The 2.0 Short Breaks and Disabled Children's Support Services Framework from the London Borough of Hackney is a significant public sector opportunity for organisations that support disabled children and their families. With a total value of £19,372,000 including VAT over five years, this framework is designed to deliver critical short break and respite services across a range of specialist settings. If your organisation is considering submitting a bid, contact Thornton & Lowe today for a tailored suitability review.
Benefits and Scope of the Framework
The framework procures a comprehensive suite of services for disabled children and young people in Hackney, going well beyond a single type of care. The five-year term and substantial funding offer both stability and the scope for relationship-building with the local authority. The contract is split into five lots:
- Lot 1: Home and Community Based Outreach Support Services
- Lot 2: Specialist Outreach Support
- Lot 3: Group Based Support
- Lot 4: Domiciliary Care
- Lot 5: Overnights
You can view the full official notice here.
This lot structure gives both generalist and specialist providers the chance to deliver standalone services or form strategic partnerships to cover multiple areas. Providers can bid for one or more lots, enabling flexibility in the type and breadth of provision offered. Notably, Lot 5 (Overnights) carries specific eligibility requirements: providers must hold current Ofsted registration for overnight short breaks and have properties within 25 miles of the M25. All lots require robust safeguarding policies, DBS processes, anti-racist practice, and trauma-informed approaches embedded in service delivery.
Hackney's vision for this framework goes beyond transactional service delivery. The council is looking for providers who will work in genuine partnership to embed Systemic, Trauma Informed and Anti-Racist Practice, so your narrative and delivery model should reflect this cultural alignment, not just your compliance credentials. Our team at Thornton & Lowe has supported providers bidding for similar children's services frameworks with local authorities across England; we know how evaluators read these responses. For more on how we approach care bids, see our health and social care tender writing guide.
Preparing to Bid: Considerations and Tips
Given the clear segmentation by lot and the depth of required services, suppliers must carefully assess their operational strengths, partnerships, and local delivery capability. The London Borough of Hackney is the sole contracting authority, meaning an understanding of its commissioning approach and priorities around inclusive, quality-led community care will be a significant advantage.
- Align Your Offer: Match your offer closely to the service descriptions within relevant lots. Precision about your unique value in outreach, group work, or overnight respite is vital.
- Showcase Flexibility and Specialism: The lot system values both depth and breadth. If you excel in specialist support, highlight case studies and credentials in delivering to children with complex needs. If you're targeting group or domiciliary support, demonstrate your track record and operational robustness.
- Capacity and Compliance: The high value and long duration demand evidence of scalable delivery and strong governance. Provide concrete examples of compliance, safeguarding, and anti-racist practice in comparable settings.
Given the scale and term, you may wish to collaborate with local organisations or form consortia to strengthen your proposition. This can be particularly advantageous when spanning several lots.
Quick Facts
- Framework value: £19,372,000 including VAT
- Authority: London Borough of Hackney
- Agreement length: 5 years
- Lots: 5 (covering outreach, specialist, group support, domiciliary care, and overnights)
Key Dates
- Submission deadline: 1 June 2026
- Framework duration: 5 years
Bidders are strongly encouraged to review the full notice and tender documents to ensure all requirements and scope are fully understood before commencing your application. With a reasonable submission window, starting preparations early is key to maximising your chances.
For tailored bidding support, including a quick-read opportunity review and step-by-step guidance on your suitability, contact Thornton & Lowe. Our expert team helps UK children's and social care providers secure places on major public sector frameworks like this one. Make your next bid count.
