Community Support Framework - CAFS/2025/290

Stoke‑on‑Trent City Council is seeking a Community Support Framework to deliver a broad range of child‑centred services across the city and beyond. The framework will source multiple providers who are able to stabilise children and families with statutory intervention needs, including those with disabilities, the edge of care, or who are in care. Delivered services will comprise short‑break packages, outreach and wrap‑around support, urgent short‑term interventions within 24‑48 hours, and planned interventions such as positive behaviour support, mentoring and structured activities. All providers will work through call‑off agreements with the council, which will oversee the whole framework.

The call‑off is divided into seven distinct lots to address varying levels of complexity and care requirements. Lots 1 and 2 provide short‑break activities for children with disabilities, with lot 2 permitting personal care and requiring CQC registration. Lot 3 extends to children with complex health needs and high‑hour packages, also demanding CQC registration and advanced behaviour‑management capability. Urgent short‑term interim services are offered in lots 5 through 7, the latter two demanding CQC registration, while lot 5 excludes personal care and does not require CQC registration. Lot 4 delivers planned intervention services that do not involve personal care.

All suppliers must be able to deliver services either in the home or the community, with or without personal care depending on the lot, and meet the statutory and professional standards set by the council. CQC registration is mandatory for any lot that involves personal care or the delivery of complex personal care and behaviour management.

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).

Contract location: UKG23
Communication: https://procontract.due-north.com/Procurer/Advert/View?advertId=f97fc52f-4b8f-f111-813c-005056b64545&fromAdvertEvent=True
Enquiry deadline: 2026-11-12T12:00:00Z
Submission address and any special instructions: https://procontract.due-north.com/Procurer/Advert/View?advertId=f97fc52f-4b8f-f111-813c-005056b64545&fromAdvertEvent=True
Tenders may be submitted electronically: allowed
Award decision date (estimated): 2026-12-18T23:59:59Z

Lot: 1
Description: 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 value (estimated)
2.000.000,00 GBP excluding VAT
2.400.000,00 GBP including VAT

Lot: 2
Description: 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 value (estimated)
2.000.000,00 GBP excluding VAT
2.400.000,00 GBP including VAT

Lot: 3
Description: 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 value (estimated)
5.200.000,00 GBP excluding VAT
6.240.000,00 GBP including VAT

Lot: 4
Description: Planned Intervention including positive behaviour support, mentoring, structured activities, and edge-of-care interventions.
Lot value (estimated)
800.000,00 GBP excluding VAT
960.000,00 GBP including VAT

Lot: 5
Description: 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 value (estimated)
320.000,00 GBP excluding VAT
384.000,00 GBP including VAT

Lot: 6
Description: 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 value (estimated)
3.600.000,00 GBP excluding VAT
4.320.000,00 GBP including VAT

Lot: 7
Description: 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.
Lot value (estimated)
3.600.000,00 GBP excluding VAT
4.320.000,00 GBP including VAT

Award criteria:

Name	Type	Weighting
Quality	quality	70%
Price	price	30%

Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted: En