Best Start in Life Parent /carer panels

Leicestershire County Council is seeking a third-party provider under solicitation DN828783 to establish and coordinate a parent and carer engagement forum. This initiative supports the 2026-2029 Department for Education Family Hubs and Start for Life Programme by gathering the experiences of families from conception to age two and during transitions for older children. The selected provider will be responsible for recruiting, training, and mentoring parents and carers to ensure they can actively contribute to the co-production, design, and continuous improvement of local services. The goal is to create a sustainable model where families are empowered to lead ongoing forums, fulfilling national expectations for family participation and collaboration. The contract is estimated to run from January 11, 2027, to January 10, 2030, with a possible 12-month extension to January 10, 2031. The total estimated value is 98,000 GBP excluding VAT. Award decisions will be heavily weighted toward quality at 80 percent, with price accounting for the remaining 20 percent. This opportunity is particularly suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community, and social enterprises. Tenders must be submitted electronically via the East Midlands Tenders portal by December 2, 2026.