What Works Centre for Children and Families - Competition Launch
Department for Education (DfE) · England
This funding supports the establishment of a What Works Centre for Children and Families to generate, evaluate, and share evidence to improve children’s social care and early intervention outcomes.
Summary
Deadline
18 May 2026
Updated
16 Oct 2026
This funding supports the establishment of a What Works Centre for Children and Families to generate, evaluate, and share evidence to improve children’s social care and early intervention outcomes.
Eligibility
Applicant types
See eligibility requirements
Industries
Children’s social care, public policy, research and evaluation, early intervention services
Match funding
Not specified
Eligible applicants
Organisations or partnerships capable of operating a What Works Centre, with expertise in research, evaluation, evidence synthesis and dissemination relating to children and families
Funding and scope
Benefit amount
Up to £8.5 million per year for a maximum of 10 years, with total funding of £80 million to £85 million
Total fund available
£80 million to £85 million over 10 years
Funding intensity
Up to £8.5 million per year for a maximum of 10 years, with total funding of £80 million to £85 million
Payment type
Not specified
Eligible scope
Research, evaluation and evidence synthesis to improve policies, programmes and practices supporting children and families
Eligible expenses
- Research delivery, programme evaluation, evidence synthesis, dissemination and stakeholder engagement activities
Ineligible costs
Not specified
Application and risks
Application platform
DfE eTendering Portal (Jaggaer)
Competitiveness
Not scored
Decision timeline
Not specified
Assessment process
Not specified
Application sections
Not specified
Application components
- Application submitted through Jaggaer, including organisational capability, strategy and delivery plan
Timeline and partners
Opening date
20 Feb 2026
Project duration
Not specified
Project start
Not specified
Project end
Not specified
Additional guidance
Document research last revised 2026-08-24.
Key Organisational Requirements
The successful organisation must operate as a What Works Centre for Children and Families and deliver the programme for 10 years from April 2027.
Objectives
To build a robust evidence base, evaluate interventions, support policymaking and improve outcomes for vulnerable and disadvantaged children
Important Notes
The competition was for one What Works Centre for Children and Families. The successful organisation or partnership is expected to deliver for 10 years beginning in April 2027. Applications were required through the Jaggaer platform. (grantmatch.co.uk)
Next Opening Date
No next opening date has been announced.
Application deadline in source document
18 May 2026, 9:00 AM
Official source
Quick facts
- Status
- Closed
- Deadline
- 18 May 2026
- Funding amount
- Up to £8.5 million per year for a maximum of 10 years, with total funding of £80 million to £85 million
- Funding band
- Not specified
- Funding type
- Grant
- Payment type
- Not specified
- Audience
- See eligibility requirements
- Industry
- Children’s social care, public policy, research and evaluation, early intervention services
- Last updated
- 16 Oct 2026
- Published
- Not specified