Provider for Family Finding Programme Rollout Across English Local Authorities

The Department for Education is seeking a provider to deliver and scale a Family Finding (FF) programme across eligible English local authorities as part of the Enduring Relationships programme. Family Finding programmes help children in care and young people leaving care build positive, lasting support networks with family and trusted adults. The successful provider will deliver an evidence-based FF model that has demonstrated measurable impact on participants' stability, wellbeing, and long-term outcomes. The provider will be responsible for offering leadership, training, technical support, and quality assurance to enable sustainable adoption of the FF model across up to 129 eligible local authorities. Key requirements include extensive knowledge of FF models, proven experience delivering FF in UK local authority settings, detailed understanding of children's social care, and ability to implement change quickly while building local capacity. The provider will work with an independent Evaluation Partner to monitor programme outcomes and will be expected to raise philanthropic investment or match funding to support delivery. The Department has committed £1.7 million for the current financial year and £6.7 million for 2027-28. Eligible local authorities are those that did not receive FF funding under the previous FFBM programme, though those who received Befriending and Mentoring funding only are eligible, and any LAs already contracted with the selected provider are ineligible.