Annual Report 2025 to 2026

Most people in Buckinghamshire live independent and healthy lives, but a growing number of children and adults need extra support and protection, including those with mental health difficulties, special educational needs, disabilities and complex needs, often linked to our increasing older population. We aim to give everyone the best chances in life by helping them, their families and carers to build resilience and find their own solutions.

Working with partners and communities, we will continue to innovate and improve our offer, enabling faster recovery from illness, reducing isolation and loneliness, and supporting those most at risk. We are also strengthening our recruitment and support for foster carers so more vulnerable children can live in safe, loving homes when they cannot live with their birth families. By reducing disparities across our communities, we aim to ensure all residents have the support and skills they need to live independent, happy and fulfilling lives.

Our corporate plan set out our aspirations to ensure:

• Children, adults, and families feel safe and supported to live independent lives.
• Our older, disabled, and vulnerable people receive the right support, at the right time.
• We provide a strong housing offer that provides affordable, accessible, sustainable and suitable choices at all life stages.

The achievements listed for this priority sets out how we have worked towards achieving this in 2025/26.

• Procured a new prevention service for over-65s to build social connection and reduce isolation
• Helping Hand supplied 96,000 digital food vouchers for eligible families during the school holidays
• Helping Hand funded 70 voluntary and community initiatives supporting residents across Buckinghamshire
• Helping Hand supported residents to stay warm, distributing 300 warm packs countywide
• Helping Hand continued Welcoming Spaces in libraries and community venues to support residents in winter
• Helping Hand supported an average of 258 households each month with food, white goods or financial help
• Supported 32 MEAM clients to move into stable social, supported or private rented homes
• Specialist Domestic Abuse Caseworkers in Safeguarding and MASH supported 588 victims this year
• Achieved completion of Modern Slavery e-learning by 92% of Buckinghamshire Council staff
• Delivered domestic abuse training to 802 staff and partners via Community Safety teams
• Hosted the Annual White Ribbon Day conference and upheld accreditation tackling violence against women and girls
• Received 40,517 adult social care contacts, including partner referrals and requests for advice
• Handled 1,461 safeguarding contacts, achieving 91.8% eligibility decisions within two working days
• Supported 544 clients in nursing care, 1,002 in residential and 4,456 in community settings
• Achieved 96% of safeguarding enquiry outcomes fully or partially, where expressed
• Undertook 3,998 Better Lives, 749 Carers and 3,107 Occupational Therapist assessments during the year
• Completed 5,260 reviews for adult social care clients this year
• Enabled 93.7% of people to live independently following reablement
• Created a new library card for carers with no overdue fees and an extended loan period
• Welcomed 3 Afghan families in 2025, bringing the total supported to 34
• Welcomed a further 147 guests from Ukraine, bringing total support to 2,262
• Supported 97 refugees to access Teaching English as Foreign Language (TEFL) classes and 14 Afghan women to learn English through cookery sessions, with two now qualified as TEFL teachers
• Ran Blue Badge enforcement campaigns to protect disabled bays and reduce fraudulent use
• Through Opportunity Bucks and Helping Hand, supported Hope Church in Chesham to launch its Dinner Kits initiative, working with Livingswood Academy to distribute 22 kits to families
• Triaged 64,635 contacts and 11,437 referrals through the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub
• 1,074 children receiving level 3 early help support
• Completed 4,274 child and family assessments, with 87% completed within 45 days
• 30 care leavers now attending university
• Supported 7 newly qualified social workers through the Assessed and Supported Year in Employment Academy
• Opened 4 new children’s homes, bringing the in-house total to 8, with more in the pipeline for 26/27 for Ofsted registration
• Ofsted inspected and published judgements for 4 of our in-house children’s homes in 25/26, all rated as GOOD, demonstrating strong safeguarding and outcomes for children
• Held our fourth Youth Summit with 164 young people sharing their views
• Enhanced our foster carer offer, approving 26 new foster carers this year
• Our Locality Family Support and Safeguarding teams continue to provide more timely and effective interventions to families
• Expanded specialist SEND provision with new units and satellite provisions creating over 100 additional places across the county
• Expanded primary and secondary school places across the county creating 150 additional places (120 primary / 30 secondary)
• Ofsted report on our Area SEND Inspection in November acknowledges that we have an ambitious plan in place in relation to tackling high demand and reducing waiting times for an EHCP, supported by an additional £3m investment by the Council in November 2025
• Supported 4,027 children through the Holiday Activities and Food Programme, 1,123 of which declared SEND
• Designated Elmhurst Family Centre as our first Best Start Family Hub, offering parenting and early learning support
• Young representatives from Youth Voice Bucks addressed Council, highlighting key issues for young people
• Educational standards across Buckinghamshire remain strong, outperforming national averages across EYFS, Phonics, KS2 and Attainment
• 71% of reception aged pupils achieve a good level of development (compared to 68% nationally)
• Key Stage 4 (GCSE and equivalent) results continue to be above national average compared to other local authority areas
• Provided 702 personal transport budgets, giving eligible young people with SEND and their families flexible travel options
• 8,320 eligible students transported from home to school on Council contracted services and public transport services
• The Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated adult social care services as ‘GOOD’ in July 2025, reflecting effective, safe and person-centred care. The assessment, which scored 73%, praised the council’s promotion of independence for disabled adults, older people, and carers