Provision of Children's Short Breaks Activities and Support (Aiming High)

Staffordshire County Council is undertaking Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) to inform the future recommissioning of its Provision of Children's Short Breaks Activities and Support (known internally as Aiming High SEND Short Breaks Service), currently expected to commence from April 2027.

The Council wishes to engage with current and potential providers to better understand market capacity, capability, innovation, and potential delivery models for providing high-quality short breaks and support opportunities for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and their families across Staffordshire.

The Aiming High programme forms part of Staffordshire's wider short breaks offer and aims to:

• improve outcomes for children and young people with SEND;
• promote independence, inclusion and preparation for adulthood;
• enable children and young people to participate in positive activities within their communities;
• support family resilience and help parents and carers continue in their caring role;
• provide opportunities for social development, friendships and community participation; and
• deliver timely support that helps prevent the escalation of need wherever appropriate.

The Council is seeking feedback from organisations capable of delivering inclusive, high-quality, outcome-focused services and activities for children and young people with SEND aged 0-25 years.

Providers should have a thorough understanding of, and be able to operate in accordance with, relevant legislation, statutory guidance and local policies, including:

• Children Act 1989;
• Children and Families Act 2014;
• Care Act 2014;
• SEND Code of Practice 2015;
• Breaks for Carers of Disabled Children Regulations 2011;
• Equality Act 2010;
• Mental Capacity Act 2005;
• Human Rights Act 1998;
• Working Together to Safeguard Children;
• Keeping Children Safe in Education (where applicable);
• Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 (or any successor legislation); and
• Staffordshire's SEND and Alternative Provision Strategy 2026-2029
• Staffordshire's SEND Local Offer.

The future service is expected to include a range of accessible and inclusive short break opportunities that are:

• meaningful, safe and enjoyable;
• appropriate for different ages, abilities and levels of need;
• delivered during term time (non-school hours) and school holidays;
• available through a variety of indoor, outdoor and community-based activities;
• responsive to local demand;
• designed to support independence, confidence and life skills; and
• capable of delivering positive outcomes for children, young people and their families.

The Council is particularly interested in understanding market capacity to support children and young people with more complex disabilities and higher levels of need, including those who may require:

• enhanced supervision and support;
• higher staffing ratios;
• specialist skills, training or behavioural support approaches;
• adapted environments or activities; and
• more personalised delivery arrangements.

As part of this engagement, the Council is exploring whether future arrangements could include:

• A General Targeted Offer

Community-based short break opportunities for children and young people with lower to moderate support needs.

• An Enhanced Targeted Offer

A more specialist strand of provision for children and young people with higher levels of need who may require additional support, specialist expertise, enhanced staffing levels or tailored approaches to participation.

The Council is also interested in receiving feedback on potential coordinated delivery models. This may include arrangements where a lead organisation supports the planning, organisation and coordination of a network of providers and may undertake activities such as:

• managing bookings and allocations;
• coordinating delivery across multiple providers;
• supporting equitable access across Staffordshire;
• monitoring quality, outcomes and performance;
• supporting communication and engagement with families; and
• helping to identify and address gaps in provision.

Accordingly, the Council would particularly welcome engagement from organisations that may be interested in:

• delivering short break activities directly;
• delivering specialist or enhanced provision for children and young people with higher levels of need;
• acting as a lead/coordinating provider;
• participating in a provider network or partnership model; or
• providing innovative solutions that improve access, quality, outcomes and value for money.

The Council is especially keen to hear from providers able to deliver services in rural and underserved areas of Staffordshire and those with experience of supporting children and young people with complex SEND.

This Preliminary Market Engagement exercise is intended solely to inform future commissioning arrangements. No final decisions have been made regarding service design, delivery model, contract structure or procurement approach.