VULNERABLE families in Dorset are to benefit from a government grant which will help them build better futures.

Dorset Council will be receiving £875,767 for the Supporting Families programme over the next year which helps vulnerable people across the country.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities announced that councils across England will receive a share of over £200 million in 2022/2023 to support vulnerable families in their communities.

Working jointly with the Department for Education and other departments, the extra money will help local areas tackle the challenges that vulnerable families face including those that put them at risk of neglect or harm.

Dedicated key workers work with every member of the family and bring local services together to resolve issues at an early stage before they develop into more significant problems

The Dorset Families Matter programme has enabled Dorset to give further support to families experiencing complex challenges to help them improve their wellbeing. Funding is provided to a range of frontline professionals with access to additional support resources.

The Family Link Workers provide relatively short-term, hands-on support, assistance, direction and information to families who need the most intensive level of help. They come alongside a family, often facing a particular difficulty, to foster independence and resilience.

Family Support Packages are a variety of small-scale services, activities or interventions which frontline workers can utilise quickly and easily.

Councillor Andrew Parry, Portfolio holder for Children, Education, Skills and Early Help Dorset Council said:“The Supporting Families funded work in Dorset is well established and has helped us transform the lives of some of our most vulnerable children, young people and their families. Working with the whole family and collaboratively across organisational boundaries, front line staff are making positive things happen and bringing about change so families can build a brighter future.”

Minister for Levelling up Communities Kemi Badenoch said: “As a society we must help the most vulnerable in our communities and the government is focused on giving families the support they need to build a better future.

“Our Supporting Families programme in the South West plays an integral role as we recover from the pandemic, making sure children get back to school, helping those who have lost their jobs get back into work, protecting people’s mental health and stopping domestic abuse.”

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