is planning provision to follow the current contracts, and is inviting both existing providers and other interested organisations to take part in provider engagement. The work is intended to meet the needs and preferences families have shared through engagement, including visits to current services, SEND roadshows, support groups and online sessions. The procurement is at planning stage: Essex County Council has set out its intention to procure, but has not invited tenders. The council expects future provision to start in April 2028; the planned contract period is recorded from January 2028 to January 2033. The procurement is expected to be above the relevant threshold and to use a framework agreement. It is planned as a single lot. A provider engagement session is scheduled for 30 November at County Hall in Chelmsford, with booking expected by 26 November. The session is intended to share the findings from family engagement and connect providers. No tender submission deadline or estimated contract value is provided at this planning stage. This service is likely to suit organisations experienced in providing community-based support and activities for children and young people with SEND, and in working sensitively with families and carers. Providers should be able to offer activities that support development, learning, social interaction and relationships with peers, while giving carers a meaningful break. The council has already gathered family feedback and says it will share its findings with providers, so organisations able to shape provision around the priorities of children, young people and families will be relevant participants in the planning. Small and medium-sized businesses and voluntary, community and social enterprises are identified as suitable. The provider engagement is an opportunity to understand the emerging service requirements and contribute before the council takes the procurement to tender. ## Notice Short Breaks Community Clubs and Activities (SBCCA) offer parents and carers of children and young people with special educational needs and/or disability (SEND) a break from their additional caring responsibilities, while ensuring children and young people have the opportunities develop, learn, socialise and interact with their peers. ### Planning Information Date: Monday 30th November, 13:00 to 16:00 Location: County Hall, Chelmsford, E4 Event Space (arrivals from 12:45. Please meet commissioners in reception) As you may be aware, the current Short Breaks Community Clubs and Activities (SBCCA) contracts are due to end in March 2028. Essex County Council is beginning to plan for future Short Breaks Community Clubs and Activities provision from April 2028. Commissioners in the Short Breaks team have undertaken extensive engagement with parent carers and young people through a range of activities, including visits to current provision, SEND Roadshows and parent carer support groups and hosting online engagement sessions. We have received valuable feedback on what is important to families and what they would like to see in future provision. Essex County Council will be hosting an in-person provider engagement session, open to both current providers and organisations interested in working with Essex County Council to deliver future Short Breaks Community Clubs and Activities provision. This session will provide an opportunity to hear the findings from our family engagement and connect with other providers. The session will take place on Monday 30th November, from 13:00 to 16:00, in the E4 Event Space at County Hall, Chelmsford. This is located on the fourth floor and can be accessed via lift. Commissioners will be available in reception from 12:45 to welcome attendees and direct them to the event space. Please note, refreshments will be available but lunch will not be provided. If you would like to attend, please book via this link: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/i0LL9TcDBm by 9:00am on Thursday 26th November. Please note, spaces are limited to two per provider and please ensure each person books a space separately. If you are no longer able to attend after registering, please email shortbreaks@essex.gov.uk as soon as possible. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/099101-2026 | | Notice type | UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice | | Procurement type | Framework | | 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 | 20 Oct 2026 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | Not specified | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 1 Jan 2028 - 1 Jan 2033 | | 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 | Essex County Council | | Locality | CHELMSFORD | | Postcode area | Chelmsford | | Postcode | CM1 1QH | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLH East (England) | | ITL 2 | TLH3 Essex | | ITL 3 | TLH36 Heart of Essex | | Local authority | Chelmsford | | Electoral ward | Moulsham and Central | | Westminster constituency | Chelmsford | | Delivery location | TLH3 Essex | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 85 - Health and social work services - 98 - Other community, social and personal services ### Codes - 85300000 - Social work and related services - 98000000 - Other community, social and personal services ## Release History - 20 Oct 2026 at 15:08 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/099101-2026 ## Documents - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/099101-2026 20th October 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender ## Notice URLs - https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/i0LL9TcDBm - 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-078c0f. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-078c0f.json.