Dorset Strategic Alliance for Children and Young People - Annual Report 2025 - June 2025

Dorset’s Strategic Alliance is a partnership bringing together public services and the voluntary community sector to champion the rights of, and improve the lives of, children, young people, and families in Dorset. Partners include Dorset Council, the Local Authority, Dorset Police, NHS Dorset, Dorset Healthcare, Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Services, the Dorset Parent Carer Council, representatives from the voluntary and community sector, early years, and educational providers across Dorset.

The Children, Young People, and Families Plan sets out our long-term vision of improving outcomes for children and young people. It sits alongside a robust range of partnership plans and Boards that deliver a range of statutory and strategic functions. These include the Dorset Safeguarding Children Partnership, Community Safety Partnership and many more.

Dorset’s Strategic Alliance published its Children, Young People and Families’ Plan 2023-2033 in June 2023, building on our previous 2020-2023 Plan. Over the past year, we have worked across the partnership to progress the actions and activities to improve outcomes for children, young people and families in Dorset.

This report provides the context of our local partnership arrangements, changes to national legislation and progress we have made over the last year.

Our partnership continues to meet regularly as an Executive Board, chaired by the Lead Member for Children’s Services, to review how our services are making a difference to the lives of children, young people, and families across Dorset.

Each summer, we also come together for our annual conference— a chance to celebrate our progress, share learning, and look ahead to ensure we remain focused on what matters most: making a positive impact for families in our communities.

In September 2023, the government launched Stable Homes, Built on Love—a national vision to transform children’s social care in England. This policy calls for stronger collaboration between local services to provide joined-up, effective support for children and young people.

Dorset Council was honored to be selected as one of just three local authorities in England to help shape this new approach. As a Wave 1 Pathfinder, we’ve worked closely with our partners to further develop our well-established Dorset Thrive model.

At the heart of our work is a simple but powerful principle: putting families first. Our local delivery of the national pathfinder Families First for Children focuses on making sure families receive the right help at the right time, something we can only achieve by working together with a shared vision.

This work aligns with the seven key priorities in our Children, Young People and Families’ Plan 2023 to 2033. The Safe at Home and in the Community priority, leads the delivery of the pathfinder, all areas of our partnership contribute to its success and to improving outcomes for children and families.

Our work as a ‘Pathfinder’ has played a key role in shaping national policy, contributing to the Families First Partnership Guidance published in March 2025.

We’re now entering a new phase, adapting our approach to align with the updated guidance. As always, we remain committed to learning from our experiences, refining our plans, and ensuring families across Dorset receive the right support at the right time.

Together, we are building a future where every child can thrive.

In Dorset, we’re proud to work alongside passionate, skilled, and committed partners who share our vision for children, young people, and families. The Strategic Alliance for Children and Young People bring together professionals from across health, education, social care, the police, and the voluntary sector. Together, we challenge and support each other to deliver the very best for our communities.

What makes our partnership truly powerful is our shared ambition— and our commitment to co-producing services with children, young people, and families themselves. Their voices shape everything we do.

This collaborative approach is delivering real results. You can see it in the glowing reports from recent inspections:

• Dorset Council’s Inspection of Local Authority Children’s Services – March 2025 rated Outstanding
• joint local authority and NHS Area SEND inspection – May 2024 rated ‘positive outcomes’
• strong safeguarding outcomes across the police, youth justice and children’s homes

These achievements show that our partnership is not just working—it’s making a real difference to the lives of children and families across Dorset.

How the Strategic Alliance for Children and Young People fits into our wider partnership delivery.

All our partners are linked into our joint, multi-agency approach to design, deliver and oversee the impact of services, with children at the heart of what we do.

1. Partners - for example:

• voluntary community sector
• fire and rescue
• police
• Dorset schools and education providers
• Dorset Parent Carer Partnership
• Health

2. Children, Young People and Families Plan

3. Strategic Alliance for Children and Young People:

• Dorset Safeguarding Children Partnership
• Dorset Council's Children Services
• Integrated Care Board

4. Elected member committees

The next section will look at a summary of progress and impact over the last 12-months, and next steps for each of the 7 Priorities in our Children, Young People and Families’ Plan 2023 to 2033.

Our strategic priorities as set out in our 10-year plan:

• best start in life
• young and thriving
• best education for all
• best place to live
• local family help
• good care provision
• safe at home and in the community

Children, Young People and Families' Plan 2023 to 2033
An easy read version is also  available: Children, Young People and Families' Plan 2023 to 2033 easy read version 

Summary

Within the Best Start In Life Priority, there are several actions, or ‘we will’ statements in our plan. Here is a high-level summary of the progress and impact we’ve made over the last year. We have also identified our next steps over the next year.

Progress:

• maternity services: improved equity of access through multi-agency, community-based services in Family Hubs and healthcare providers
• early years support: We continue to work across the sector to develop sufficient childcare places for children and young people including during school holidays
• PAUSE Programme: Provided targeted support to mothers who have previously had children taken into care, helping them rebuild their lives

Impact Summary

• Healthier Start to Life: families are better supported in caring for their babies, leading to improved infant health, stronger parent-child bonds, and more confident parenting
• Early Development and School Readiness: we have improved our offer to settings enabling earlier identification of needs to better support children to be ready for that move to school, utilising all available evidence-based tools to assess the readiness of children and settings laying the foundation for lifelong learning and success
• Reduction in Children Entering Care: early and effective support has helped families stay together, reducing the number of children entering the care system and improving long-term outcomes for both children and their families

‘Children’s transition into school is a strength of the partnership. Practitioners in early years feel valued, heard and well-supported by the teams around them. This includes portage and the early years advisory teams within locality teams, including family hubs. Additionally, family workers support schools and families in the community, so that help and advice are easily accessible. This enables a greater understanding of the community, consistency and close multi-agency working.’

‘Children and young people receive an effective service from speech and language therapists. The ‘Balanced System’ is being embedded through preschool provisions, and there are currently no children waiting for an assessment. The ‘Ready, S.T.E.A.D.I, Chat’ sessions are available across the local area, both virtually and face to face. Children are benefiting from an initial triage appointment, with a communication plan provided. The necessary onward pathway can then be determined more appropriately so that the right support is provided at the right time.’

‘Children and families benefit from comprehensive delivery of the healthy child programme, including the ante-natal check, with all mandated visits being commissioned. This helps to identify children’s needs in a timely way.’

Delivery plan review

A partnership steering group will:

• review and update the current delivery plan
• report progress to the Strategic Alliance for Children and Young People Board

Strategic focus

Pre-birth to School:

• Emphasis on early intervention and foundational development

Key aims for the revised plan:

• pre-birth health
• Early Years provision
• school readiness

Summary

Within the Young And Thriving Priority, there are several actions, or ‘we will’ statements in our plan. Here is a high-level summary of the progress and impact we’ve made over the last year. We have also identified our next steps over the next year.

Progress:

• Education, Employment & Training: Enhanced support for care experienced young people
• Young Carers: Integrated into the new Birth to Settled
• Adulthood service, ensuring targeted and specialist support
• Youth Work: Increased access to youth workers through expanded recruitment and a multi-agency youth work model

Impact Summary

1. Preparation for adulthood and employment

• young people are gaining the skills, confidence, and readiness needed to transition into the workforce
• this leads to increased independence and better long-term outcomes

2. Support for young carers

• young carers are better supported to balance their caregiving responsibilities with their own needs as children or young people
• this improves their mental health, social development, and educational engagement

3. Access to youth workers

• more young people have access to trusted adults outside their family, providing guidance, mentorship, and emotional support
• this contributes to stronger resilience, better decision-making, and a sense of belonging

"Disabled children are visited regularly by workers who get to know them and their families well, so that their needs can be addressed effectively. Workers are conscious of children’s additional vulnerability and take steps to keep them safer, including the appropriate use of child protection procedures. Disabled children have access to advocacy so that their views are heard. The need for capacity assessments is considered early so that children are well prepared for their next steps. The introduction of the Birth to Settled Adulthood service, an Inspection of Dorset local authority children’s services 17 to 21 March 2025 4 developing service to be embedded, helps children and young people to access help smoothly, well into their futures, which is not age dependent."

"An increasing number of care leavers are involved in education, training and work. A variety of initiatives, through partnership working, reflect the importance placed on care leavers being able to access meaningful work and education opportunities. Examples such as work coaches and the care leaver hub’s pre-employment course have considerable success. Care leavers are well supported to attend university, helping them to achieve their life ambitions."

"Young carers are identified and their needs assessed so that they can receive support and enjoy activities outside of the home. Partners feel encouraged to refer young carers to well organised services as well-developed community resources are evident and extensive."

Delivery plan review - A partnership steering group will:

• review and update the current delivery plan.
• report progress to the Strategic Alliance for Children and Young People Board

Strategic focus areas:

• Preparation for Adulthood
• Good Mental Health & Resilience

Key aims for the revised plan:

• Youth Sufficiency Strategy
• Links to Learning and Belonging
• Youth Voice – expanding opportunities for children and young people to engage with and co-produce services

Summary

Within the Good Care Provision, there are several actions, or ‘we will’ statements in our plan. Here is a high-level summary of the progress and impact we’ve made over the last year. We have also identified our next steps over the next year.

Progress:

• Harbour Outreach Model: continued expansion of specialist, multiagency outreach support to families, helping prevent escalation of need
• Mockingbird Constellations: increased number of peer support networks for foster families, offering emotional and practical support
• Residential and Care Leaver Housing: more homes and supported housing options created to ensure children in care and care experienced young people have safe, stable places to live

Impact Summary

1. Stability and prevention:

• more children, young people, and families are receiving timely, targeted support that helps them stay safely together at home
• this reduces the need for children to enter the care system and promotes family resilience

2. Stronger foster care support:

• foster families have better access to emotional, practical, and peer support
• this enables more children in care to experience stable, nurturing homes

3. Safe and supportive homes for children in care:

• children in care and care-experienced young people are provided with secure, stable housing
• they have access to the services and support they need to thrive, build independence, and achieve positive outcomes

"Children are continually encouraged and supported to see their friends and family members, which helps them to retain a sense of belonging. Kinship carers are helped to include estranged parents in family activities, which helps children maintain their relationships within their own environment. This approach to children spending time with important people enables carers to feel more confident in applying for Special Guardianship Orders, so that children can leave care and benefit from long-term stability and security."

"Children are supported by social workers who know them very well and who are aspirational for them. Regular visits take place to build meaningful and caring long-lasting relationships that make a difference."

"Children’s health needs are prioritised. They receive good support from a wide range of services to promote their physical and emotional well-being. Children are strongly supported to take advantage of activities and clubs in line with their hobbies and interests. These experiences enable children to enjoy new opportunities, friendships and wider social networks, and these are sometimes linked to children’s long-term career aspirations."

"Unaccompanied children who are looked after are found suitable homes without delay with carers who understand and meet their cultural needs. Children are assisted by interpreters at important meetings to ensure that they understand decisions and plans. Children are supported by workers who plan and prepare them well for the future and any uncertainties that may bring."

Delivery plan review

A partnership steering group will:

• review and update the current delivery plan
• report progress to the Strategic Alliance for Children and Young People Board

Strategic focus:

• keeping children close to home
• kinship care
• fostering

Key aim:

• development and implementation of our Sufficiency Strategy

Summary

Within the Best Education for All Priority, there are several actions, or ‘we will’ statements in our plan. Here is a high-level summary of the progress and impact we’ve made over the last year. We have also identified our next steps over the next year.

Progress

Education and belonging strategies

Workshops taken place with schools, young carers, those who are EHE, Youth Parliament and the Youth Council to strengthen the voice of our children and young people.

Pathway to employment scheme with Dorset Council

Work has taken place with our care experienced DC apprentices to inform and design the support for the scheme.

Peer Mentoring Programme

Several schools across Dorset have trialled the Peer Mentor Programme for the first time this year. Education Challenge Leads work in partnership with schools to train older student peer mentors.

Attendance

Various actions have progressed to support attendance including a task and finish group, data review at Headteacher LEADS meetings, locality briefings, DfE attendance hub toolkit launch, emotional based school avoidance (EBSA) approaches.

Impact summary

Education and belonging strategies

Pledge to students is embedded in the Education Strategy and the Education Board use this as a tool to measure performance. The belonging strategy is published online with the voice of young people.

Pathway to employment scheme with Dorset Council

Care leavers education, employment and training (EET) figures have improved.

Peer Mentoring Programme

525 pupils over a three-year period in Weymouth and Portland have received mentoring from an older fully trained pupil in school, which has supported children’s sense of belonging and positively impacted their attendance.

Attendance

Since September 23 schools have and will receive whole school training. Early indication shows improved attendance in these schools for overall attendance, persistent absence, and school avoidance due to a changed approach to working with families. School staff and leaders have a better understanding of EBSA, and this will mean they are better equipped to support children and families impacted by it.

"The local area partnership’s special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) arrangements typically lead to positive experiences and outcomes for children and young people with SEND. The local area partnership is taking action where improvements are needed."

"Children and young people with SEND and their families are placed at the heart of all that leaders do. Effective coproduction across the partnership ensures that the needs of children and young people lead decision-making. This culture of working together results in continual improvement to secure the best possible outcomes for children, young people and their families. These outcomes are clearly focused on education, employment, more independent living, participating in society and being as healthy as possible across education, health and care."

"The voice of children and young people with SEND is highly valued. Leaders are developing creative ways to listen to young people. Examples within ‘Dorset Youth Voice’ include the development of the Young Ambassadors role, Dorset Youth Council and the Vision Support Service Student Council. Engagement with the DPCC (Dorset Parent and Carers Council, which is Dorset’s parent carer forum) ensures highly effective two-way communication between families and the partnership. Consequently, many parents and carers feel they are true partners when planning their own provision and improvements generally. Parents, carers, children and young people typically speak positively about how they are supported to have better experiences."

Delivery Plan Review

A partnership steering group will:

• review and update the current delivery plan
• report progress to the Strategic Alliance for Children and Young People Board

Strategic focus:

• listen: to our children and young people
• belonging: all our children and young people feel they belong
• achieve: our children and young people achieve their potential and succeed in preparing for 16 and adulthood
• settings: our settings are strong and sustainable
• conference response: develop a partnership response to the ’Every Child, Every Chance’ summer conference

Key Aim for revised plan:

• align with the Dorset Education Board Plan to promote inclusive, high-quality education

Summary

Within the Best Place To Live Priority, there are several actions, or ‘we will’ statements in our plan. Here is a high-level summary of the progress and impact we’ve made over the last year. We have also identified our next steps over the next year.

Progress:

• children’s rights in local alliance groups: collaborated with children’s rights specialists to embed rights-based approaches in community-level decision-making
• youth participation: expanded opportunities for children and young people to engage in co-producing services across the partnership
• climate action involvement: strengthened the role of young people in shaping and supporting climate change initiatives, while acknowledging the need for continued progress

1. Rights-based practice embedded in services:

• partners are more aware of and actively consider the rights of children and young people when developing and delivering services
• this leads to more ethical, inclusive, and child-centred decision-making

2. Services better aligned with real needs:

• by incorporating the voices of children and young people, services are more responsive and relevant to the needs of families
• this results in improved outcomes and greater trust in services

3. Increased youth voice and satisfaction:

• young people feel more included and valued in shaping services that affect them
• their satisfaction reflects a stronger sense of agency and belonging in their communities

"Locality-based services are successful in achieving consistency across the county. This way of working means that families receive a continual service by the same practitioners until it is no longer needed, while families become linked into community early intervention and prevention services as part of Dorset’s Strategic Alliance plan. Easy access to high-quality, universal and universal plus provision is seen as crucial. The local authority’s emphasis on all children thriving is linked into place-based arrangements, alongside the Inspection of Dorset local authority children’s services 17 to 21 March 2025 10 growing expansion of family hubs. When families no longer require children’s services intervention, they are helped to engage in activities and positively connect with groups in their community, often supported by strengthened kinship networks."

"Children continue to be placed at the heart of Dorset. The child-centred leaders and political members, leads by example, heralding a learning organisation that has effective and accountable relationships with each other and its partners. Strong collaborative working is evident from how partnership challenges are approached, from operational service delivery through to strategic and multi-agency decision-making."

"The meaningful involvement of children and young people, who co-chair and participate in the corporate parenting board, ensures that the things that matter most to children are fundamental to the agenda. A young person recently bravely presented to the board a piece they had written, ‘More than just a number’, to help members understand what it is like to be in care with powerful impact."

Delivery plan review

A partnership steering group will:

• review the current delivery plan
• report progress to the Strategic Alliance for Children and Young People Board

Strategic focus:

• safe, inclusive, and accessible communities: ensuring all children and young people feel safe, heard, and included in their communities

Key aim for revised plan:

• align with the other priority areas to promote and champion the rights of children and young people

Summary

Within the Local Family Help Priority, there are several actions, or ‘we will’ statements in our plan. Here is a high-level summary of the progress and impact we’ve made over the last year. We have also identified our next steps over the next year.

Progress

Whole-family, locality-based support

Multi-professional teams are working together from birth to wrap support around children and families, using a whole-family approach embedded in local communities.

Journey from Early Help to Family Help

Through the Families First for Children Pathfinder, Early Help has evolved into Family Help, offering more integrated and responsive support.

Local alliance group funding

Funding has been delegated to local alliance groups to design and deliver tailored, community-based solutions that meet local needs.

Impact Summary

1. Timely and appropriate support

Families are receiving the right help when they need it most, reducing the risk of issues escalating and improving overall wellbeing.

2. Skilled, holistic practice

A multi-agency workforce is working collaboratively to support families as a whole, ensuring that services are coordinated and family-centred.

3. Stronger community-based support

More families are having their needs met within their own communities, fostering local resilience and reducing reliance on higher-tier services.

Dorset Council – Inspection of Children’s Service May 2025

"Children and families receive the help they need at the earliest point through wide-ranging prevention and early intervention services. Dorset’s family help service’s model of one continuous assessment means that children get the right help they need, at the right time, to help them make progress. Children and families benefit from consistent workers, which helps build trusting relationships."

"Leaders have developed family help services with highly skilled practitioners who maintain a relationship with children and families as they move between different levels of need, such as targeted early help, children in need and child protection. This continuous support gives families the best opportunities to make progress."

Delivery plan review

A partnership steering group will:

• review and update the current delivery plan
• report progress to the Strategic Alliance for Children and Young People Board

Strategic focus

Early, whole-family support:

• strengthening preventative, community-based approaches

Key aim for revised plan

Continue to empower communities and support the voluntary sector to develop and embed local solutions into the evolving Family Help services.

Summary

Within the Safe At Home And In The Community Priority, there are several actions, or ‘we will’ statements in our plan. Here is a high-level summary of the progress and impact we’ve made over the last year. We have also identified our next steps over the next year.

Progress

Families First for Children Pathfinder: Successfully developed and delivered the government’s Pathfinder programme, focusing on early, whole-family support.

Reduction in care entries

Fewer children are coming into care, reflecting more effective early intervention and family support.

Strengthened safeguarding

Multi-agency safeguarding arrangements have been enhanced, improving coordination and responsiveness across services.

Impact summary

1. Stronger safeguarding arrangements:

• Multi agency child protection oversight is supporting more effective decision making in protecting children and young people both at home and in the community, ensuring their safety and wellbeing

2. Family and community stability:

• more children and young people are able to remain safely at home with their families and within their local communities
• this not only supports better emotional and developmental outcomes but also results in significant cost savings for public services

3. High-quality services with a commitment to Improvement:

• services have been rated as ‘outstanding’, reflecting excellence in delivery
• there is a clear focus on continuous improvement to ensure support remains timely, responsive, and centred on the needs of children, young people, and families

"Children who are at risk of coming into care, including those children who present as homeless and/or at risk of exploitation, are supported without delay by a range of skilled multi-disciplinary professionals, including skilled targeted youth workers, to reduce the risks to them. Dedicated and knowledgeable assistant team managers for contextual safeguarding use extensive planning for a wide variety of actions to help safeguard children."

"When children are at risk of significant harm, strategy meetings are well attended by partner agencies. Effective information-sharing and analysis of risk lead to children receiving the right intervention and support."

"Risks to children are identified and understood well. When children are at risk of exploitation or go missing, they receive a well-coordinated multi-agency response which provides an individualised wraparound service that is often successful in reducing risks. The use of independent workers, such as missing practitioners and targeted youth workers, ensures that most children receive timely return home interviews."

Police ‘PEEL’ Inspection 2025 - School Engagement: "Dorset Police works with schools, colleges, and universities to educate young people about knife crime and other risks."

Delivery plan review

A partnership steering group will:

• review and update the current delivery plan
• report progress to the Strategic Alliance for Children and Young People Board

Strategic focus:

• safeguarding and contextual safety

Key aims for the revised plan:

• continue to develop and embed the Families First for Children Partnership Guidance
• strengthen links with community safety partnerships
• support other local authorities in delivering the government’s Families First for Children Partnership

This Report celebrates the success of the partnership over the past year. We hope you can see some of your own experience in some of these brief updates. We know there is more to do, and we remain ambitious in improving outcomes for all children, young people and families in Dorset, challenging inequality and celebrating diversity in our communities.

Over the next year, we will develop a new delivery plan focused on evidencing the positive progress and impact we make, working with communities to develop our future priorities and report on our progress in 2026 and beyond.

Thank you to all our colleagues working within the partnership and most of all, our children, young people and families.