Scope
Description
The Department for Education (DfE) is seeking to procure a bespoke package of high-quality multidisciplinary training on parental imprisonment for professionals across England (e.g. teachers, Family Hub staff, social workers etc).
The multidisciplinary training programme must include information on prisons and the criminal justice system; the impact parental imprisonment can have on children and families within the community; and existing tools for support.
The programme needs to be accessible to a range of professionals. Therefore, we require the supplier(s) to design and facilitate both an in-person course with a facilitator and an online self-paced course. The in-person training is to be aimed at local authority/school staff (e.g. teachers, social workers and Family Hub staff etc) and the online training to be aimed at professionals in general, open to anyone who wishes to access it (e.g. police, prison officers, probation officers, Ofsted inspectors).
We want this training to upskill professionals on the impact parental imprisonment can have on children and families, reduce the stigmatisation of children and families affected by parental imprisonment and break down barriers to support.
We will be conducting an initial engagement event on Wednesday 10 September 10am to 11am. We will share a high level version of the requirement and high level details of the procurement process. If you would like to attend this session please contact james.drew@education.gov.uk and lois.crow@education.gov.uk. Following this session, we will send all interested attendees a questionnaire for feedback on the proposals covered in the session. We reserve the right to then hold 1-2-1 sessions with those that responded to the questionnaire to seek clarifications to the responses given. In that event, no additional information will be shared with those attending a 1-2-1 session.
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029
- Possible extension to 31 March 2031
- 5 years
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 80000000 - Education and training services
- 85300000 - Social work and related services
Contract locations
- UKC - North East (England)
- UKD - North West (England)
- UKF - East Midlands (England)
- UKG - West Midlands (England)
- UKH - East of England
- UKJ - South East (England)
- UKK - South West (England)
- UKI - London
Engagement
Engagement deadline
10 September 2025
Engagement process description
As described in Scope, we will be conducting an initial engagement event on Wednesday 10 September 10am to 11am. We will share a high level version of the requirement and high level details of the procurement process. If you would like to attend this session please contact james.drew@education.gov.uk and lois.crow@education.gov.uk. Following this session, we will send all interested attendees a questionnaire for feedback on the proposals covered in the session. We reserve the right to then hold 1-2-1 sessions with those that responded to the questionnaire to seek clarifications to the responses given. In that event, no additional information will be shared with those attending a 1-2-1 session.
Participation
Particular suitability
- Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
- Voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE)
Submission
Publication date of tender notice (estimated)
6 October 2025
Contracting authority
Department for Education
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PDZG-3487-DPVD
Sanctuary Buildings, 20 Great Smith Street
London
SW1P3BT
United Kingdom
Region: UKI32 - Westminster
Organisation type: Public authority - central government