CT1168 Flexible Purchasing Framework opening - Accredited Pathways and Certified Counsellors and Therapists

The City of Edinburgh Council is opening a Flexible Purchasing Framework to secure two complementary streams of educational support services: Accredited Pathways and Certified Counsellors and Therapists. The framework will allow providers to deliver high‑quality interventions that align with the National Improvement Framework for Education and the City’s Edinburgh Imperative, which seeks to close the poverty‑related attainment gap and enhance mental health and wellbeing across all school phases. By engaging partners in a place‑based model—services available within a 20‑minute radius of identified needs—the council aims to extend and enrich the existing curriculum with practical, recognisable accreditation and outcome‑orientated support.

Providers are expected to work in partnership with schools, adopting flexible and goal‑oriented approaches that address learning barriers and foster inclusive practice. They must demonstrate evidence of measurable outcomes, actively involve learners and families in shaping interventions, and contribute to the school’s learning culture through strengths‑based, solution‑focused, and restorative methods. For the Accredited Pathways lot, services must help learners achieve pathways that meet the Benchmarks or Experience and Outcomes of the Curriculum for Excellence or, where applicable, nationally recognised accreditation. For the Certified Counsellors and Therapists lot, the focus is on supporting health and wellbeing targets that align with the Curriculum for Excellence, with providers required to employ counsellors and therapists who hold relevant qualifications and membership of recognised governing bodies.

All services must comply with the Curriculum for Excellence benchmarks and national accreditation standards, ensuring that accredited pathways and health‑wellbeing outcomes meet the College’s quality criteria and are delivered by certified professionals who meet relevant statutory and professional regulations.

The City of Edinburgh Council have created a Flexible Purchasing Framework (the Framework) which started on the 2nd April 2024. The Framework includes providers who are able to deliver services in line with the National Improvement Framework for Education.
The Framework will remain open to new applicants throughout the term. New applications to join the Flexible Purchasing Framework will only be evaluated periodically, in line with the Council’ requirements and capacity.
The vision for education in Edinburgh is to ensure excellence by raising attainment and improving outcomes through Accredited Pathways and Certified Counsellors and Therapists: ensuring that every child and young person achieves the highest standards in literacy and numeracy, as well as the knowledge and skills necessary to shape their future as successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens, and effective contributors.
The City of Edinburgh Council will realise this vision by achieving equity: ensuring every child and young person has the same opportunity to succeed, regardless of their background, social circumstances, additional needs or shared protected characteristics, with a particular focus on closing the poverty related attainment gap, and improving mental health and wellbeing.
In order to achieve this, The City of Edinburgh Council will work to reduce the Poverty Related Attainment Gap (PRAG) through a transdisciplinary approach. Delivery of excellence will be achieved via the Edinburgh Imperative, which has four key themes to support reduction of the PRAG: Attendance, Literacy & Numeracy, Pathways, Health and Wellbeing.
Collaboration and relationship building with partner providers is a key theme to support young people’s outcomes being at the heart of everything we do. Partner Providers will support schools to provide a service which ensures pupils receive high quality education which meets their needs, delivers improved educational outcomes and avoids exclusion.
The City of Edinburgh Council are encouraging a ‘Place Based’ approach to services and supports to families and young people. The intention is to develop comprehensive supports that are within 20minutes of any identified need.

Ocid: ocds-h6vhtk-03ea46
Contract location: UKM75
Communication: http://www.publictendersscotland.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk
Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted: En
Submission address and any special instructions: http://www.publictendersscotland.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk

Lot number: 1
Description: Accredited Pathways services will support achievement of an accredited pathway/s. For learners working within Early Level to Fourth Level the accreditation should align to the Benchmarks and or Experiences and Outcomes within the Curriculum for Excellence. For learners working within the Senior Phase the accreditation must be nationally recognised. For both categories, the Provider will work with referring schools to ensure recognised accreditation is achieved upon completion or discharge from a provider’s service, or in line with award dates. The provision offered will extend the supports offered through the curriculum, complementing and expanding on what is already there. We are looking to procure services which: - Work in flexible and goal-orientated ways to complement the learner’s education, in partnership with their school. - Address barriers to learning which can arise within the school community and as a result of additional support needs. - Provide evidence of outcomes achieved. - Enable the voices of learners and their families to shape the support provided and contribute to solutions. - Offer accreditation. - Work towards Health and Wellbeing experiences and outcomes, linked to the Curriculum for Excellence. In partnership with the School, the Provider should be able to demonstrate inclusive practice and improved outcomes in an aspect of the Edinburgh Imperatives. We want our future commissioned services to build on these strengths and to do the following: - Work in strengths based, solution focussed and restorative manner. - Demonstrate efficiencies, innovation and added value. - Contribute to a wider learning culture within the partnership to improve outcomes. - Provide sustainable best-value approaches. Additional information: The Council consider this opportunity to be procured under the Light Touch Regime of Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015.

Lot number: 2
Description: The Provider’s activity will support achievement of targets within the health and wellbeing pathway/s. Early Level to Fourth Level, the targets should align to the Benchmarks, and Experiences and Outcomes within the Curriculum for Excellence. In Senior Phase the targets must support achievement of accreditation within nationally recognised frameworks. For all learner phases, the Provider will work with referring schools to ensure recognised targets are achieved upon completion or discharge from a provider’s service, or in line with award dates. The provision offered will extend the supports offered through the curriculum, complementing and expanding on what is already there. We are looking to procure services which: - Work in flexible and goal-orientated ways to complement the learner’s education, in partnership with their school. - Address barriers to learning which can arise within the school community and as a result of additional support needs. - Provide evidence of outcomes achieved. - Enable the voices of learners and their families to shape the support provided and contribute to solutions. - Work towards Health and Wellbeing experiences and outcomes, linked to the Curriculum for Excellence - Work with Counsellors and Therapists who are certified with relevant qualifications and membership of Governing bodies In partnership with the School, the Provider should be able to demonstrate inclusive practice and improved outcomes in an aspect of the Edinburgh Imperatives. We want our future commissioned services to build on these strengths and to do the following: - Work in strengths based, solution focussed and restorative manner. - Demonstrate efficiencies, innovation and added value. - Contribute to a wider learning culture within the partnership to improve outcomes. - Provide sustainable best-value approaches. Additional information: The Council consider this opportunity to be procured under the Light Touch Regime of Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015.