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Do you know a young person aged 16 to 24 who needs support planning their next steps into learning, training or work? If the answer is 'yes', we can help.
 We're holding a series of Youth Employment Support (YES) events during the summer where experts will be on hand to provide information, advice and guidance.
Our ‘Move on’ careers fairs featuring local opportunities will take place on:
- Monday 27 July 2026 from 1pm to 4pm at Swadlincote Adult Education Centre
- Tuesday 28 July 2026 from 1pm to 4pm at The Quad, Chesterfield
- Wednesday 29 July 2026 from 1pm to 4pm at Cotmanhay and Ilkeston Adult Education Centre
Further sessions to offer support following exam results and to help with next steps will take place in August:
- Monday 24 August, Swadlincote Adult Education Centre, Rink Drive, 11am to 4pm
- Tuesday 25 August, The Quad, Dock Walk, Chesterfield, 11am to 4pm
- Thursday 27 August, Ilkeston Library, Market Street, 11am to 4pm.
There's no need to book in advance, young people can drop in to any of the sessions on the day.
Work gets underway next week to implement the first phase of significant improvements to the A54 Macclesfield Main Road, also known as the Cat and Fiddle.
 The changes are part of our £70 million capital programme to invest in our highways network to deliver safer, stronger and more resilient roads across the county.
A 14-week 24/7 road closure to all traffic will be in place so that the work can happen safely between the A53 Leek Road and the junction with the A537 at the Cheshire boundary.
The scheme will focus on ensuring the road is ‘winter ready’ and provides better road safety. It will include:
- Resurfacing the 1.7km part of the closure to extend the road’s lifespan
- Installing a new drainage system to minimise the risk of surface water flooding and to protect the road from frost
- Improving skid resistance with high friction surfacing on sharp bends for better road safety.
There'll be a signed diversion route in place while the work is carried out that will use the A53, A523, A537 and the A54. Find out more and subscribe to our newsletter to keep up to date with the work.
New mobile library timetables are being introduced from Monday 3 August – and the good news is there’s 30 new stops.
The new timetables better reflect our changing populations across the county and the demand for the service.
Our library service has been able to add 30 new stops in places you’ve asked for by removing unused stops and combining some less-popular stops into one at some locations.
And they’ve increased the minimum stop time to 30 minutes for better browsing.
While some stops stay the same, or with minor changes, others will see a change to the day or time, so it’s important that if you use the service you’re aware of the changes coming in.
Our mobile library staff are writing to customers and town and parish councils to give them clear information about the new timetables, and you can also find out more on the Derbyshire Libraries website.
Mobile library customers are currently receiving a temporary Book & Borrow service as improvements, identified during initial testing, are made to two new mobile library vans which are expected to be on the roads soon.
For further queries you can email ask.library@derbyshire.gov.uk
Parents and carers across Derbyshire are continuing to share their experiences and ideas through the Families First Partnership (FFP) parental engagement sessions.
And to make it even easier for more parents to give their views, we're holding two online sessions in the coming days.
The events are taking place on:
- Tuesday 28 July from 4-6pm
- Thursday 30 July from 4-6pm.
Register to take part.
Since the first session took place in June, we’ve spoken with almost 30 parents and carers from across the county. Their feedback is helping us better understand what matters most to families when accessing support and working with local services and professionals.
Discussions have covered a range of topics including support during early childhood, accessing advice and help, building trust with services and how different agencies can work more effectively together to support families.
If you’re not able to attend a session but would like to help shape the future support for children, young people and families across Derbyshire, including those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), please fill in an online feedback form.
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Fire crews continue to work hard to bring the wildfire at Tintwistle under control and people are being advised to avoid the area.
Our own highways team responded to a call for help from Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service to fix a bridge on a remote farm track which had started to collapse from the weight of emergency vehicles.
Using four huge, one-tonne sacks of rock lifted into place, they propped up the collapsing road, covering it in earth before reinstating the concrete slabs.
The temporary fix has helped maintain access for the emergency services and our team is due to return later in the summer to make a permanent repair.
While the fire continues to burn, people are being warned about the risks of wildfire smoke. They are advised to follow local media and emergency services on social media for updates.
Keeping windows and doors closed if smoke is near your home can significantly reduce exposure to smoke. For additional advice visit the UK Health Security Agency website.
If you’d like to have your say on how well our mental health services currently work, or what can be improved, we’re hosting two online sessions for you to give your views.
We provide three services for people with ‘low levels’ of need who don’t require crisis support or hospital admission and we’ve launched a public consultation into them.
Online consultation sessions are taking place on:
- Thursday 30 July, 2.30pm to 3.30pm
- Monday 3 August, 12pm to 1pm.
To attend, please email tell.adultcare@derbyshire.gov.uk and you'll be sent an online Microsoft Teams link to join the session.
The three services are designed to help people live independently in their communities and are practical and community based. They include talking to someone, getting help with housing or budgeting and building routines and confidence.
They don’t provide clinical treatment or counselling and are different from specialist NHS mental health services for example GP or community mental health teams.
If you’re not able to attend one of our online events, you can also give your views by completing our online questionnaire.
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We've approved plans to help boost the number of foster carers so that more children can live in stable, loving family homes closer to their communities.
Hear from our Cabinet Member for Children and Families Councillor Paul Maginnis about how it will speed up the process and ensure consistent support is in place throughout their fostering journey.
Watch the video.
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Do you, or someone you know, get Universal Credit? From the start of the 2026 academic year all children whose families receive Universal Credit will be entitled to a free meal regardless of household income.
Under current rules, only families entitled to Universal Credit and receive £7,400 or less per year from employment qualify for a free lunch for their children. The expanded eligibility will mean many more children will be able to receive a free nutritious meal.
All pupils in reception, year 1 and year 2 will continue to get free meals under the universal free school meals policy.
Families are encouraged to apply and check if they are eligible.
If you’re the working parent of a child aged from nine months to four years old you could be eligible for funded childcare.
Don’t miss out – the application deadline for the autumn term is Monday 31 August.
Find out more, check if you’re eligible and apply.
If you already have a childcare code you must reconfirm your eligibility around every three months. It’s easy and only takes a few minutes – just log in to your childcare account to check.
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