Children and Young People Safe Space Support Services

Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a provider for an overnight mental health crisis support service for children and young people aged 13 to 18 living in Hull and the East Riding of Yorkshire.

The Safe Space service will provide short-term support outside hospital settings for young people experiencing acute emotional distress or a mental health crisis. Based at Inspire Day Service in Hull, it will offer a safe, welcoming and trauma-informed environment where appropriately skilled and trained staff can provide emotional support, stabilisation and de-escalation.

The service will work closely with the CAMHS Crisis and Intensive Home Treatment Team (CCIHT) and other relevant agencies, with the aim of reducing crisis escalation, avoiding unnecessary hospital attendance and admission, and helping young people access appropriate ongoing care and support.

Service Requirements

The successful provider will be responsible for the operational delivery of Safe Space, including staffing, training, supervision, reporting and day-to-day service management.

Support available through the service may include:

• One-to-one emotional support and active listening.
• Crisis stabilisation.
• Safety planning.
• Activity-based interventions.
• Emotional regulation techniques.
• Resilience-building activities.
• Development of coping strategies.
• Signposting to ongoing support services.

Activities and interventions will need to be age appropriate, person-centred and trauma-informed, taking account of each young person’s individual needs, strengths and preferences.

The provider will also be expected to work with young people to build confidence and self-worth, reduce anxiety and distress, and develop practical strategies that support their emotional and psychological wellbeing.

Access to Safe Space

The service will operate through planned and unplanned access pathways.

Planned access will provide structured support agreed in advance between the young person, their parents, carers or caregivers, clinicians and Safe Space staff. This can include familiarisation with the service environment, collaborative safety planning, identification of coping strategies and proactive risk management.

Unplanned access will respond to immediate crisis presentations. Referrals will be coordinated through CCIHT, with risk assessments and discharge planning used to support safe and effective short-term intervention.

The two pathways are intended to provide a flexible and responsive service for young people at different stages of their care journey.

Whole Family and Partnership Working

Safe Space will take a whole-family approach, recognising the role parents, carers and caregivers can play when a young person is experiencing emotional distress or crisis.

Where appropriate, they will be involved in care, safety and discharge planning and offered information, guidance and support to help them respond to the young person’s needs and reduce the likelihood of further crisis.

The provider will be required to collaborate with Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust’s CCIHT and, where required, organisations including the police, ambulance service, A&E, social care and the voluntary sector.

The provider must also maintain a daily process with CCIHT to review Safe Space capacity and prioritise referrals.

Where service capacity and demand allow, Safe Space staff may work alongside CAMHS Crisis clinicians to support crisis care within the boundaries of their role, competence and agreed governance arrangements.

Contract Information

Buyer: Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust

Deadline: 26 August 2026

Contract Value: £248,000 excluding VAT

Delivery Length: 16 months, with the option to extend for a further year

Tender Link: Not disclosed

The provider must be ready for the service to go live on 1 December 2026.

Procurement Process

This is an intended approach notice, with the Commissioner intending to award the contract through the Most Suitable Provider process under the Provider Selection Regime.

Providers that believe they can meet the service requirements and achieve the required 1 December 2026 go-live date should contact Phillip Simmons at Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust by 5pm on 26 August 2026 to be considered.

The opportunity provides a route for organisations experienced in supporting children and young people experiencing emotional distress and mental health crisis to deliver an overnight, community-based alternative to hospital-based crisis support across Hull and the East Riding of Yorkshire.

Never Miss a Care Sector Opportunity

From contract opportunities and framework launches to sector news and procurement updates, The Daily Round delivers daily insights designed for care providers, suppliers, and sector leaders.

Sign up to The Daily Round Daily Bulletin to receive the latest opportunities and healthcare procurement news directly to your inbox.

If you want to advertise your opportunity, please contact Jamie Peacock, Tender Specialist at advertising@dailyround.news