Market engagement exercise - Outreach and support service for vulnerable children and families

The London Borough of Redbridge (“the Authority”) is seeking expressions of interest and market engagement for the provision of an Outreach and Support Service for vulnerable children and families within the Borough.

We are seeking to develop an Outreach and Support Service for vulnerable children and families who need extra help to either stabilise their domestic circumstances, sustain a social care placement or living arrangements, a tenancy, achieve independence or to safeguard them or their family members. The service will be available to all cases open to Redbridge Children Social Care.

The service is scheduled to commence on 1st January 2023. It is anticipated that the contract will be for a period of four years via a framework agreement. We are proposing the following lots:

Lot 1: Contact

There is a presumption of continued contact between the child and their family while the child is Looked After, unless it is not reasonably practicable or consistent with the child’s welfare. Contact arrangements should be focused on, and shaped around, the child’s needs.

The Local Authority is looking for providers who can provide safe contact arrangements for children in care to the London Borough of Redbridge. Providers will need to have safe and secure premises, experienced staff and the ability to manage and supervise contact arrangements for children and parents who may be going through periods of distress and unhappiness. Providers will need to be sensitive, attuned to safeguarding concerns and the ability to work in partnership with the Local Authority.

Lot 2: Supported outreach: such as family support, befriending, advice and assistance

We know that supporting parents means better outcomes for the child. We have seen a difference this support can make. That’s why we are looking for providers to join our Framework to offer help and guidance to families and children who need that additional support.

Providers will offer a range of individual and parenting support to families known to Redbridge Children’s Social Care. They will offer practical and emotional support to children and families as well as working in partnership with the Local Authority to an agreed plan of work. Providers must have experience in this area and have up to date safeguarding and equalities practice at the forefront of their service delivery.

Lot 3: Supported transport

Redbridge Children’s Social Care require providers who are able to transport children and families to and from specified appointments and activities where no other alternative arrangement is available. Providers must have policies and procedures that cover the following areas:

• Passenger safety
• Competence of the driver
• Appropriate seat belts and restraints
• Policies which restrict smoking when transporting a child under the age of 18
• All drivers must have an up to date enhanced DBS and a valid insurance per se.

Escorts are always required in the following circumstances:

• Any child being transported to a 'special school' (physical or learning disabilities);
• Any child under the age of 18 years old;
• ALL Escorts MUST be DBS checked

All providers are responsible for ensuring compliance with these regulations when providing transport services.

Please note that this exercise is intended to assess the level of interest from potential providers, to provide the services outlined above and help inform the service.

Your responses are not “evaluated’’ or scored as this exercise is not part of a procurement process, this is for engagement and development purposes only and will be kept confidential.


Responses are to be completed and returned via the London Tenders portal by Friday 19th May 2023 5pm.