Children's and Families Services Transformation Consultancy

Southend-on-Sea City Council is seeking consultancy support to transform its Children's Services through a whole-system preventative approach. The council faces rising demand, increasing placement costs, and system pressures across SEND, housing and health that have strained the Children's Services budget. The successful supplier will deliver consultancy services across four key workstreams: (1) Edge of Care redesign to keep children within family networks; (2) Exit and permanency pathways to improve outcomes for children in care; (3) Cross-system diagnostic reviewing integration opportunities across housing, SEND and prevention services; and (4) Zero-Based Budgeting critical friend support for Adults Social Care. This contract has been awarded via the ESPO Consultancy Services Framework 664-25, Lot 4b (Adults and Children). The engagement aims to achieve improved outcomes for children and young people while delivering better value and financial sustainability across the service.