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    ContractsIndependent Review Mechanism for Fostering and Adoption - Market Engagement
    Open tender

    Independent Review Mechanism for Fostering and Adoption - Market Engagement

    Contract value
    £800k
    Published 25 Sept 2026

    Market engagement event to gather supplier feedback on the future delivery and commercial strategy for the Department for Education's Independent Review Mechanism statutory service for fostering and adoption.

    🇬🇧United Kingdom· LondonPublished 25 Sept 2026· TodayviaFind a Tender
    Contract value
    £800k
    Published 25 Sept 2026

    Decision brief

    4 fields
    • Contract value
      £800,000indicative
      Pounds sterling
    • Closing date
      Rolling
      No closing date published
    • Sector
      Social Care
      Browse related listings
    • Location
      🇬🇧United Kingdom
      London

    Lifecycle

    Open

    Open tender — no closing date published. Opened today.

    25 September 2026
    Open tender · no closing date published

    Brief

    The Department for Education is seeking market feedback to inform the future delivery model for the Independent Review Mechanism (IRM), a statutory service providing independent reviews for prospective and existing foster parents, adopters, and adult adoptees. The IRM allows applicants to request independent review of fostering and adoption service decisions, including those relating to approval status and access to records. These reviews are conducted by independent panels of experienced children's social care professionals, ensuring impartial assessment. This is a pre-procurement market engagement event only and does not constitute the start of a formal procurement process. The Department is gathering supplier input on future service delivery approaches, operational models, and commercial strategy to ensure the IRM continues to support transparency, fairness, and public confidence in fostering and adoption decision-making across England. Any formal procurement opportunity will be advertised separately, and the scope, requirements, and contract value may be refined following this engagement activity. Potential suppliers should be prepared to discuss innovative delivery models, quality assurance mechanisms, and capacity to manage complex case reviews.

    Track record

    3 awards · 3 winners
    Open field

    No single supplier dominates the field.

    In this category, DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION has awarded 3 contracts to 3 suppliers.

    Who wins here
    1. Careerminds UK Limited1× · 33%
    2. Anna Freud/UCL/SLaM1× · 33%
    3. Social Finance Ltd1× · 33%

    Across this category, the most active winners are CARE LINE HOMECARE LIMITED, SPRINGFIELD HOME CARE SERVICES LIMITED, Roche Diagnostics Ltd — the field to beat, or your route in as a partner.

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    Take action
    View tender on sourceFind a Tender

    Full notice and submission process on the publisher's site

    Publisher
    UK Cabinet Office
    Licence
    OGL v3.0
    Source
    find-tender.service.gov.uk
    Record ID
    ocds-h6vhtk-077a23
    DF
    Buyer
    DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION
    Sector
    Social Care