UK4 - Care Leaver Covenant & Corporate Parenting Market Engagement Event Notice

The Department for Education (DfE) is seeking to appoint an experienced and expert external provider to support government departments and relevant public bodies with the implementation of new Corporate Parenting duties, in addition to the continuation, expansion and strategic development of the Care Leaver Covenant (CLC).

At the heart of the Government’s reforms is improving outcomes and life chances for looked after children (children in care) and care leavers by removing barriers to opportunity. This includes strengthening enduring relationships, support and opportunities across government, public services, employers and wider society.

This procurement presents an opportunity for a single organisation or consortium to support government departments and relevant public bodies in embedding corporate parenting responsibilities while simultaneously advancing the Care Leaver Covenant as a national platform for improving outcomes for care leavers.

Together these strands of activity provide a coordinated approach for mobilising organisations across the public, private and voluntary sectors to strengthen policy, practice, services, delivery, support and opportunities for looked after children and care leavers.

Corporate Parenting

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 extended corporate parenting responsibilities beyond local authorities to government departments and key public bodies.

Corporate Parenting is a shared responsibility requiring government departments and relevant public bodies to promote, support and improve outcomes for children in care and care leavers. The new statutory duties require relevant bodies to consider the needs and experiences of children in care and care leavers when developing policies and delivering services. Corporate parenting is an important part of the government’s response to the recently published Care Leavers’ Deaths Review.

DfE requires specialist external support to help relevant bodies understand and implement these duties effectively, build organisational capability and cultural awareness of children in care and care leavers and develop robust delivery plans.

Care Leaver Covenant

The Care Leaver Covenant is a national commitment by public, private and voluntary sector organisations to provide practical opportunities and support for care leavers aged 16 to 25. The Covenant provides employment opportunities, apprenticeships, mentoring, financial support, discounts and wider assistance that helps young people transition to independent adulthood.

DfE requires a provider to continue to grow the Covenant's reach and impact while aligning its work with Government ambitions relating to education, employment and training (EET), relationships, housing and health.

The provider will:

• Support implementation of Corporate Parenting duties across government and public bodies.
• Strengthen understanding of children’s social care and care experience across the public sector.
• Ensure lived experience informs implementation approaches.
• Secure a refresh of offers from existing signatories and recruit more signatories for the Covenant, particularly in relation to employment, education and training
• Continue to build relationships with government departments and others to embed the impact of the Covenant.
• Help local authorities to enhance their Local Offer through links with Covenant signatories.
• Continue to raise the profile of the Covenant among care leavers so that more sign up to take advantage of offers.
• Support delivery of Government priorities relating to children in care and care leavers.

Contract Timescale

It is anticipated that the contract will be for 2 financial years subject to business planning conformation for Year 2.

• 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2028 covering two work strands: the Care Leaver Covenant and Corporate Parenting.
• 1 April 2028 to 31 March 2029 covering one work strand: the Care Leaver Covenant.