--- title: "Provider Engagement Event - Children's Short Breaks Recommissioning" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-078da3" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-078da3" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-078da3.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-078da3.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "Buckinghamshire Council" published: "2026-10-22" --- # Provider Engagement Event - Children's Short Breaks Recommissioning Buyer: Buckinghamshire Council Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-078da3 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-078da3) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-078da3.json) ## Summary Buckinghamshire Council is developing a future service model for children’s short breaks for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The planned services cover community-based short breaks and overnight short breaks, including social work and welfare support, with and without accommodation. The council is seeking input from providers already delivering either type of service, to test emerging ideas and understand their implications for providers. Delivery is for children and young people in Buckinghamshire. This is early market engagement to shape the council’s proposals for recommissioning; it is not an invitation to tender or a formal procurement. The process is at planning stage. Buckinghamshire Council is using a provider engagement session to gather feedback before developing its future proposals; the engagement is not part of a formal procurement. Providers were asked to give their availability by 29 October 2026. The council’s indicative plan is to publish a future procurement notice on 1 June 2027. The new contractual arrangements are anticipated to run from 1 April 2028 to 31 March 2033. The service is presented as one lot, with suitability indicated for small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community and social enterprises. No procedure, evaluation method or contract value has been set out at this planning stage. This engagement is most relevant to providers with current experience delivering community-based or overnight short breaks for children and young people with SEND. Organisations able to explain how proposed service changes could affect delivery, staffing, capacity and service design are well placed to contribute to the council’s planning. The council is looking for practical provider insight to test emerging ideas and shape a future model, rather than bids for a defined service at this stage. Small and medium-sized businesses and voluntary, community and social enterprises are identified as suitable participants. Providers whose work combines children’s welfare or social work with accommodation may also find the service scope relevant. Participation can help suppliers understand and inform the future requirements before contractual arrangements are recommissioned. ## Notice Buckinghamshire Council is currently reviewing its Children's Short Breaks offer and developing proposals to inform the future recommissioning of services for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). As part of this work, we would like to invite providers to an engagement session to share some of our emerging thinking and seek feedback on a number of proposed service developments. This will provide an opportunity to test ideas, understand potential implications for providers, and gather valuable insight to help shape the future model of provision. We are keen to hear from providers currently delivering: * Community-based short breaks for children and young people with SEND. * Overnight short breaks for children and young people with SEND. The future arrangements are currently being developed, with new contractual arrangements anticipated to commence from 1 April 2028. This engagement activity is intended to inform the development of future proposals and does not form part of any formal procurement process. ### Planning Information Please respond with your availability no later than 29/10/26 ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/099862-2026 | | 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 | 22 Oct 2026 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 1 Jun 2027 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 1 Apr 2028 - 31 Mar 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 | Buckinghamshire Council | | Locality | AYLESBURY | | Postcode area | 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 | Not specified | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 85 - Health and social work services ### Codes - 85000000 - Health and social work services - 85300000 - Social work and related services - 85311000 - Social work services with accommodation - 85311300 - Welfare services for children and young people ## Release History - 22 Oct 2026 at 11:05 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/099862-2026 ## Documents - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/099862-2026 22nd October 2026 - Preliminary market engagement 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-078da3. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-078da3.json.