Description
The purpose of this Prior Information Notice (PIN) is to notify the market of a potential upcoming procurement activity to initiate market consultation; it is not a call for tenders. The PIN is intended to:
1. Raise awareness with the market of a potential future procurement process, and to enable time for organisations to begin early discussions with the Department for Education (the department) and each other as to how they may be able to deliver any future contract.
2. Inform the market that the department will be undertaking market consultation activity, to gather information about the supply market; to explore potential delivery models and associated benefits of those models; and to inform its understanding of the risks and issues relevant to managing transition to, and mobilisation of, any new service arrangements.
This will consist of an online event which will take place on 10th February 2025 at 10am
This PIN, and online event, relate to potential procurement activity for the Department for Education's Family Hubs programme.
Family Hubs do great work helping families access vital services to improve the health, education and wellbeing of babies, children, young people and their families. 75 of the most deprived Local Authorities (LAs) have received around £300 million from DfE and DHSC between 2022 and 2025 to set up family hubs with integrated Start for Life services (parenting, perinatal mental health, infant feeding). There are now more than 400 family hubs open across the 75 LAs. A further £126 million is available for 2025-26, with around £57 million available to provide a raft of support through Start for Life services to families on top of the £69 million announced in the budget for a network of family hubs.
Throughout the 2022-25 programme, DfE funded the setup of a National Centre for Family Hubs to provide expert advice and guidance to all local authorities, local commissioners, academies/schools and third sector bodies with regards to transforming to family hubs.
We are looking to extend the work of the National Centre for Family Hubs to continue to support local authorities in the implementation of the Family Hubs programme in 2025-26.
The role of the National Centre is pivotal in supporting LAs with the successful delivery of the programme, providing additional resource and expertise outside of the Department to provide tailored advice and guidance and create a community of sharing best practice across LAs.
The supplier will need to:
- Champion the adoption of family hubs with stakeholders and local areas/organisations
- Provide tailored regional support and thought leadership on family hub design and implementation, with a focus on DfE/DHSC funded areas.
- Developing and disseminating evidence and good practice on family hubs and other models of integrated services for disadvantaged and vulnerable families, to support the effective transformation of local family services.