Our vision, priorities and pledges
Priority four: Help people to help themselves while always protecting our most vulnerable children and adults
By 2020, we will spend over 80% of our budget on protecting the most vulnerable people in the borough. These vulnerable people might be children without a home, people with disabilities or older people who need help in their later years. While only a relatively small number of people use these services, they are incredibly important for those that do.
Pledge 17
Provide early support so that Swindon residents are financially included and avoid getting into debt.
Pledge 18
Deliver a borough-wide approach to increase the impact of volunteering, enabling more people to be active in supporting vulnerable people.
Pledge 19
Ensure that more people and their carers are supported to live as independently as possible and reduce the length of time people need to spend in residential care. This will be achieved through work with the Clinical Commissioning Group and GP surgeries to help people with long term health and social care needs to manage their health effectively with support from community groups and multi-disciplinary teams.
Pledge 20
Increase the number of foster carers in Swindon so that every ‘child looked after’ is placed in their home borough when they should be.
Pledge 21
Ensure there is a partnership approach to early prevention and intervention across Swindon. This is so that more children and families are supported early, including through the Troubled Families Programme, to prevent escalation to statutory social care.
Pledge 22
Ensure that Swindon’s vulnerable children and young people are safeguarded and protected.
Pledge 23
Ensure that Swindon’s vulnerable adults are safeguarded and protected.
Pledge 24
Increase the number of organisations in Swindon working to achieve ‘Dementia Friendly’ town status for Swindon and ensure annual accreditation.
Pledge 25
Work collaboratively with stakeholders to ensure the number of children in Swindon with excess weight is no higher than the England average.
Pledge 26
To prevent homelessness wherever possible, including using additional measures such as the temporary winter housing provision and offering a day centre to prevent rough sleepers from returning to the streets.