Plans have been unveiled which will make a difference to the lives of children, young people and families in Dorset over the next ten years.
A partnership of local agencies from across Dorset has published its ambitious Children Young People and Families Plan which details the work that it will carry out to create a bright future for Dorset’s children and young people.
The Dorset Strategic Alliance for Children and Young People brings together senior people from the council, police, health, fire and rescue services, schools, early years settings and the voluntary and community sector to shape and transform services for children and young people that achieve improved outcomes.
Cllr Byron Quayle, portfolio holder for Children, Education, Skills and Early Help, is the chair of the Strategic Alliance Board and spoke of the priorities that had provided the framework for the plan. He said: “We want Dorset to be the best place to be a child, where communities thrive, and families are supported to be the best they can be.”
“We will work together to ensure that our children have the best start in life; we will enable our young people to thrive as they grow into adulthood; and, where children need our care, we will ensure that they have the right support in place and for that to be in Dorset.
“We will make sure that we provide the best education for all our children and do all we can to make sure that Dorset is the best place to live and work together to keep children safe from harm at home and in their communities.
“We will deliver our services locally where we can, making them easy to access and relevant to the needs of local communities. We will work together to ensure that all children and young people are supported to have equity of outcomes.”
Some of the work outlined in the plan includes:
- Improving the link between maternity services, health visiting and local authority services so that families have a better experience and strengthening the community wrap-around offer so parents are better prepared;
- Reviewing post-16 provision alongside the wishes of young people and the wider skills needed for the local economy, to ensure the right opportunities are in place for our young people;
- Making sure young people have access to a wide range of support to promote their emotional well-being and address their mental health concerns;
- Implementing a new approach to supporting parents experiencing parental conflict by working with the local judiciary in a ‘Private Law’ pathfinder project;
- Implementing the Prevention strand of the Dorset Combatting Drugs Strategy
The plan states that children and young people are crucial to the future wellbeing and prosperity of the county. It recognises that the pandemic has disproportionately affected children and young people, widening the gap between those from poorer backgrounds and their peers and so a focus is needed to ensure equity of outcomes for all children and young people.
The partnership has committed to laying the foundations for improving life outcomes now that will last into future generations. Through continued engagement with children, young people, families, and those who work with them, it will continue to be focused on the right issues and review the impact of the plan every year, making changes to further improve outcomes for children, young people and families.
Theresa Leavy, executive director for children’s services, paid tribute to those who helped shape the plan. She said: “Thank you to all the children and young people who have generously given their feedback, shared their ideas and told us what it important to them. Your voices have shaped this plan and we will work hard over the next 10 years to deliver your vision for Dorset – your Dorset, for your future.”
You can read the full plan on the Dorset Council website or copies of the plan are available by emailing comms@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk
Any family in the Dorset Council area can get the help they need from the locality teams.
