Shortbreaks And Outreach Framework
Framework Description
Southampton City Council's Short Breaks and Outreach Framework is a multi-provider framework for support services for disabled children and young people aged up to 18. Two lots cover care support with community outreach, and specialist playschemes with targeted short breaks. It runs until 31 October 2030, with an option to extend by up to two years to 31 October 2032.
Context & Use Case
The Council uses it to give families access to respite and activities: care and support at home or in the community, help with personal care and delegated health tasks, behaviour support, and holiday playschemes and group activities for children with complex or substantial needs. Several providers are appointed to each lot, supporting family resilience and better outcomes for children.
Scope of Services
Lot 1: Care Support and Community Outreach Lot 1 services: personalised care at home or in the community, personal care, delegated health tasks, behaviour support, and planned, responsive and crisis support Lot 2: Specialist Playschemes and Targeted Short Breaks Lot 2 services: holiday playschemes, targeted short breaks and group activities for children with complex or substantial needs
Lots
Yes: Lot 1 - Care Support and Community Outreach; Lot 2 - Specialist Playschemes and Targeted Short Breaks
Who Can Apply
Suits providers of children's disability support, short breaks and playschemes with strong safeguarding and experience of complex needs. Applications closed on 19 June 2026 and this is not a DPS, so providers not appointed cannot join now; the next opportunity is the re-tender, likely around October 2030, or October 2032 if extended.
Buyer Benefits
Families need reliable breaks and support that suit each child, and the Council needs enough capacity in school holidays and at crisis points. Several providers per lot give choice and resilience, and a long term with an extension option offers stability for children who rely on familiar staff.
Next Steps
Appointed providers should focus on consistent staffing, safeguarding and outcomes that support families, which will count at the re-tender. Others should use the Find a Tender notice to understand how Southampton scored this procurement, and build evidence of delegated health tasks, behaviour support and holiday provision for disabled children ahead of the next round.
How Athena Can Help
Children's short breaks frameworks are scored heavily on safeguarding and quality. For appointed providers, Athena's care bid writing support wins call-offs with clear, child-centred answers, and our social value and pricing advice keeps your offer competitive and sustainable across a framework that could run until 2032.
If you missed this round, our help joining frameworks finds similar children's frameworks and dynamic markets that are open now and prepares the applications and evidence.
