Newham Best Start Family Hubs Befriending, Navigation and Peer Support Service

What the buyer is asking for

The London Borough of Newham is looking to commission a new Voluntary, Community and Faith Sector (VCFS)-led befriending and navigation service, to complement our existing Best Start Family Hubs offer. This service should be flexible and accessible, supporting Newham families from pregnancy to age five. We are particularly interested in commissioning a model with multi-channel access, for instance with a telephone helpline and additional options such as text, WhatsApp, web-based or other virtual channels. The intention is that the service would combine informal emotional support, 'a listening ear', with practical advice, including signposting and referrals. The overall aim is to reduce isolation, build parental confidence, engage seldom heard groups, and support families to navigate local services and systems. This service will utilise a peer support approach that reflects Newham’s diverse communities, recruiting and training local volunteers to deliver elements of the offer. We would expect the service to connect closely into the Best Start Family Hubs network, enabling warm handovers and ongoing light-touch support until families are successfully linked into wider provision. Alongside the core phone offer, we are also interested in how providers might use outreach, community engagement and digital channels to extend reach, particularly to underrepresented groups who may not access traditional services.

How this is scored

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

• 70%qualityQuality
• 10%qualitySocial Value
• 20%pricePrice

How contested is this?

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Timeline

3 published dates · Europe/London

1. Tender notice published10 days ago

   27 Oct 2026, 16:17 GMT
2. Clarification questions byin 11 days

   17 Nov 2026, 17:00 GMT
3. Submission deadlinein 21 days

   27 Nov 2026, 12:00 GMT

Commercial outcome and contract awards

Nothing awarded yet

Notice history

2 events · 2 releases on Find a Tender

1. Pipeline or early engagement notice17 Jul 2026, 11:34 BST067671-2026
2. Tender notice27 Oct 2026, 16:17 GMT101733-2026

Documents

• Tender notice on Find a Tender