The changes has already improved the services for many older people, people with physical or learning disabilities, people recovering from mental illness, and for the wider community too.

Residents in Dorset are also encouraged and helped to identify what they would like to achieve and match their support to their needs, with a much more personal approach to care (called personalisation).

Offering eligible service users an allocation of money to meet their care needs, called a personal budget, is key to this new approach.

We will continue to work with the people who use the services, their carers and our partners to make sure we get things right and make a real difference to people's lives.

• How we'd like to see services look in future

  Dorset's transforming social care programme aims to provide:

• Personal budgets - the next steps

  A new scheme to give adults more say in the social care they receive is gathering pace in Dorset.

• Publications for the public

  More detailed information about our 'Living well within our means' programme:

• Latest press releases

• Jargon buster

  Common terms used in social care and their definitions.

• Publications for professionals

  This section contains documents aimed at professionals.

• Contact us

  Find contact telephone numbers and useful contacts.

• Developing Community Based Services

  Community based services are all those services and opportunities which enable people to remain living at home, playing a part in their community and retaining as much independence as possible.

• Ageing Well in Dorset

  The council is committed to finding new ways to improve health and social care in the county and is working with partners such as NHS Dorset and voluntary organisations to support people to stay healthy and independent for as long as possible and lead full and active lives.