Children's Short Breaks Services - Market Engagement Opportunity

Bury Council is seeking expressions of interest from providers to help shape the recommissioning of its SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) Short Breaks service. This is a preliminary market engagement (PME) exercise ahead of formal procurement. We welcome applications from a diverse range of organisations including current providers, voluntary and community groups, faith-based organisations, youth and play providers, specialist care services, Ofsted-registered children's homes, personal assistants and micro-providers across all six Bury townships (Bury, Prestwich, Radcliffe, Ramsbottom, Tottington and Whitefield). Through this engagement, Bury Council will gather market intelligence on: the proposed restructuring of service contracts by type and location; feasibility of an open, refreshable provider framework; market capacity for specialist, targeted and universal short breaks; minimum quality standards (Ofsted and CQC ratings); contract terms including work-order arrangements; and options for Direct Payments and Personal Assistant routes. Your input will directly influence the Council's procurement strategy, service model and contract structure.