--- title: "Holistic Support Services for Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) in Highland" ocid: "ocds-r6ebe6-0000842976" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-r6ebe6-0000842976" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000842976.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000842976.json" source: "Public Contracts Scotland" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "The Highland Council" published: "2026-09-15" --- # Holistic Support Services for Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) in Highland Buyer: The Highland Council Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-r6ebe6-0000842976 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-r6ebe6-0000842976) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000842976.json) ## Summary The Highland Council intends to commission one holistic support service for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children referred through the National Transfer Scheme and for children arriving spontaneously in the Highland area. The service will promote safety, stability, wellbeing, integration, independence and positive outcomes for young people who may have experienced displacement, trauma, loss and uncertainty. It will support children and young people to live safely and successfully in local communities across Highland while progressing through the asylum and immigration process. This is a social and other support service, covering holistic assistance and community-based support for unaccompanied children. Delivery is required across the whole geographical area of Highland Council, rather than at a single named site. This procurement is at the planning and market-consultation stage, not a call for competition. The Council expects an initial two-year contract running from April 2027 to March 2029, with yearly extension options for up to a further three years, potentially running to March 2032. The estimated total contract value is £3,600,000 including the planned term and extensions. Organisations are asked to submit a response to the Summary of Requirement, explaining how they would deliver the service and answering its questions, in a word-processed document of no more than 800 words. The consultation response is requested by 5pm on 7 October 2026. A tender process is currently estimated to commence in the second half of October 2026, subject to change and funding. The work is likely to suit organisations experienced in supporting unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, looked-after children, refugees or other young people affected by displacement, trauma, loss and uncertainty. Relevant providers should be able to deliver holistic support across a large and potentially dispersed geographical area, helping young people access safety, stable living arrangements, wellbeing support, community integration and greater independence. Experience of working with children and young people while they progress through asylum and immigration procedures will be important. Strong local-community partnership working and the capacity to support referrals from both the National Transfer Scheme and spontaneous arrivals would help organisations prepare. At this stage, interested providers can demonstrate their proposed delivery model through the planned market consultation, rather than submit a tender. ## Notice The Highland Council are looking to notify the market of their intention to commission a holistic support service for Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) referred through the National Transfer Scheme (NTS) and those arriving spontaneously within the Highland area. It is anticipated that the initial contract length will be two years (April 2027 - March 2029) with additional options to extend the contract on a yearly basis for up a further three years (March 2032). Funding will be provided through the UK Government's funding arrangements and the Council's ability to exercise any extension option will be dependent on the continuation of this funding supply. ### Lot Information Lot 1 The Highland Council are looking to notify the market of their intention to commission a holistic support service for Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) referred through the National Transfer Scheme (NTS) and those arriving spontaneously within the Highland area. The service will promote safety, stability, wellbeing, integration, independence and positive outcomes for young people who may have experienced displacement, trauma, loss and uncertainty. The service will support UASC to live safely and successfully within local communities across Highland while progressing through the asylum and immigration process. Organisations wishing to express an interest are invited to submit a response to the Summary of Requirement, setting out how they would propose to deliver the service and addressing the questions contained within that document. Responses should be provided in a word-processed document and be no longer than 800 words (Arial, size 11). Responses must be submitted no later than 5.00 pm on Wednesday 7 October 2026. Submission details are provided within the Summary of Requirement document. Any subsequent procurement process will be notified through Public Contracts Scotland and conducted through Public Contracts Scotland-Tender (PCS-T). At this stage it is estimated that a tender process could commence during the second half of October 2026. Please note that this Prior Information Notice (PIN) is being issued for market consultation purposes only and that the content of this Notice, including the estimated contract value and indicative contract timelines, is subject to change.. 1. Summary of Requirement is enclosed. 2. Potential interested parties are requested to note their interest in line with the instructions contained in the Summary of Requirement. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Public Contracts Scotland | | Latest notice | https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=SEP564511 | | Notice type | OJEU - F21 - Social And other Specific Services (Public Contracts) | | 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 | 15 Sep 2026 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 21 Oct 2026 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | Not specified | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £3,600,000 | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Planned | | Lots status | Planned | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | The Highland Council | | Locality | INVERNESS | | Postcode area | Inverness | | Postcode | IV3 5NX | | Country | Scotland | | ITL 1 | TLM Scotland | | ITL 2 | TLM2 Highlands and Islands | | ITL 3 | TLM20 Highlands and Islands | | Local authority | Highland | | Electoral ward | Inverness West | | Westminster constituency | Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire | | Delivery location | TLM6 Highlands and Islands | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 85 - Health and social work services ### Codes - 85000000 - Health and social work services - 85311300 - Welfare services for children and young people - 85312000 - Social work services without accommodation ## Release History - 15 Sep 2026 at 01:00 - Planning - OJEU - F21 - Social And other Specific Services (Public Contracts) - https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=SEP564511 ## Documents - https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/NoticeDownload/DownloadDocument.aspx?id=SEP564511&idx=1 15th September 2026 - Summary of Requirement (UASC - Highland PIN Sept 2026) - https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=SEP564511 Holistic Support Services for Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) in Highland - The Highland Council are looking to notify the market of their intention to commission a holistic support service for Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) referred through the National Transfer Scheme (NTS) and those arriving spontaneously within the Highland area. It is anticipated that the initial contract length will be two years (April 2027 - March 2029) with additional options to extend the contract on a yearly basis for up a further three years (March 2032). Funding will be provided through the UK Government's funding arrangements and the Council's ability to exercise any extension option will be dependent on the continuation of this funding supply. ## Notice URLs - http:// - http://www.highland.gov.uk - http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=842976 - https://api.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/v1/Notice?id=ocds-r6ebe6-0000842976 ## 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-r6ebe6-0000842976. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000842976.json.