New modern Day Opportunities model for our residents

Proposals for a new modern, sustainable model of day opportunities, reflecting the changing needs and aspirations of our residents have been published today (26 Jan).

The plans follow a three month consultation, meetings across Care Dorset's 13 day centres and a range of online sessions which took place last year.

The plans aim to deliver flexible community-based services that promote independence, well-being and social inclusion, while at the same time continuing to provide specialist support to people with complex needs. This forms part of a broader approach by the council and its partners to come together to focus on outcomes that matter most to our communities.

Councillor Steve Robinson, Cabinet Portfolio member for Adult Social Care, said the council had listened to residents' concerns aired in the consultation, which revealed strong community attachment to existing centres, alongside openness to greater flexibility and opportunities for younger people.

Speaking ahead of next week's People and Health Overview committee, Cllr Robinson said: "We want to provide residents with greater choice and independence using Direct Payments and Individual Service Funds, allowing them more freedom to do what they want in their local community.

"And we want to make greater use of existing community facilities in our towns across Dorset, working alongside NHS and the voluntary sector and integrating services with local community resources and aligning ourselves with wider prevention and early help priorities efficiently."

Proposals

The proposals include implementing a community network and hub model across the five adult social care localities (North Dorset, Weymouth and Portland, East Dorset, West Dorset and Purbeck), supported by a range of building and community-based services. The model will be the foundation for the delivery of the Integrated Care Board Neighbourhood Health and Wellbeing Programme.

North Dorset 

Stour Connect will continue to offer the same services in Sturminster Newton, but developed as a hub, has scope and scale to develop wider community activities.

Blandford Connect will also be retained, with investment for it to become an all-age service through creating an additional family hub.

The Shaftesbury Plus clients will continue to receive the same services as they have always enjoyed as the current commissioned service with Care Dorset will be further developed into a community based model at the same venue. The building used by Sherborne Connect is past its best and existing clients will benefit from the same service moving to a smaller, more appropriate building closer to the town centre.

Weymouth and Portland

The community hub will be at the Weymouth Connect building as proposed in the original consultation.

The Ridgeway Plus service will continue with a drive to make this the specialist service for West Dorset for adults with learning disabilities.

East Dorset

The services at Verwood Connect will be developed into a specialist hub for adults with learning disabilities for the east of the county.

The proposed closure of Ferndown Plus will now not take place. Instead, it will be retained and developed, with the Care Dorset contract reviewed to allow the building to become a community asset for local people, complementing other local services. All existing clients will continue to receive services.

West Dorset

Dorchester Connect will be the main hub for West Dorset.

The building at Bridport Connect will be retained for the short-term but the council will look to either move the centre to the planned new Reablement Centre or a more appropriate site in the town. We are looking to work with the community to develop a range of additional activities.

Purbeck

At Swanage Connect, clients will continue to receive support but the service will develop a community-based model, working alongside the Swanage and Purbeck Development Trust and local community activity partners to develop a local service.

The Wareham Plus day centre, next to Anglebury Court, in the centre of town, will not close but become a specialist hub for older people.

Purbeck Connect Services, which are currently located on an industrial estate, will see clients moving to the more appropriate Wareham Plus, with a medium-term plan to close the building and transfer services to a community-based service in Wareham.

Ends

Notes to Editors

We carried out extensive consultation between March and June 2025, promoting proposals at all 13 Care Dorset centres. Around 500 people attended. The consultation also included six online sessions, focus groups, meetings at schools and letters to all those attending day centres. We submitted our findings of the consultation responses, which included two petitions around maintaining both Blandford and Ferndown Day Centres. This can be found - https://consultation.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/c-e/dayopps/

The Health and Wellbeing Board will also discuss the proposals in February, before the final papers go to Cabinet in March.