How to Show Staff Skills and Values in Learning Disability Tenders

November 10, 2025

👥 Blog 4 of 7 in our Learning Disability Bid Writing Series

Links to all 7 blogs in this series are at the bottom of this post.

When commissioners read your tender, they look for more than compliance or capacity — they want confidence. They want to see that your workforce is capable, motivated, supported, and values-driven. Your staff are the heart of the service, and your bid needs to show that clearly.

It’s not enough to list how many support workers you employ or what mandatory training they’ve completed. Commissioners want evidence that your team’s skills, values, and behaviours align with the person-centred ethos of learning disability support — and that your leadership team builds and sustains that culture.

Working with an experienced learning disability bid writer can help you tell that story — turning workforce detail into scoring, strategic narrative that demonstrates quality and reliability.

👥 Go beyond qualifications

Too many providers list the same standard training: safeguarding, MCA, DoLS, and medication. These are expected, not exceptional. What commissioners really want to see is the human side of your workforce — how people are selected, supported, and inspired to deliver excellent care.

Go beyond compliance to demonstrate:

Values-based recruitment – Explain how you recruit for empathy, patience, and respect rather than just experience. Reference tools like values interviews, shadowing, or probation reviews focused on person-centred skills.
Lived experience and passion – Highlight if team members have personal or voluntary experience supporting people with learning disabilities, autism, or complex needs.
Communication and relationship-building – Detail how your staff adapt communication to each person’s preferred style, using Makaton, visual tools, or social stories.

Commissioners also appreciate when providers demonstrate a commitment to inclusion in hiring. If you employ people with disabilities or support neurodiverse staff, mention this — it strengthens your credibility and reflects CQC’s ‘well-led’ expectations.

📋 Supervision, support and development

Commissioners want assurance that your team isn’t just trained — they’re continuously learning and well supported. Describe your supervision, appraisal, and development processes clearly.

Supervision: “Each staff member receives formal supervision every 6–8 weeks, focusing on reflective practice and problem-solving. Supervision templates link directly to service outcomes and individual development plans.”
Appraisal: “Annual appraisals are structured around the Skills for Care values framework and co-produced goals.”
Ongoing CPD: “All staff access annual refreshers and optional modules such as Autism Awareness, PBS, or Health Facilitation. Completion rates are tracked through our LMS.”

Explain how supervision leads to improvement: “We identified through supervision feedback that staff wanted more training on communication. As a result, we introduced a peer-led learning group on alternative communication methods, improving engagement across three supported living settings.”

This shows that your workforce processes are alive — responsive to feedback, not static paperwork. For templates to structure your staff training or supervision processes, see our editable method statements and editable strategies.

🧠 Staff retention and morale

Commissioners see high turnover as a risk to service continuity. Strong tenders address retention directly — showing that you invest in people and understand what keeps them motivated.

In your bid, include evidence like:

Staff turnover rates below the sector average (Skills for Care’s benchmark is around 28% for adult social care).
Average length of service — “Over 60% of our workforce has been with us for 3 years or more.”
Quotes from staff surveys, e.g. “98% feel supported by their manager.”
Initiatives that support wellbeing — counselling, mental health champions, or peer mentoring.

Retention isn’t just a HR metric — it’s a quality indicator. Commissioners know that stable teams deliver more consistent, trusted support. Frame retention as part of your commitment to quality and person-centred continuity.

👩🏫 Building capability and leadership

Great services grow their own leaders. Include examples of how you develop internal talent — it shows sustainability and ambition. For instance:

“We promote senior support workers internally, with 40% of coordinators progressing from care roles.”
“Aspiring leaders complete our 12-month Step-Up programme, which includes mentoring and reflective learning.”
“We partner with local colleges to support apprenticeships in adult care.”

Leadership development signals that your service invests in the future and maintains high standards through succession planning — a key assurance for commissioners concerned about provider stability.

📖 Use staff-centred case examples

Humanise your workforce narrative. Case examples help reviewers connect emotionally with your service while demonstrating practical outcomes. For instance:

“Sarah joined as a support worker and now manages a team of ten. Her journey shows how mentoring and PBS training build confidence and retention.”
“A new recruit, once anxious about challenging behaviour, became a PBS champion after shadowing senior staff — leading to a 25% reduction in incidents.”
“During the pandemic, our staff designed a sensory garden with people they support to reduce isolation. It became a hub of activity and pride.”

Each example reinforces values, leadership, and impact — far more compelling than listing certificates.

🏡 Reflect diversity and inclusion

Commissioners increasingly assess how providers reflect the diversity of the people they support. Describe how your recruitment and culture promote inclusion, for example:

Using inclusive language in job adverts
Supporting flexible shifts for parents or carers
Offering adjustments for neurodivergent staff
Celebrating cultural and religious events within teams

This is not just ethical; it demonstrates alignment with the Equality Act, CQC’s ‘well-led’ domain, and local authority workforce priorities.

🧩 Link workforce strengths to outcomes

Don’t treat your workforce section as standalone — connect it to the outcomes you deliver. For instance:

“Our skilled and consistent staff team has enabled 80% of supported individuals to maintain long-term tenancies.”
“Through PBS-trained staff, we achieved a 35% reduction in incidents over 12 months.”
“Consistent communication training improved service user satisfaction scores from 86% to 94%.”

This shows commissioners that staff development leads to tangible, measurable improvements in people’s lives — exactly what they’re looking for.

📊 Workforce planning and resilience

Show how you plan for recruitment and continuity. Commissioners are alert to risks around staff shortages, sickness, and reliance on agency staff. Demonstrate strong workforce planning:

“We maintain a relief pool equivalent to 10% of contracted hours, ensuring cover without agency use.”
“Our local recruitment pipeline includes school outreach and volunteer-to-employment pathways.”
“All new starters complete shadowing shifts with existing staff to maintain service consistency.”

Describe how these measures protect quality and reduce risk. If you can quantify your agency usage or continuity rates, include that — it builds trust.

💬 Incorporate staff voice

Give staff a voice in your bid. Include brief quotes that demonstrate engagement and alignment with values:

“I feel listened to and supported — we always reflect on how to do things better.”
“Our supervision sessions help us connect training to real situations.”
“We’re encouraged to think creatively about how to help people achieve their goals.”

These comments add authenticity, showing commissioners that your workforce culture is alive, not just policy-driven.

🧭 Tie it all together

Your workforce response should read as a story of values, capability, and culture. Start with your recruitment philosophy, demonstrate your training and support systems, show your retention and leadership development, and link everything to outcomes. This builds a coherent narrative of quality and sustainability.

Before submission, consider an expert review. Our proofreading and tender review service can help ensure your language is confident, concise, and compliant — turning strong content into a high-scoring response.

🧠 7-Part Blog Series: Learning Disability Bid Writing

This focused blog series explores what commissioners expect in learning disability tenders — and how to present your service clearly, confidently, and competitively.