Our areas of focus - People
Safe and strong childhoods
The outcome we want to achieve
Warwickshire is a great place to grow up, where children and young people, especially the most vulnerable are kept safe and supported to stay with their families or live close to home in high quality care. All children and young people will have access to the physical, mental and emotional wellbeing support they need to thrive, and children will achieve a good level of development by the time they start school.
The key strategies that will address this outcome - Child Friendly Warwickshire 2030, Best Start in Life Plan, Youth Justice Plan, Children in Care Placement Sufficiency Plan, Child Poverty Strategy.
Our key objectives 2026 to 2030
- Restore trust and confidence by embedding a proactive, multi-agency approach, integrating the pathfinder model, early help, voluntary and community sector engagement, and strong advocacy for our children and families.
- Evolve family support hubs by creating a multifaceted outreach offer that supports families across all areas of Warwickshire.
- Support children and young people’s emotional wellbeing by ensuring access to timely physical and mental health support that helps them stay happy, healthy and resilient.
- Deliver better outcomes and improve placement stability for children by increasing allowances for mainstream foster carers to recognise their contribution and incentivise more foster carers to work with WCC.
- Deliver better outcomes for children in care, improve value for money and focus resource where it can make the most difference by embedding and expanding the number of council run children’s homes.
- Support adolescents who are at the greatest risk of exploitation or entering the youth justice system or disengaged from education by targeting support and intensive, multi-agency help.
- Grow a skilled and experienced workforce by investing in internal development pathways, including apprenticeships for social workers and youth workers, to ensure families receive the support they need.
- All children and young people will have access to the physical, mental and emotional wellbeing support they need to thrive, and children will achieve a good level of development by the time they start school.
- Strive to reduce child poverty in Warwickshire through a multi-agency approach.
Living well in Warwickshire
The outcome we want to achieve
Adults in Warwickshire are enabled to live independently and in good health for longer, with reduced health inequalities and improved life expectancy. Through an integrated social care service residents are supported by preventive mental and physical health services, strong safeguarding and recovery support, financial and digital inclusion, effective carer support, and accessible services for the most vulnerable.
The key strategies that will address this outcome: Adult Social Care Strategy 2029, Heath and Wellbeing Strategy 2026 to 2031, Autism and ADHD Transformation Plan.
Our key objectives 2026 to 2030
- Embed prevention, health and wellbeing across the council to achieve better outcomes for residents, by integrating these principles into every aspect of policy, planning and service delivery.
- Promote healthier lifestyles for all ages.
- Reduce inequalities in health outcomes and improve life expectancy and healthy life expectancy by acting on the wider determinants of health and by targeting and prioritising actions where gaps are the greatest.
- Reduce the need for hospital or long-term care by supporting the most vulnerable and disadvantaged adults to live independently and in good health by building on their strengths.
- Improve wellbeing for those most in need by ensuring they have access to essential services and support, including targeted action to address food poverty through the Warwickshire Food Forum.
- Deliver an integrated approach to mental and physical health across the county by working with partners to develop integrated neighbourhood teams.
- Support the most economically vulnerable by targeting help and support and promoting financial and digital equality.
- Help people’s recovery and access to services by supporting and safeguarding those in receipt of care.
- Improve the wellbeing of informal carers by ensuring they are reached and supported effectively, through carers support and by services working in partnership to provide tailored information, advice, guidance and support.
Building brighter futures
The outcome we want to achieve
Children and young people in Warwickshire are supported from early years through to adulthood to attend and thrive in education. They will achieve their potential; developing skills for life and work; and fulfil their aspirations regardless of background. Children’s special educational needs are met within a high quality and financially sustainable system that meets the county’s current and future needs.
The key strategies that will address this outcome: Education Strategy 2029, Education Sufficiency Plan, SEND Strategy.
Our key objectives 2026 to 2030
- Enable all young children, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, to be school ready and able to reach their full potential by supporting early years providers.
- Enable children to have skills for life and be well prepared for the workplace through access to good schools and by supporting them to attend and achieve at all levels of learning.
- Ensure provision of sufficient early years, school and post-16 places to meet the demographic needs of the county.
- Improve educational achievement and social mobility, with a particular focus on improving outcomes in areas of the county where attainment is lower by working with local colleges, universities and other partners.
- Deliver better outcomes for children with special educational needs and disabilities by building on relationships with parents, carers and learners and transforming our SEND provision.
- Deliver long term financial sustainability by reviewing Home to School Transport eligibility to align with statutory requirements.
- Creating opportunities for young people by improving access to apprenticeships, supported internships, skills and trades.
