Source: https://tendernation.io/opportunities/01a13be5-38ce-722d-bfd4-99f7a01b9b55/staying-close awarded GB direct award procedure Suitable for SMEs # Staying Close [Essex County Council](https://tendernation.io/buyers/essex-county-council) Estimated value Not stated Published 22 Sept 2026 Deadline Rolling deadline ## Who can bid - Buyer says suitable for SMEs The buyer ticked “suitable for SMEs” on the notice. Anyone can still bid. - Buyer says suitable for VCSEs The buyer ticked “suitable for voluntary, community and social enterprises” on the notice. [More contracts for small businesses and VCSEs](https://tendernation.io/opportunities/for-small-businesses) ## About this tender Essex County Council is procuring a specialist intensive coaching service to deliver the Staying Close programme for children in care and care leavers, primarily aged 16-25, who present with complex needs, placement instability and heightened risks. The service will provide relationship-based, trauma-informed coaching and practical support to vulnerable young people for up to 25 hours per week over a period of up to 18 months. The programme is designed to improve stability, safety, resilience and life outcomes by working closely with young people, their families, carers, social workers, placement providers and other relevant agencies. The appointed provider will recruit, manage and supervise skilled coaches who will deliver personalised, strengths-based interventions focused on reducing risk, improving emotional wellbeing, strengthening family and social relationships, supporting engagement in education, employment and training, and enabling successful transitions into adulthood. The service will also support young people to step down safely from higher-cost or higher-intensity care placements, return home where appropriate, or achieve greater stability within their existing placement arrangements. The provider will operate across Essex, delivering flexible support including evenings, weekends and out-of-hours arrangements, whilst maintaining strong multi-agency partnerships and robust safeguarding, performance monitoring and outcome measurement processes. The overall aim of the service is to achieve improved outcomes for vulnerable young people, reduce placement breakdowns, promote sustainable independence and resilience, and deliver a cost-effective alternative to more intensive care settings. Read full description Source Find a Tender (UK) · Notice ocds-h6vhtk-06d25a-2026-09-22T09:22:31+01:00 [View official notice](https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/ocds-h6vhtk-06d25a-2026-09-22T09:22:31+01:00) Never miss a tender like this again Get AI summaries, deadline alerts and a bid pipeline for tenders matched to your business. Free to start. [Track tenders free](https://tendernation.io/register) [Buyer profile Essex County Council: past awards and live tenders](https://tendernation.io/buyers/essex-county-council) ## More tenders like this [Invitation to Tender Window Cleaning Services - Wirral · Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust · 33 days left · 20 Nov 2026](https://tendernation.io/opportunities/01a1539a-cf1d-702b-9ffd-93cfa91d3c7c/invitation-to-tender-window-cleaning-services-wirral) [Boiler chemical and Softener Services · Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust · 29 days left · 16 Nov 2026](https://tendernation.io/opportunities/01a1539a-d092-736b-88d2-6bdc251cddb6/boiler-chemical-and-softener-services) [Supply of Timberwolf fixed track woodchipper TW 280 FTR and for Williams trailer TT3017 · Natural England · 19 days left · 6 Nov 2026](https://tendernation.io/opportunities/01a1539a-d25f-7042-8204-c91978cd4253/supply-of-timberwolf-fixed-track-woodchipper-tw-280-ftr-and-for-williams-trailer) [Home Transition Bed Service - Winter Pressures · North Tyneside Borough Council · 4 days left · 23 Oct 2026](https://tendernation.io/opportunities/01a15107-78f4-739e-9d89-50d65f165d99/home-transition-bed-service-winter-pressures) [RRE-01284 - For the provision of a Digitally Enabled Children & Young People's Mental Health Service (South Staffordshire) · Midlands Partnership Foundation Trust · 15 days left · 3 Nov 2026](https://tendernation.io/opportunities/01a150b5-126d-71a0-9217-fa9167c1e352/rre-01284-for-the-provision-of-a-digitally-enabled-children-young-peoples-m) [Gardening and Landscaping Contract · Wickersley Parish Council · 33 days left · 20 Nov 2026](https://tendernation.io/opportunities/01a14ee2-22ea-7053-bd7d-4e4c0fa22e9d/gardening-and-landscaping-contract)