SEND Improvement Advisers (SIA)

The Improvement and Development Agency for Local Government (IDeA), through the Local Government Association (LGA), is seeking to appoint up to three SEND Improvement Advisers to support the delivery of its children’s services leadership programme.

The advisers will provide specialist expertise to support councils, corporate and political leaders, and wider partnerships with SEND improvement and reform readiness. Each role will provide up to 60 days of support at a day rate of £700.

The successful advisers will be expected to work collaboratively across the national SEND Improvement Adviser team while supporting peer-led improvement and strengthening leadership across the sector. Responsibilities include:

• Collaborating with the SEND Improvement Adviser team to support national coverage, prioritisation of work, and the development of guidance, tools and evidence of impact.
• Maintaining regular engagement with the LGA Children’s Improvement Team to share intelligence and emerging themes.
• Working alongside children’s improvement advisers and corporate leadership to deliver a strategically aligned support offer.
• Supporting peer-led improvement as the primary approach to service improvement.
• Contributing to national, regional and local leadership development activities.
• Developing relationships with councils, corporate and political leaders to strengthen SEND leadership and partnership working.
• Building relationships with Regional Improvement and Innovation Alliances (RIIAs).
• Providing constructive challenge to local and regional approaches to SEND improvement.
• Identifying councils requiring additional support with SEND reform readiness or improvement capacity.
• Working with the LGA Children’s Improvement Team to commission additional expertise where required.
• Identifying and sharing good practice, innovation, guidance, tools and case studies across the sector.
• Contributing to programme monitoring, evaluation and continuous improvement.
• Promoting wider understanding of the LGA’s children’s improvement support offer.

Contract Information

Buyer – Improvement and Development Agency for Local Government (IDeA)

Deadline – 6 August 2026, 12:00pm

Contract Value – £42,000 excluding VAT (£50,400 including VAT)

Delivery Length – 17 August 2026 to 31 March 2027, with the option to extend until 31 March 2028 at the buyer’s discretion.

Tender Link – Click here

Evaluation Criteria

Quality responses will be assessed using a five-point scoring methodology:

• 4 – Excellent
• 3 – Good
• 2 – Satisfactory
• 1 – Poor
• 0 – Unacceptable

Responses will be assessed on the extent to which they demonstrate compliance with the purchaser’s requirements and the robustness of the proposed approach.

Procurement Procedure

The procurement will be conducted as a below-threshold open competition under the Light Touch Regime.

The opportunity is reserved for UK suppliers and is identified as being particularly suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

This procurement reflects continued investment in strengthening SEND leadership, supporting reform readiness, and sharing best practice across local government through peer-led improvement and collaborative working.

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