Purpose

This report seeks Cabinet approval for the commissioning and procurement approach for the Best Start Family Hubs programme for 2026–2029. The programme is funded by the Department for Education and comprises multiple workstreams that collectively exceed the £1 million threshold, requiring a Cabinet-level decision under the Council’s Procurement Procedure Rules. Approval is needed to begin a compliant open tender process that will secure delivery partners for key services, ensure transparency, and achieve best value.

 

Decision

DECISION;

1. APPROVED the allocation and expenditure of up to £1.6 million of ringfenced Best Start Family Hubs & Healthy Babies funding to commission the Perinatal Mental Health and Parent-Infant Relationship (PNMHPIR) service for 2026–2029.
2. APPROVED the commencement of procurement to secure specialist delivery partners in accordance with the Council’s Procurement Procedures and the programme’s national requirements.
3. AUTHORISED the Corporate Director for Children’s Services, in consultation with the Mayor, to award a contract in accordance with the prevailing procurement law and in accordance with the terms of this report.

Reasons for the decision

•         To comply with national programme requirements: The Perinatal Mental Health and Parent-Infant Relationship strand is a core mandatory component of the Healthy Babies offer under the Best Start Family Hubs programme. National guidance requires every local authority to deliver PNMH and Parent-Infant relationship support as part of the integrated 0–2 pathway, ensuring early identification and intervention for perinatal mental health needs.

•         To secure delivery of an essential clinical and early intervention service for vulnerable families: Local need assessments and programme papers show increased levels of parental mental health difficulties, trauma, attachment challenges, and postnatal anxiety - exacerbated by the pandemic. Without this service, families would be at significantly higher risk of escalation to specialist mental health services or safeguarding pathways.

•         To utilise the ringfenced government funding allocated for this purpose: The council has received confirmed allocations for PNMHPIR totalling £514,000 per year for three years, amounting to £1.54 million. These funds are explicitly intended to deliver enhanced perinatal mental health and Parent Infant support as part of the 2026–29 Best Start Family Hubs & Healthy Babies programme. Cabinet approval is required as expenditure exceeds the £1m threshold.

•         To begin timely procurement to ensure continuity of specialist provision from April 2026: Delivery of PNMH services requires a specialist, clinically governed provider and a multidisciplinary partnership model. Procurement must begin promptly to secure a compliant contract, meet governance requirements, and avoid service gaps at transition to the new programme.

Alternative options

•         Choosing not to proceed with the Perinatal Mental Health and Parent Infant Relationship (PNMHPIR) investment is not viable, as this service is a mandatory requirement within the national Healthy Babies offer. The Council has been allocated ringfenced funding of £514,000 per year specifically for this purpose and failing to deliver the service would place the authority at risk of noncompliance, potential loss of funding, and withdrawal of essential early intervention support for vulnerable families.

•         Delivering the full PNMH-PIR offer solely through in-house provision is also not recommended. The service requires specialist clinical expertise, therapeutic capability, and robust multi-agency pathways that the Council cannot provide internally at the scale required. A reduced or minimal service model would similarly fail to meet national expectations and undermine the borough’s ability to address rising perinatal mental health needs effectively.

•         The only feasible and compliant option is to commission a specialist provider to deliver the full PNMHPIR pathway, ensuring clinical governance, high quality interventions, and alignment with the national Best Start Family Hubs standards. This approach allows the Council to use its ringfenced allocation appropriately, meet procurement requirements for programmes exceeding £1 million, and secure the best outcomes for families during the critical perinatal period.

Action by:

CORPORATE DIRECTOR FOR CHILDREN’S SERVICES (S. REDDY)