Market Engagement-Provision of Overnight Care for Disabled Children

Descriptions

Short Breaks and Disabled Children's Support Services Framework 2026

The Children and Families service in the London Borough of Hackney plans to engage with organisations from the voluntary, community, and independent sectors throughout this year to shape the procurement of a Framework for Disabled Children's Services in 2026.

This market engagement is in preparation for the upcoming procurement.

The services will be categorised into 5 separate Lots:

Home and Community Based Outreach Support Services delivering personalised support both in the family home and enabling disabled children to access their local community, facilities and services. This includes support to access and use universal services offered to all children and young people.

Specialist Outreach Support Offer a structured program of social, recreational, and developmental activities suitable for children with a wide range of disabilities, including severe learning disabilities, autism, sensory impairments, and physical disabilities. Provide specialist support for children with complex health needs, including those, mobility assistance, increased supervision and monitoring, or behavior management strategies .

Group Based Support - group activities will include age appropriate social activities that will take place either within specially designed provision for disabled children and/or through outings and support to access universal activities, facilities and services. This will include Holiday Play Schemes, Weekend activities and After School/Evening activities.

Domiciliary Care - services delivering personal care for disabled children in their own homes. These activities will support disabled children to get ready for their day ahead or preparing for bed.

Overnights - overnight services for disabled children delivered at any point in a suitable residential-style setting within easy access of children and their parents living in the London Borough of Hackney. This provision will require providers who have an existing Ofsted registration for overnight short breaks and already have registered properties or can demonstrate that they will have a registered property within 6 months.

We are looking for providers who will work in partnership with the Local Authority to embed Systemic, Trauma Informed and Anti Racist Practice within their service delivery, promoting psychological safety, inclusion and collaboration with children and families. Through this framework, Hackney is focused on driving up quality and improving outcomes, supported by robust contract management, performance monitoring and reporting. This approach will strengthen accountability, support continuous improvement and ensure measurable impact in line with Hackney's statutory duties under the Children Act 1989, Children and Families Act 2014 and Equality Act 2010.

**The first Market Engagement will focus specifically on the Lot for Overnight provision** A virtual event is scheduled for Thursday 5th March 2026, 1.30pm to 2.30pm on the Google Meets Platform.

The dates for future market engagement events for the remaining lots will be released in the forthcoming months.

The core objective for the Overnights Lot is to deliver safe, high-quality care, based on Person-Centred Planning, promoting independence for children and providing essential respite for their families.

1. Conditions of Participation for this LOT: Registration and Regulatory Compliance

The Council requires Providers wishing to deliver Overnight respite care to have the following requirements:

Provider Status: Must be a current Ofsted-registered provider.

Location Registration: Must have current Ofsted-registered building(s) designated for service delivery.

Geographic Scope: London wide (with preference for providers local to Hackney and North and East London)

How to Register Your Interest

Interested organisations are invited to register their interest in attending the event:

Via the portal by completing and uploading the short questionnaire before the return deadline. Questionnaire

The closing date for expressions of interest is Wednesday 4th March at 5pm.

Engagement

The Overnight Care service Framework outlines the provision of safe, high-quality overnight care for disabled children under 18 living in the London Borough of Hackney, as assessed by the Disabled Children's Service (DCS). Its primary purpose is to: Support children towards independence and a better quality of life. Provide regular breaks (respite) for parents/carers to strengthen the family's ability to cope and prevent breakdown. The service will be commissioned via an open framework agreement, categorised into Lots