The sixth series of the British children's television series The Dumping Ground began broadcasting on 12 January 2018 on CBBC and ended on 7 December 2018.[1] The series follows the lives of the children living in the fictional children's care home of Ashdene Ridge, nicknamed by them "The Dumping Ground". It consisted of twenty-four, thirty-minute episodes,[2] airing in two halves in January and September; ten episodes for the second half premiered a week early on BBC iPlayer. It is the fourteenth series in The Story of Tracy Beaker franchise.
Jody borrows or takes things from the other young people and Swedish woman Hilde from the council's planning department arrives to see how The Dumping Ground uses its space. Jody arrives at her mum's for Denise's boyfriend Grant's visit and Sasha speaks to Dexter on video chat, who is now living with their mum and stepdad with Sasha due to move in later. Hilde agrees for Floss to help her and Jody struggles to tell Grant about a made up trip in Venice and Denise is against telling Grant that Jody is in care and orders Jody to bring some of her stuff to make it like she lives with her. Floss finds plans for a luxury bedroom conversion in the attic and the young people argue over who should get it, so Alex decides they should compete for it, with Sasha and Chloe making the rules. The competition Sasha sets is everyone having a red tag with their name on and if it's pulled off, they are eliminated and whoever has their tag remaining wins. Charlie climbs onto the shed roof with Alex refusing to move from near her. Jody packs some of her stuff, but opts to go to the gym when Mike won't let her go out herself and Archie helps Charlie move Alex by using the hose, so Charlie and Archie team up. Floss copies Hilde's style and accent and at the boxing gym, Jody is initially unenthusiastic, but soon takes to it. Floss wants Hilde to teach her Hygge and Jody runs away from the gym to Denise's when she calls whilst Floss gets Chloe to help make Swedish food for Hilde. Jody is unimpressed about having to wear a dress and heels for Denise to join Grant for a ballet show and when Grant tells Jody he wants him, her and Denise to be a family, Jody runs off. Hilde is reluctant to try the Swedish food. When Jody returns to the DG, Mike confronts her about why she is wearing a dress and barefoot, she snaps at Mike and May-Li when she returns to The Dumping Ground when they question what is wrong with her. Alex and Charlie are the only remaining players left, so they decide to both remove their tags and Hilde reveals the attic plans are for a billionaire and it turns out she is not Swedish. Denise threatens Jody to make things right with Grant or she will never forgive her.
Finn dreams about playing football professionally with his dad, but he annoys Sasha when he kicks a football that damages her art work. Finn overhears Alex telling May-Li he does not want to celebrate his birthday. Finn gains the idea from thinking of his dad to organise a birthday party for Alex whilst Joseph plans to move into Archie's room, but Archie is annoyed with Joseph when he accuses him of stealing his coat that Mike accidentally gave to him. Charlie agrees to help Finn organise Alex a birthday party after little interest from the other young people At lunch, Alex is furious to learn that Finn is planning a birthday, which hurts Finn as he takes his remarks personally. Archie and Joseph argue over the final sausage and spoil Sasha's art work with baked beans, so to get them to make up, Mike and May-Li pretend that if they do not make up, one of them will move to Sleepy Hollow, a house on an island. Charlie tells Alex that Finn has never had a birthday prior to living at The Dumping Ground or met his dad and when Joseph and Archie ask for votes, the young people refuse to vote for either of them over the other. Mike and May-Li are surprised that Sasha received positive feedback on her work and Finn is left with the deciding vote on Joseph and Archie, however, he insists they end arguing and share a room. Finn runs off when he is surprised by a Blackpool themed party in the garden, admitting to Alex that he never had a Blackpool birthday, but he enjoys the party and his bedroom is decorated like the Blackpool illuminations.
Sasha vlogs her last day at The Dumping Ground and Dexter arrives for a visit whilst Floss returns from the hospital with crutches after chipping a bone in her foot. Taz has to help Floss, but agrees as the injury was a result of using her rollerblades and Dexter is unhappy his things have been moved out of his old room as Joseph now shares with Archie. Dexter is excluded from Sasha's vlog by Joseph and Archie as he has left care and Jody is reluctant to be involved in the vlog. Dexter joins Joseph and Archie for a game of monopoly, but Joseph and Archie have changed the rules. To get Jody and Sasha to speak, Candi Rose tricks them into meeting in Sasha's room and locks the door on them. When Sasha records Jody, Jody admits she does not want Sasha to go, so Sasha gives Jody a book given by Tee when she left, but Sasha is angry when she finds a picture she drew that Jody took. At lunch, Sasha insults everyone when she says goodbye and Taz moves some of Floss' things on to some high shelves and the pair fight when Taz catches Floss climbing to get them. When Sasha is leaving, Jody tries to get Sasha to confess that she is scared about leaving as she likes The Dumping Ground. May-Li grounds Floss for faking her injury and Sasha becomes emotional in the car as Dexter makes her realise that The Dumping Ground is home for her. Sasha returns to The Dumping Ground with Mike, telling him she wants to remain at The Dumping Ground whilst she goes to college and the young people are thrilled with Sasha's choice.
Brothers Jay and Bird arrive at The Dumping Ground late at night, taking Candi-Rose's room, so she moves in with Chloe. The next day, the young people are practising in preparation for their competition against Graybridge as Candi-Rose waits for Valentine's cards. When Graybridge arrive, Mike is shocked to see Fiona Johnson, a woman he once knew, who is acting careworker at Graybridge, but is a regional manager and she introduces the Graybridge young people to The Dumping Ground young people. The young people have little expectation from Graybridge, but find out that they are intelligent and Mike embarrassingly explains how he knows Fiona to May-Li. When food for Graybridge go missing, Floss is determined to prove that Graybridge were responsible, Tyler gets a Valentine's card and Mike and Fiona reminisce over their time at Glastonbury. Greybridge win the first quiz in the competition. The Dumping Ground win the next round where they have to build a square out of foam pieces, but Graybridge win the following round when they have to answer questions on a reenacted Doctor Who scene. When Fiona remarks Mike on his competitiveness, Mike remembers their dart march and them kissing and The Dumping Ground win the basketball round. Floss accuses Amelie of taking the food when she mistakes toothpaste for cream and is forced to apologise. Before the race in the competition, Amelie tells Charlie that Fiona has made things great at Graybridge in her time there, but will go back to rubbish when she leaves. Mike declares The Dumping Ground the winners of the competition when Amelie helps Emi cross the finishing line when her asthma plays up, but helping is against the rules. When Charlie sees how upset Emi is, the young people ask Mike to declare Graybridge the winners. Floss catches Jay taking a cake, but he tells May-Li that Bird has diabetes and May-Li is angry about Jay potentially putting Bird in danger due to no medical diagnosis and Jay vows to never stop taking care of Bird.
Jay has a nightmare that Bird ignores him in favour of the other young people. The young people are not happy that the food has been changed to accommodate Bird's diabetes. Sasha films a vlog of Mike and Fiona discussing the competition as May-Li discusses Bird's new diet. Candi-Rose wants Mike and Fiona to be a couple, so reads up about Fiona online and to get more personal details out of her, they interview Fiona, pretending it is for an interview for woman in leadership. Jay sternly reminds Bird that they are better on their own and the young people are not their friends. May-Li talks to Jay about supporting Bird with his diet, but he gets annoyed and alleges to Mike and Fiona that May-Li hit him, with Bird supporting Jay. Mike tells May-Li about Jay's allegation and she ridicules it, wanting an apology from Jay, but Fiona suspends her. Floss spreads the news to the young people when she overhears a conversation and Fiona allows Mike to investigate for a while off the record. Mike breaks up the young people when they are angry with Jay and Bird and later, they try to get Jay and Bird to admit May-Li did not hit him whilst locked in the attic. Sasha speaks to Bird on his home and tells them that The Dumping Ground is different to any other home they have been in and it can be home for them, which makes Bird admit that Jay lied. After talking it through, Mike and May-Li decide that Jay and Bird can stay and Bird stands up to Jay. Mike asks Fiona out for a coffee and Bird insists to Jay he wants to stay at The Dumping Ground.
Alex cooks breakfast in preparation for his new job at Lily's café, The Kettle Stand, but Ryan enjoys it when Alex makes mistakes. Chloe wants to know the gender of May-Li's baby to buy a gift, which May-Li and her wife, Alice, want to keep a surprise. Mike drops Alex off at Lily's café. Joseph, Caandi-Rose and Floss decide to do the mummy challenge, which Taz, Bird and Jay decide to join in with as well as the last winners, Jody and Tyler, but Joseph wants to find a way to speed up the competition. Chloe and Sasha take a scan photo from the office, but accidentally spill juice on it and when Alex returns home to change his clothing, he tells Charlie and Finn about only doing washing up at Lily's café and all he has to look forward to, but they try to motivate him. Upon his return, Alex asks Lily for more interesting responsibilities and Alex gives a homeless man a sandwich. Mike discovers the toilet roll gone whilst Joseph and Taz make sub spinner for the competition. Chloe and Sasha search for a scan photo online and Ryan and Finn visit the café; Ryan deliberately winds Alex up leading to Alex rubbing avocado toast in his face and walking out. Floss is discovered to have cut the toilet rolls when she and Candi-Rose are declared the winners of the mummy challenge, but Joseph and Taz instead win. May-Li sticks a new scan picture up on the fridge rather than keeping it in the office, but it's actually a dog scan, however, she has two spare. Lily visits The Dumping Ground to tell Alex about what she thought of Mike when she arrived at Elm Tree House and points out Alex's positive moments at the café as well as barring Ryan for what he did to Alex.
People from the council's compliance and amenities department arrive for an experiment at The Dumping Ground that involves cameras being fitted, altering the interior layout and then arrange a stakeholder's meeting. Steven Redpen from the council explains to the young people that they have been selected to take part in an experiment for a few days based on his study that boys and girls do better when they live and study apart, so The Dumping Ground will be converted into two units, which also involves them having no mobiles. Steven also explains that they will be rewarded with a trip, chosen by the team that does best. Steven observes the house from monitors set up in the shed as the young people delegate their communal areas, breakfast times and who should have the football pitch and the plastic sheets for divisions are put up. The girls and boys begin to enjoy living separately, but Charlie and Alex grow annoyed at the girls and boys respectively as they think each other team is doing well and the young people voice their opinions to Steven through a camera. When Candi-Rose speaks to Steven, she realises that Steven is sad because his mother sent him to a boys' school, separating him from a girl he liked, Julia Bogdanovic, and Steven decides to recruit undercover agents. Candi-Rose and Bird secretly arrange to meet by using the chessboard, but they are warned away from each other, despite their being no cameras, however, it turns out Floss and Jay were recruited by Steven. The young people remove the plastic barriers, but Steven still believes boys and girls are better off apart and announces the girls will be moving to Graybridge permanently and the boys from Graybridge will move to The Dumping Ground, which results in uproar from the young people, Mike and May-Li. The next day, the girls pack up their things, however, Steven changes his mind when Candi-Rose tracks down Julia, choosing to trust the young people rather than his study.
Whilst boxing, Brandon invites Jody on holiday to Florida with his parents and when Jody discusses it with Sasha and Candi-Rose, they bring up Tyler and the time when everyone thought they would get together. Jody insists they are no more than friends, but is advised b Sasha and Candi-Rose to take the risk as it could be her last chance. Taking tips from Sasha and Candi-Rose through a mobile, Jody tells Tyler about the holiday invite and asks if he thinks Brandon is being too serious. Jody finds a photo album and she and Tyler reminisce and remember when they promised to be friends before Jody questions Tyler's opinions on Brandon, though Tyler is reluctant to answer and to get the truth, Jody points out Brandon's positive qualities. Tyler finds out Jody has been talking to Sasha and Candi-Rose, so Jody hangs up and locks the door when Tyler threatens to go. Jody confronts Tyler over him disliking Brandon and Tyler brings up the time Jody attempted to set him up with Sophie from the skatepark. They then talk about the fire and Jody claims Tyler does not care, forcing Tyler to admit he cares too much and does not like her being with someone else and Jody admits she wanted him with Sophie because he liked him. Tyler and Jody admit they feel relieved about revealing their true feelings and as they are about to kiss, Tyler recalls his dream on their first kiss. As they attempt to kiss again, Tyler is forced to hide when Mike knocks on the door and Jody and Tyler try to work out how to be boyfriend and girlfriend. When Tyler suggests that he should move to another home, Jody instead suggests they remain friends, to which Tyler agrees with.
On the morning of Mike and Fiona's wedding, Sasha takes charge and encourages everyone to work as a team and behave for Mike. As the marquee is decorated, all the boys, except Joseph, forcefully take Mike to the attic and Charlie allows Joseph to come on her visit to her granddad with May-Li. Fiona speaks to Candi-Rose via videochat, asking for her to do her hair and makeup and in the attic, the boys reveal a surprise stag-do for Mike. At her granddad's care home, May-Li breaks the news to Charlie that her granddad has passed away. Ryan insults the young people when they give Mike a fossil as a sign that he is their rock. Charlie finds out from May-Li that her granddad passed away that morning after being poorly during the night and Charlie does not want to tell Mike on his wedding day. Ryan loses his temper when he is expected to give Mike a gift, which he was excluded from knowing about as well as the stag-do and he smashes Mike's wedding cake before packing his stuff. On their way home, May-Li goes into labour and Charlie is forced to take charge, so she instructs Joseph to find signal to phone an ambulance and gets May-Li into the back of the car. Charlie realises that she will have to deliver May-Li's baby as it is almost delivered. After the smashed cake is discovered, Chloe tells Mike that she found a note from Ryan and Mike contacts Ryan, who apologises, but believes he will never change and no one can help him and after, he is rude to a woman he knocks into. Charlie feels unable to deliver May-Li's baby, but May-Li inspires her and Charlie delivers May-Li's baby, whom she names Henry after Charlie's granddad. Back at The Dumping Ground, the young people gather in the living room and realise Ryan and Mike are not around. The woman from the bus station turns up at The Dumping Ground and turns out to be Tracy Beaker, who is acting as Mike's best man and is concerned about Mike's whereabouts.
After the young people and Tracy fail to find Mike around The Dumping Ground, so Tracy plans to search for Mike with the help of the young people before Fiona's arrival, but Fiona arrives early, so Tracy delegates tasks. Mike locates Ryan at the bus station and Tracy puts the word out on social media about Mike's disappearance, which several former residents respond to. Jody, Candi-Rose and Taz plan to hold Fiona up when it comes to her hair and make up and some of the young people are introduced to Henry on video chat. Chloe tells Tracy about Ryan's disappearance and Tracy recognises Ryan from a photo, so goes to the bus station. Despite Mike's attempts to instil positivity into Ryan, Ryan insists he is always angry and goes back to the incident when he supposedly stopped the thief, admitting the thief was only stopped by tripping over Ryan. Tracy turns up and asks Ryan to allow Mike happiness on his wedding day for what he does for them; Ryan agrees, but Mike then decide he cannot get married as his wedding has made him lose focus, but Tracy talks him round. When the cab leaves, Tracy borrows a tandem bike for her and Mike, with Ryan running behind. When Fiona is done with her makeup, Jody and Candi-Rose panic, so when Jody is sent to ask Mike a question by Fiona, Candi-Rose tells the truth that Mike is not around. Lily, Tee, Frank, Liam, Bailey, Tony and Billie arrive for Mike's wedding, but Fiona decides not to go ahead, believing it is payback for rejecting Mike when they were younger. Mike is upset when everyone breaks the news for him and Fiona later finds old photos that were planted into her bag by Candi-Rose of her and Mike. Tracy arrives back at The Dumping Ground with Fiona and she and Mike get married and Ryan apologises to Mike, but thanks him and May-Li as they help make them more perfect. Mike is told by Joseph about Charlie's granddad and Mike gives Charlie the letter from her granddad, which she reads with Sasha's support. After their wedding, Mike and Fiona leave with Mike's dream car.
Guest Appearances: Dani Harmer as Tracy Beaker, Jessie Williams as Lily Kettle, Mia McKenna-Bruce as Tee Taylor, Chris Slater as Frank Matthews, Richard Wisker as Liam O'Donovan, Kasey McKellar as Bailey Wharton, Nelly Currant as Toni Trent and Gwen Currant as Billie Trent