Emotional Health & Wellbeing Service For Looked After Children and Care Leavers
A practical guide to understanding what the buyer really wants and how to build a winning response.
This isn't just about emotional health
When Wigan Council talks about delivering an Emotional and Mental Health Service, they're not just asking for therapy sessions.
They're looking for a partner to handle the sensitive task of supporting children and young people in care, helping them build resilience and find stability.
The contract covers a comprehensive service: from trauma-informed therapeutic support to systemic and dyadic approaches, alongside parenting programmes.
But what they're truly buying is a service that can make a real difference in the lives of these young people, preventing escalation and ensuring stability.
Understand the real needs of children in care
If I were evaluating bids, I'd be looking for a deep understanding of the unique challenges faced by children and young people in care.
It's about recognising the trauma they may have experienced and offering tailored support that meets their individual needs.
Most bidders will focus on their credentials and past successes.
But I'd be looking for evidence that you can connect with these young people, understand their world and adapt your service to them.
Think about the carers too
It's easy to focus solely on the children and young people, but remember the carers.
They are part of this picture too.
Wigan Council wants a service that supports carers and foster carers, helping them provide stable and nurturing environments.
Highlight how your approach will equip carers with the skills and support they need.
Focus on therapeutic parenting support and how it will empower carers to handle challenging situations.
Don't just promise flexibility, prove it
Flexibility is a big theme in this tender.
The service needs to adapt to the varied needs of children in care, whether they're in or out of the Wigan Borough.
And this includes out-of-hours provision.
I'd want to see clear examples of how you've delivered flexible services in the past.
Showcase your ability to personalise interventions and provide support whenever and wherever it's needed.
Evidence always beats promises
One thing I noticed when I worked in the public sector was that almost every bidder claimed to offer excellent support.
But few could back it up with solid evidence.
If you have case studies or testimonials that demonstrate your success in similar situations, use them.
Evidence types that fit this sector include:
- Successful outcomes from past interventions
- Testimonials from carers and young people you've helped
- Data showing improved resilience and emotional wellbeing
- Examples of preventing escalation to specialist services
Pay attention to what they say
Wigan Council is clear about their priorities.
They want a service that is responsive and tailored to individual needs.
And they're looking for a partnership that focuses on improving mental health, emotional wellbeing and resilience.
Your submission should reflect these priorities.
Demonstrate how your approach aligns with their vision and show that you understand the importance of working closely with social care teams.
Keep standards high over the whole term
Consistency is critical.
It's not just about starting strong, but maintaining high standards throughout the five-year term.
Discuss how you'll manage staff recruitment, training and retention to ensure continuity.
Think about how you'll handle absences and holidays without compromising service quality.
Buyers will be reassured by a clear plan for regular performance reviews and quality checks.
Remember the people behind the contract
One thing I'd keep reminding myself is that behind every service user is a real person with unique needs and challenges.
Every decision and every policy you propose should be tested against a simple question:
"How does this improve the lives of the children and young people in care?"
Common mistakes
Avoid submissions that:
- Focus solely on clinical interventions without considering the broader social context
- Offer generic solutions without tailoring to individual needs
- Neglect the support needs of carers and foster carers
- Fail to provide evidence of past successes
- Overlook the importance of flexibility and out-of-hours provision
- Do not address how they will work with Wigan's social care teams
- Ignore the need for a consistent, long-term approach
- Lack a clear plan for maintaining service quality over time
My Final Thoughts
Wigan Council is looking for more than just a service provider.
They want a partner who understands the complexities of working with children and young people in care.
The contract value is £1,500,000 over five years, which highlights the importance of quality over quantity.
With the focus on improving emotional health and promoting stability, your written submission will carry significant weight.
Show them that you can deliver the outcomes they care about.
Thanks for reading.
I hope this guide has helped make public procurement feel a little less daunting. If it has, then it's done its job.
P.S. Got a question?
If you've got a question about anything you've read, or you're stuck on a tender, just send me an email.
Whether it's a quick question or you simply need pointing in the right direction, I'm always happy to help if I can.
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Our guides are written using publicly available procurement information, including contract notices and published tender documents where available. They are designed to help suppliers understand the buyer's likely priorities and think more strategically about their approach. They are not based on any bidder's confidential submission, bespoke bid strategy or non-public procurement information.