25061 Support for Families: Wellbeing in Education

Concepts

• huntingdon
• community health
• mental health support teams
• families
• education settings
• education
• wellbeing
• health services
• mental health issues
• health outcomes

Location

Cambridgeshire CC:

Description

Support for Families: Wellbeing in Education

Total Quantity or Scope

The service is to provide a system-wide approach to support for families of children and young people who have difficulty attending school due to mental health issues. The funds will be primarily focused to support education settings in Cambridgeshire that do not currently benefit from having mental health support teams; to build and/or re-ignite relationships between families and education or health services where appropriate to improve health outcomes. Cambridgeshire County Council is intending to award a contract to an existing provider following direct award process C of the Provider Selection Regime (PSR). The approximate lifetime value of the contract is £400,000. The estimated start date of the service is 01/08/2025 until 31/07/2027.

Award Detail

Award Criteria

CPV Codes

• 85323000 - Community health services

Legal Justification

This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) intention to award notice. The awarding of this contract is subject to the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 or Procurement Act 2023 do not apply to this award. The standstill period begins on the day after the publication of this notice. Representations by providers must be made to the relevant authority by 23 July 2025. This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR

Other Information

** PREVIEW NOTICE, please check Find a Tender for full details. ** This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) intention to award notice. The awarding of this contract is subject to the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 or the Procurement Act 2023 do not apply to this award. The standstill period begins on the day after the publication of this notice. Representations by providers must be made to decision makers by 23 July 2025. You can make representations by emailing sarah.fuller@cambridgeshire.gov.uk This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR. Decision-maker: Patrick Warren-Higgs - Executive Director of Adults, Health and Commissioning. No conflicts of interest declared. Key criteria: Quality & innovation - 50%. This weighting reflects the importance of the service delivery model and outcomes, as well as innovation. Since the service inception in April 2024, the provider has significantly strengthened the systemic capacity to support children and young people. Qualitative feedback from CYP, parents, and school professionals highlights emotional relief, increased understanding, and improved engagement with services. There is quantitative evidence of the good outputs that have been achieved in the first year of the service. The provider plans to continue this work. They have also identified several themes that they are committed to tackling going forward to further improve the service. Value: 30%. After considerable investigation and scrutiny, a maximum budget has been agreed with CCC leadership governance. This has been mapped against expected outcomes as detailed within the service specification e.g. staffing structure. Throughout 2024-25, Nessie have delivered on budget, reporting to expected deadlines every quarter. They will be expected to adhere to agreed KPIs, regular performance and financial monitoring, and meet required insurance thresholds as set out in the contract terms and conditions Integration, collaboration and service sustainability - 5%. Nessie have brought together over 25 local partners regularly who each work with CYP and families with emotional-based school avoidance, to identify commonalities, develop and improve pathways and access, reduce waiting lists, and improve CYP outcomes. They have built strong lasting relationships and stakeholder networks with partners, to signpost, refer, and work alongside to better improve the local system. They are already building stronger links with relevant partners by developing more seamless referral routes. They will also work alongside the re-organisation of Mental Health Support Teams in Schools, as they move from 50% to 100% coverage of schools by 2029/30. Improving access, reducing health inequalities and facilitating choice - 5%. KPIs are focussed on reducing health inequalities and improving access e.g. Number of Schools contacted and engaged without a Mental Health Support Team; No. of CYP supported. Nessie has performed well against these. Nessie plan to have more focus on those CYP not in mainstream education i.e. alternative provision, home elected learners, NEET etc. They will continue to collect and apply extensive demographic and needs-based data to guide future practice. Social value - 10%. Weighting in line with the council's guidance on social value. As projected in their original submission bid, Nessie have recruited locally and upskilled the local workforce. Environmental factors have been considered, including car sharing, online services where possible to reduce carbon footprint and promoting recycling. The nature of this type of service shows a commitment to tackling health inequalities and improving the health outcomes of our CYP as a not-for-profit enterprise. Nessie have committed to continuing to deliver the above and will be required to adhere to agreed KPIs.