0-19 Healthy Child Programme

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council intends to appoint a forward-thinking provider who will build upon established strong local partnerships to ensure the delivery of its Healthy Child Programme (HCP) 0-19 years. Transitional support will be available for young people, up to 25 years, with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and Children in Our Care (CIOC.) The services will work to give children and their families the best start in life within a community hub model and be able to support early identification and help for parents who have additional vulnerabilities using the Vulnerable Parents Pathway. This is an exciting opportunity to work within a collaborative offer alongside other services for children, young people and families.

The HCP delivery is divided into three Lots:

Lot 1: Integrated 0-19 Public Health Nursing Service - Including leading on the Coordination of the local Healthy Child Programme, including the Baby Clinics, National Child Measurement Programme and School Nursing provision. Delivering the CIOC Health Assessments and School Health Needs Analysis.

Lot 2: Specialist Infant Feeding Service - including maintaining the UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative Gold standard in Blackburn with Darwen, delivering support for feeding mothers and developing initiatives to increase the continuation rates of breastfeeding in the borough.

Lot 3: Community and Voluntary Support Service - including supporting families to care for their babies and children to improve physical, emotional, wellbeing and cognitive development in preparedness for school.

Interested providers can bid for all three lots, however, a maximum of two will be awarded to any one provider. Providers do not need to be part of a consortium to submit a tender.

The services will work in an integrated way within a collaborative Start Well Team, alongside Early Years, Early Help Services and a Family Hub model. They will provide universal and targeted support to promote the health, welfare, development and wellbeing of young people and their families. The commission will support the following Council priorities outlined in the Blackburn with Darwen Council Corporate Plan 2023 - 2027:

1. Supporting young people and raising aspirations 2. Safeguarding and supporting the most vulnerable people 3. Reducing health inequalities and improving health outcomes

Blackburn with Darwen Council has a strong reputation for community provision which is thriving and vibrant. The providers will work with the local partnerships and services to ensure that children and families can avail of the range of supports to maximise their changes of starting and living well.

The proposed contract period is to be a 3 year term with an option to extend up to a further 2 years (1+1 year).