Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) is developing new regional arrangements for children's services across the North West of England, with opportunities for providers to contribute to the design of future contracts. The procurement, known as GMCA 2201: North West Regional Children's Services, will replace existing regional purchasing systems covering services such as fostering, children's residential care, supported accommodation and special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision.
Providers are being invited to participate in market engagement workshops throughout November 2026, with registration for the in-person sessions closing at 5pm on 23 October 2026. The proposed arrangements will be important for organisations already delivering services to North West local authorities, as well as providers interested in future opportunities across the region.
GMCA North West Children's Services: an overview
GMCA is working with the North West Association of Directors of Children's Services (NWADCS) to develop new regional contracting arrangements on behalf of 24 local authorities. The existing regional purchasing systems have been operating for several years, with the earliest residential arrangements dating back to 2009. Together, these arrangements currently include more than 500 providers and support placements for over 3,000 children at any one time.
GMCA intends to bring the new arrangements under a single lead authority, replacing the existing structure involving Bolton, Cheshire East and Trafford.
The main details are:
- Lead contracting authority: Greater Manchester Combined Authority
- Procurement reference: GMCA 2201
- Geographical coverage: North West England
- Current activity: Preliminary market engagement
- Workshop registration deadline: 23 October 2026 at 5pm
- Provider workshops: 9–23 November 2026
- Overall engagement deadline: 24 November 2026
- Indicative tender publication: March 2027
The procurement is being developed under the light-touch regime, reflecting the nature of the services involved. The GMCA preliminary market engagement notice provides information about the planned arrangements. Providers can also follow updates through NWADCS's regional contracts development page.
Which children's services are included?
The regional programme concerns several existing commissioning arrangements that local authorities use to source placements and specialist services. These currently cover fostering, residential services, SEND alternative provision and supported accommodation. The engagement programme also includes discussions with providers of residential family centres and therapeutic or health-related services.
Fostering services
The existing regional fostering arrangements support local authorities in sourcing suitable placements through independent fostering agencies and other eligible providers. The development process will consider how future arrangements can better support local authorities and providers, including approaches to pricing, placement sufficiency and contract management.
Fostering providers with experience delivering placements across the North West are encouraged to contribute their views.
Children's residential services
Residential children's homes are another major part of the regional commissioning arrangements. The November workshops provide an opportunity for residential providers to discuss service specifications, contractual arrangements and practical challenges associated with delivering placements. The programme also includes a separate session focused on residential family centres. Providers should consider which workshop best reflects their existing services and experience.
SEND schools, colleges and alternative provision
The regional arrangements also cover services for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. Separate workshops are planned for SEND schools and colleges, and SEND alternative provision. These sessions will allow relevant organisations to discuss requirements specific to their services, rather than treating all SEND provision as a single category.
Supported accommodation and therapeutic services
Supported accommodation is included within the existing regional commissioning arrangements, with a dedicated workshop scheduled for November. A separate session will also consider therapeutic and health-related services.
Organisations working in these areas may benefit from contributing practical insight about service delivery, placement needs and the requirements of commissioning authorities.
November 2026 provider engagement workshops
GMCA and NWADCS have arranged seven in-person workshops in central Manchester. These sessions will focus on the proposed specifications and terms and conditions for different areas of service provision.
Date | Time | Provider workshop |
|---|---|---|
9 November | 10am–12.30pm | Fostering |
11 November | 10am–12.30pm | SEND Schools and Colleges |
11 November | 2pm–4.30pm | SEND Alternative Provision |
12 November | 10am–12.30pm | Residential |
12 November | 2pm–4.30pm | Residential Family Centres |
23 November | 10am–12.30pm | Supported Accommodation |
23 November | 2pm–4.30pm | Therapeutic/Health |
Providers must request a workshop place by 5pm on 23 October 2026. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, with a maximum of one attendee per organisation. GMCA may also limit attendance from organisations within the same corporate group. Successful applicants are expected to be notified by 28 October.
Attendees will need to review the relevant documentation beforehand and arrive prepared to contribute to discussions. Workshop registration details are available through the NWADCS regional contracts development page.
Other ways providers can contribute
Recognising that some organisations may be unable to attend in-person events, GMCA and NWADCS are providing additional opportunities to participate.
Online review forums
Online review sessions are planned following the circulation of draft contract documents. These will focus on particular elements of the specifications and contractual terms, providing opportunities for providers to review proposals and offer feedback. Organisations already participating in the regional arrangements will receive invitations. Other interested providers can register for the relevant mailing list using the information published by NWADCS.
Online feedback
An online feedback process is also available for organisations wishing to contribute outside scheduled meetings. This is particularly useful for smaller providers that may have limited capacity to attend workshops or participate in discussions at fixed times. Providers can use this process to raise questions, comment on proposed arrangements and share relevant experience. The programme is intended to gather input from organisations of different sizes and service types.
What changes are GMCA and NWADCS seeking?
The current regional commissioning arrangements cover a substantial number of providers and placements. The development programme is intended to address practical challenges identified through previous engagement with local authorities and service providers. Several objectives are particularly relevant to organisations working in children's services.
- Reducing duplication
GMCA wants to simplify regional procurement activity and reduce unnecessary duplication across different commissioning arrangements. A more consistent approach could make it easier for providers to understand requirements and manage their relationships with participating authorities. - Improving transparency and oversight
The new arrangements are also intended to strengthen the visibility and management of regional commissioning activity. For providers, clear contract requirements and reporting arrangements are important for maintaining effective working relationships with local authorities. - Understanding placement sufficiency
Regional authorities need a clearer picture of whether sufficient provision is available to meet the needs of children and young people. Providers can contribute valuable insight into capacity, specialist provision and the practical challenges affecting service availability. - Reviewing pricing and uplifts
Pricing arrangements and the way costs are reviewed or adjusted are another focus of the development programme. This is an important opportunity for providers to explain how different commercial models affect their ability to deliver safe, sustainable services. - Supporting local and sub-regional collaboration
The programme aims to improve collaboration across the North West, recognising that local markets and service needs may vary. Providers with experience working across multiple authorities can help identify where regional consistency is useful and where local flexibility may be necessary.
What do existing children's services providers need to know?
One important feature of the proposed arrangements is that existing providers will not automatically transfer onto the new contracts. GMCA has indicated that organisations currently participating in regional purchasing systems will need to apply to join the replacement arrangements when they are introduced. This makes the development programme relevant even to established providers with longstanding relationships with North West authorities.
Businesses and organisations should monitor the procurement as it progresses and begin considering what evidence they may need for a future application. The current systems have different scheduled end dates, so providers should not assume that every service will move to a replacement arrangement at exactly the same time.
GMCA and NWADCS will provide further information as the procurement timetable and contracting structure are developed.
How providers can prepare for future applications
Although the immediate priority is engagement, organisations can use the coming months to review their readiness for future procurement opportunities.
Review service experience and outcomes
Relevant experience will be important when demonstrating a provider's ability to deliver children's services. Organisations should consider how they can evidence the quality of their provision, professional competence and experience meeting the needs of children and young people. Examples should reflect the services being delivered and explain the outcomes achieved, while respecting confidentiality and safeguarding requirements.
Assess capacity and service coverage
The regional arrangements involve 24 local authorities, but individual providers may work within particular locations or specialist service areas. Businesses should consider their current capacity, geographical coverage and ability to respond to future placement requirements. This may also help identify areas where collaboration or service development could support future opportunities.
Review governance and quality assurance
Children's services providers operate in environments where safeguarding, oversight and service quality are essential. Organisations should ensure their policies, procedures and supporting information are current and appropriate to the services they deliver. Depending on the service, this may include regulatory information, professional qualifications, staffing arrangements and evidence of effective management. The future procurement documentation will establish the specific participation and evaluation requirements.
Prepare for the procurement process
Providers can also review their existing bid documentation, identify potential gaps and establish who will be responsible for preparing future applications. Organisations operating across several service categories may need to coordinate input from operational managers, finance teams and safeguarding or quality specialists.
Thornton & Lowe's bid writing services can support children's services providers with developing clear, evidence-based responses to public sector procurement requirements.
What happens next?
The November workshops and wider engagement process will help GMCA and NWADCS develop the regional contracting arrangements. March 2027 is the current expected date for publication of the formal tender. Providers should follow the NWADCS development updates and associated procurement notices for the latest information.
For organisations wishing to participate in the workshops, the immediate priority is to register by 23 October 2026 and prepare for the relevant November session. Those unable to attend can still contribute through the review forums and online feedback arrangements.
Bid writing support for children's services providers
The development of new North West children's services contracts represents an important opportunity for providers involved in fostering, residential care, SEND provision and supported accommodation. With existing providers expected to apply for places on the replacement arrangements, preparing early could help organisations approach the future procurement with greater confidence.
Thornton & Lowe supports health and social care providers with public sector tenders, framework applications and bid preparation. We help organisations present their service experience, quality arrangements and delivery capabilities clearly. If your organisation is preparing for the forthcoming GMCA children's services procurement, speak to Thornton & Lowe about how we can support your next application.
