LPS CAPH - Market Engagement - Provider List for Break Time & Short Breaks (including intensive therapeutic and short breaks service (ITSBS) for SEND children and young people)

Have your say – help shape future opportunities with Lancashire County Council

Following recent market engagement, Lancashire County Council is seeking your feedback on what helps — or creates barriers to — joining our Break Time and Short Breaks Provider List.

 We want to make it easier for new providers to join, help existing providers grow, and improve how we work as a long‑term partner. We know this is a specialist market and recognise we haven’t always made things as easy as we should. Your honest feedback will help us improve our approach, shape future commissioning, and design better application and support processes.

 All responses are confidential and will not disadvantage any organisation now or in the future.

 Opening Doors Provider Feedback on Joining our Provider List – Fill in form

 

Title

 

Market Engagement

Provider List for Break Time & Short Breaks (including intensive therapeutic and short breaks service (ITSBS) for SEND children and young people)

Reference

 

NM/CYP/CAPH/LCC/26/1514

Description and objectives

 

Lancashire County Council is preparing to recommission its Break Time & Short Breaks services for children and young people aged 0–18 with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), with a new framework planned to commence on 5 April 2027.

As part of this process, the Council is undertaking market engagement to:

  • Understand provider capacity, capability, and interest
  • Gather feedback on the current service model
  • Explore opportunities to strengthen inclusion, accessibility, and flexibility
  • Inform the final commissioning approach and tender design

This notice invites existing and potential providers of Short Breaks and Break Time  (group based SEND activities) to participate.

 

Estimated contract dates/timescales

Invitation to Tender anticipated to be published in June 2026

New Framework planned for 5 April 2027

Main procurement category

 

Services

CPV classifications

 

85000000, 85300000 and 85312120

Contract locations

 

UK – D4 Lancashire

Deadline for responses to preliminary market engagement

 

TBC

Preliminary Market Engagement description

 

Background

Short Breaks and Break Time provide essential support for children and young people with SEND by offering quality group based activities, building independence, social skills and confidence, and giving families a much needed break from caring.

Feedback from families, children, practitioners and providers has highlighted variable availability across the county, increasing levels of need, demand for more local and accessible provision, the importance of 1:1 and personal care capacity, and the need for consistent information across providers. Providers have also expressed interest in clearer commissioning expectations, improved communication, and shared development opportunities.

The Council is reviewing the current delivery approach, including the Break Time model, and wishes to test potential enhancements with the market ahead of formal tendering.

 

Current Specification

Please see the following link for the current specification.  Please note the specification will be reviewed as part of the process planning.

 

Reopening of the Provider list for Break Time, Home Care and Short Breaks Services for children and…

 

 

Objectives

The preliminary market engagement aims to:

1. Understand the Current and Potential Provider Market

  • Assess provider capacity, capability, and areas of specialism.
  • Identify geographical gaps, staffing challenges, and delivery constraints.

2. Gather Insight to Inform the Service Model

  • Collect feedback on the strengths and limitations of the current Break Time and Short Breaks offer.
  • Test emerging commissioning ideas, including approaches to inclusion, accessibility, flexible delivery, and support for children with higher or complex needs.

3. Support the Development of a Clear and Achievable Specification

  • Ensure the future framework reflects realistic provider operating conditions.
  • Explore innovation, partnership opportunities, and models that enhance local access and consistency.

4. Strengthen Provider Engagement and Transparency

  • Provide clarity on anticipated timescales, expectations, and the future tender process.
  • Build open communication channels and support new providers to enter the market.

5. Help Shape a Fair, Competitive, and Well Informed Procurement Process

  • Ensure providers are well prepared for the upcoming tender.
  • Use market insight to design a commissioning approach that is deliverable, sustainable, and responsive to family needs.

 

The Council is actively reaching out to both current and potential providers of Short Breaks and Break Time services to:

  • Understand market capacity and capability
  • Gauge interest levels
  • Explore potential improvements to service delivery
  • Test elements of the future commissioning approach

This is being done before the specification and tender documents are finalised.

 

These activities form the core of the preliminary engagement:

 

A. Online Webinar - This has now been conducted and we are reviewing the information gathered

This was an introductory session delivered via Microsoft Teams where the Council:

  • Presented the current service model
  • Shared emerging commissioning intentions
  • Provided a Q&A opportunity for providers

B. In Person Provider Engagement Event - This has now been conducted and we are reviewing the information gathered

This was a deeper engagement session including:

  • Overviewing of the existing offer
  • Discussed the inclusion, accessibility, and staffing models
  • Considered innovative and flexible delivery options
  • Held provider workshops to gather detailed feedback

C. Provider Feedback Questionnaire

A structured survey to collect further detail on:

  • Activity types
  • Staffing and capacity
  • Geographical reach
  • Ability to support children with complex needs
  • Barriers to delivering Short Breaks
  • Provider recommendations for improvement

Invitation for Providers to Register Interest

The Council is inviting organisations to register for:

  • Updates and future communications

Previous Event Presentations:

 Short Breaks Provider Engagement Event Presentation

Break Time Provider Engagement Event Presentation

Contact Organisation and contact details

 

For questions relating to this notice or the engagement events, please contact:
Lancashire Short Breaks Commissioning Team
📧 cyp-shortbreaks@lancashire.gov.uk

 

Additional information

Participation in market engagement does not form part of the formal procurement process and does not affect future tender eligibility.

The Council reserves the right to amend what is set out in the market engagement. Any process that may be conducted will only be in accordance with the procurement documents that are published

SBS Homecare review presentation - 13 April 26

Market Engagement Event