Community Support Framework - CAFS/2025/290

What the buyer is asking for

Stoke-on-Trent City Council is undertaking a procurement exercise for a Community Support Framework, for children living within Stoke-on-Trent and for children who may be supported in other areas of the country. The Council wishes to source multiple providers to deliver the services. The services will stabilise children and families who have support needs that require statutory intervention. The cohorts of children will be those with disabilities and those on the edge of care or who are in care. Service areas include Short Break packages, and outreach/wrap around support, and urgent support required within 24-48 hours, complex support. The Framework will be managed by Stoke-on-Trent City Council who, through a series of call-off agreements, will engage, collaborate and work with organisations to deliver a broad range of these services. 58,305 children and young people live in Stoke-on-Trent, and 8,703 children and young people have Special Educational Needs. 455 Children and young people with SEND are known to social care, and 249 with an EHC Plan are known to social care (Stoke-on-Trent SEND Strategy 2024-2028).

How this is scored

Published by the buyer. A winning response is written to these weightings, not to the question.

• 70%qualityQuality
• 30%pricePrice

7 lots

You can usually bid for one lot without bidding for all of them.

• Lot 1a - Short Breaks: Non-CQC£2.0m

  Provision of Short Breaks for children with disabilities, delivering activities in the home or community. Personal care is excluded. CQC registration is not required.

• Lot 1b - Short Breaks: CQC£2.0m

  Provision of Short Breaks for children with disabilities, delivering activities in the home or community. Personal care may be required. CQC registered provision is required.

• Lot 1c - Short Breaks for Complex Needs: CQC£5.2m

  Provision of Short Breaks for children with disabilities with complex health needs and/or requiring high-hour packages. CQC registered provision is required to deliver complex personal care and/or behaviour management associated with assessed needs.

• Lot 2 - Planned Intervention£800k

  Planned Intervention including positive behaviour support, mentoring, structured activities, and edge-of-care interventions.

• Lot 3a - Urgent Short Term: Non-CQC£320k

  Urgent short-term interim provision for children and young people (including those with disabilities), required on the same or next day following identification of need. Personal care is excluded. CQC registration is not required.

• Lot 3b - Urgent Short Term: CQC£3.6m

  Urgent short-term interim provision for children and young people (including those with disabilities), required on the same or next day following identification of need. Personal care may be required. CQC-registered provision is required.

• Lot 3c - Urgent Short Term & Complex Needs: CQC£3.6m

  Urgent short-term interim provision for children and young people (including those with disabilities), required on the same or next day following identification of need. CQC-registered provision is required to deliver complex personal care and/or behaviour management associated with assessed needs.

How contested is this?

Buyers publish how many bids they received. Across 79 comparable procurements we can tell you the typical field size, how often one of these goes uncontested, and whether the buyer awards on price or on quality.

Timeline

4 published dates · Europe/London

1. Tender notice publishedyesterday

   28 Sept 2026, 14:34 BST
2. Clarification questions byin 44 days

   12 Nov 2026, 12:00 GMT
3. Submission deadlinein 46 days

   13 Nov 2026, 20:00 GMT
4. Award decision expected byin 81 days

   18 Dec 2026, 23:59 GMT

Commercial outcome and contract awards

Nothing awarded yet

Notice history

1 event · 1 release on Find a Tender

1. Tender notice28 Sept 2026, 14:34 BST091481-2026

Documents

• Tender notice on Find a Tender