Children’s charity Barnardo’s is set to secure a new £1.64million-a-year contract to provide family support services across the Isle of Wight, with the council confirming it submitted the ‘most advantageous tender’ during a competitive procurement process.
The Early Intervention and Prevention Service (EIPS) contract is due to be formally awarded to current provider Barnardo’s, subject to no legal challenge being raised by an unsuccessful bidder during a mandatory standstill period.
That period ends next Friday (28th August), with the new contract scheduled to begin on 1st April 2027. Existing arrangements with Barnardo’s are due to end in March 2027.
7 bidders took part in the procurement process, with Barnardo’s emerging as the successful bidder.
The initial contract will run for 3 years, with the option to extend for up to 3 additional 1-year periods.
EIPS provides multi-agency early help to expectant parents and families with babies, children and young people aged 0-19, extending to the age of 25 for those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Support is delivered through Family Hubs and Centres across the Isle of Wight.
An Isle of Wight Council spokesperson has said:
“The Early Intervention and Prevention Service forms a key part of the Island’s Family Hub offer, providing support to expectant parents, children, young people and families through a network of Family Hubs and Family Centres.
“The service delivers a range of universal, targeted and intensive support programmes designed to ensure families can access the right support at the right time.
“In accordance with procurement regulations, the Isle of Wight Council has now formally notified all bidders of the outcome tender process and is now observing the mandatory standstill period which ends on Friday, August 28, 2026.
“The new contract is scheduled to commence on April 1, 2027, and will support the continued delivery of Early Intervention and Prevention Services and the Family Hub programme across the Island, ensuring children, young people and families can continue to access timely support, early help and opportunities to achieve the best possible outcomes.”
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The contract award was approved by the Isle of Wight Council’s children’s services, education and skills committee following private discussions at a meeting last week.
Councillor Ros Freeman, Reform UK chair of the committee, said:
“We’ve had our private discussions, and all raised the relevant points.
“The recommendation is to award the contract after private discussion and as detailed by the officers, with the proviso we have an annual report which is in consultation with the chair.”
Before the private discussion took place, Councillor Freeman raised concerns about the timing of the matter coming before the committee.
She said Ashley Whittaker, the Council’s strategic director of children’s services, had explained there had been an ‘oversight’ and that, in hindsight, the matter should potentially have come forward in March.
Councillor Freeman said:
“I did say to Ashley that I didn’t think this could ever happen again and he apologised and confirmed it would not happen again.”
However, senior council officer Kay Jones has since moved to clarify the situation, saying that the procurement process and its timeframe had been followed ‘correctly’.
She said:
“However, what we should have done at the point in March was align the governance arrangements with the committee meetings at that point.”
Liberal Democrat Councillor Andrew Garratt also raised what he described as a ‘governance issue’, saying council officers had ‘profusely apologised’, which he accepted. He said:
“I’m very keen on governance, but I’m also very aware that people are human beings.”
A council report published ahead of the meeting said the completed procurement exercise had demonstrated a ‘strong and competitive’ market response and identified a highest-scoring compliant bidder.
The report said:
“Awarding the contract will ensure the continued delivery of the Island’s Early Help and Family Help Services and the Family Hub offer from April 2027, providing integrated support for children, young people and families from pre-birth through to adulthood.”
Following the meeting, independent Councillor Karl Love told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that, without naming anyone, County Hall had previously committed to contracts at council meetings with ‘little or no understanding of them’.
He said:
“We need more transparency, and I will not back away from this responsibility.
“Of course there are times when confidentiality is important, and that needs to be respected.”
More money for the coddling masses. Put the money somewhere else where it is REALLY needed.