Stoke-on-Trent Children's Community Support Framework 2026
Stoke-on-Trent's 7-lot children's community support framework closes 13 November 2026. Lots, CQC split and 70/30 scoring from a 92% win-rate bid team.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council's Community Support Framework (CAFS/2025/290) is a 7-lot framework for children with disabilities and children on the edge of care or in care, running from 1 February 2027 to 31 January 2035. It covers short breaks, planned intervention, urgent short-term support and complex needs, split between CQC and non-CQC lots. Tenders close at 20:00 on 13 November 2026, with enquiries closing at 12:00 on 12 November 2026. Scoring is 70% quality and 30% price across every lot.
Tender at a glance
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- Buyer: Stoke-on-Trent City Council.
- Reference: CAFS/2025/290. Find a Tender notice 091481-2026.
- Value: £24,480,000 including VAT, £20,400,000 excluding VAT, as stated in the notice.
- Regime: Procurement Act 2023, open procedure, light touch regime.
- Lots: 7 lots, CQC and non-CQC.
- Term: 1 February 2027 to 31 January 2035.
- Award criteria: Quality 70%, price 30%, all lots.
- Enquiries close: 12:00, 12 November 2026.
- Tenders close: 20:00, 13 November 2026. Award period ends 18 December 2026.
- Portal: ProContract (Due North).
What the Stoke-on-Trent framework covers
The framework covers community support for children with disabilities and children on the edge of care or in care. The notice describes short breaks, outreach, urgent support within 24 to 48 hours and complex support. Providers quote prices as part of the tender, and the notice states those quotes will be used to benchmark the call-off process.
The 7 lots, CQC and non-CQC
The lot structure separates services that need CQC registration for personal care from those that do not. Values below are as published, excluding VAT.
- Lot 1a, Short Breaks: Non-CQC (£2,000,000). Short breaks for children with disabilities at home or in the community. Personal care is excluded and CQC registration is not required.
- Lot 1b, Short Breaks: CQC (£2,000,000). The same service where personal care may be required, so CQC registration is needed.
- Lot 1c, Short Breaks for Complex Needs: CQC (£5,200,000). Children with complex health needs and/or high-hour packages. CQC registration required.
- Lot 2, Planned Intervention (£800,000). Positive behaviour support, mentoring, structured activities and edge-of-care interventions.
- Lot 3a, Urgent Short Term: Non-CQC (£320,000). Urgent interim provision on the same or next day after need is identified. No personal care, no CQC registration.
- Lot 3b, Urgent Short Term: CQC (£3,600,000). The same urgent service where personal care may be required.
- Lot 3c, Urgent Short Term and Complex Needs: CQC (£3,600,000). Urgent provision requiring CQC-registered complex personal care and/or behaviour management.
The individual lot values sum to less than the total framework value stated in the notice, and the notice does not explain the difference. Treat lot values as indicative and check the tender pack.
Who this framework suits
- Non-CQC lots (1a, 3a): children's community support, outreach and short break providers that do not deliver personal care.
- CQC lots (1b, 1c, 3b, 3c): domiciliary care providers registered with CQC that support children with disabilities, including complex health needs.
- Lot 2: providers with evidenced positive behaviour support, mentoring and edge-of-care practice.
- Lot 3 lots: providers that can mobilise urgent support on the same or next day, which depends on staffing depth more than any other factor.
At market engagement stage the council indicated that Lot 1 providers would need a local office within 10 miles of Stoke-on-Trent, while Lot 2 and Lot 3 providers could be based outside the area. Confirm the final position in the specification before committing to Lot 1.
How the bid is scored
Every lot is scored 70% quality and 30% price. Quality questions, weightings and word limits are in the tender documents on ProContract. Because price quotes are also used to benchmark call-offs, your price has a life beyond the evaluation: set it at a level you can deliver for the full term to January 2035.
Where children's safeguarding sits in the answers, frame it correctly. The local authority leads statutory children's safeguarding processes; the provider's role is to keep the child safe, record, refer, share information and contribute to plans.
What to do before 12 November
- Register on ProContract and download the full pack.
- Decide your lots against your CQC registration and your ability to deliver urgent same-day or next-day starts.
- Confirm the local office requirement for Lot 1 before 12:00 on 12 November 2026.
- Build a price you can sustain to 2035, given that quotes benchmark call-offs.
- Complete your Central Digital Platform record. Our Central Digital Platform guide covers what to file.
Frequently asked questions
When does the Stoke-on-Trent Community Support Framework close?
Tenders close at 20:00 on 13 November 2026, and enquiries close at 12:00 on 12 November 2026. The award period ends on 18 December 2026, with the framework running from 1 February 2027 to 31 January 2035.
Do I need CQC registration to bid for the Stoke-on-Trent children's framework?
Only for some lots. Lots 1b, 1c, 3b and 3c require CQC registration because personal care may be required. Lots 1a and 3a exclude personal care and do not require CQC registration. Lot 2 covers planned intervention such as positive behaviour support and mentoring.
How is the CAFS/2025/290 framework scored?
Every lot is scored 70% quality and 30% price. The notice states that the prices you quote will also be used to benchmark the call-off process, so your price applies beyond the initial evaluation.
What does urgent short-term support mean in this tender?
The notice describes urgent interim provision on the same day or next day after need is identified. Lot 3a excludes personal care, Lot 3b may include it, and Lot 3c covers complex personal care and/or behaviour management.
Can TenderLab help us choose the right lots?
Yes. Our suitability check matches each lot to your CQC registration, location, staffing capacity and experience with children's services, and we tell you which lots are realistically winnable before you commit.
What is the realistic turnaround given the 13 November deadline?
The deadline is 11 days from this analysis, so engage immediately. Requirements mapping, pricing and drafting need to run in parallel, with independent quality assurance before your review.
Are you interested in this framework? TenderLab supports health and social care providers only, with a 92% win rate across 200+ submissions. TenderLab Ltd, Companies House 17184263. Book a free consultation.
Related reading
- Case study: Hertfordshire County Council CYP Homecare Framework
- Case study: Sheffield Adults with Disabilities DPS, Lot 3 Overnight Short Breaks
- Fair Pay Agreement 2028: pricing multi-year care contracts
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