Support for Families with Disabled Children

Tender description

EARLY MARKET ENGAGAMENT EVENT The Department for Education is considering the future delivery of the Support for Families with Disabled Children (SFDC) programme in England. SFDC provides financial support to low-income families raising disabled or seriously ill children and young people, helping to address practical and financial barriers arising from disability or serious illness. Delivery of SFDC requires a provider capable of administering a national grant programme, managing public funds and maintaining appropriate safeguarding, information-security and fraud-prevention arrangements. The Department is undertaking preliminary market engagement to inform the development of the future delivery model and potential procurement. This includes understanding market capability and capacity to deliver a national programme; approaches to assessment and grant administration; ability to build trust and engage sympathetically and empathetically with families in challenging circumstances, partnership and supply-chain models; mobilisation requirements; and potential barriers to market participation. In parallel with this market engagement, the Department is progressing the governance and contractual arrangements needed to maintain continuity of the existing service. These arrangements support ongoing delivery while the future delivery model is developed. The Department's emerging policy approach is to focus support on interventions that address a defined disability-related barrier and contribute directly to outcomes for disabled children and young people, while avoiding duplication of suitable support genuinely available through other services. The final scope, requirements, commercial model, contract value and procurement approach remain subject to policy development, market engagement and relevant approvals.