Children’s Development and Behaviour Pathway – Dorset Support Services
The below provides information on Dorset support services which you may find useful if your child has been diagnosed with autism or ADHD.
Family support
| Service | What they do | Contact details |
| Action for Children Parent Talk | Down-to-earth parenting advice you can trust. Find answers to parenting questions in our advice articles. Or talk to a parenting coach about anything that’s worrying you. | https://parents.actionforchildren.org.uk/ |
| Autism Unlimited (formerly Autism Wessex) | We are the leading regional charity providing specialist education, care and support, to children and adults affected by autism and other associated difficulties. | https://www.autism-unlimited.org/ Email: info@autism-unlimited.org Phone: 01202 483360 |
| Dorset Children Centres | Children centres are for all families with children under five years old. They provide a range of services, depending on local need and parental choice. | https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/children-families/family-hub/find-a-family-hub |
| Dorset Family Information Service | Dorset Family Information Service is a free, impartial information service for parents and carers of children and young people aged up to 19, or up to 25 years for those with special educational needs or disability (SEND). | https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/children-families/get-help-for-your-family/family-information-service Email: familyinfo@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk Phone: 01305 221066 |
| Dorset Family support teams (Early Help) | Family support teams provide information, advice and guidance, as well as direct support around anything relating to family life, including: staying safe keeping healthy parenting managing finances achieving well in the early years, at school and getting a job And can bring together professionals to help your child, for example, by working with your health visitor, doctor or school teacher, provide one-to-one family work, suggest parenting support courses that could help you and your family, offer help and advice for more complex needs, maybe you’re concerned about your child’s behaviour, or worried about their development or emotional or mental health, link you to local groups that can support you, including activities at your local Children’s Centre, help your child be ready for school and help you fill out any relevant forms and paperwork. | https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/children-families/family-hub/support-for-families#fpz Chesil locality Email: chesillocality@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk Phone: 01305 762400 Dorchester locality Email: dorchesterlocality@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk Phone: 01305 224220 East Dorset locality Email: eastlocality@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk Phone: 01202 868224 North Dorset locality Email: northlocality@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk Phone: 01258 474036 Purbeck locality Email: purbecklocality@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk Phone: 01929 557000 West Dorset locality Email: westlocality@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk Phone: 01308 425241 |
| Dorset Local Offer | Dorset Council’s Local Offer for children and young people from 0 to 25 years with special educational needs and/or disability (SEND) provides information, advice and support for children and their families. | https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/children-families/sen-and-disability-local-offer/dorsets-local-offer |
| Dorset Parent Carer Council | Our aim is to help improve the lives and opportunities for families and children and young people aged 0-25 years who are disabled in Dorset. We are doing this by being a voice to inform all agencies and services about the needs of disabled children and their families in Dorset. | https://www.dorsetparentcarercouncil.co.uk/ Email: dpcc@dorsetparentcarercouncil.co.uk Phone: 07827 793 244 |
| Dorset Children’s Social Care | Children’s social care can provide help to children and their parents if the child: needs support with maintaining their health or development has a disability is in need of protection is unable to live with their family and has been adopted, is living with foster carers or lives in residential care A social care professional can provide practical advice and information that helps the family. | https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/w/children-who-are-disabled-social-care Children’s Advice and Duty Service Phone: 01305 228866 |
| The Xchange | An interactive news and information network for children who are disabled and or have additional needs and their families. | https://www.xchangeonline.co.uk |
| Cygnets (a diagnosis is required to access) | A parenting support programme for parents and carers of children and young people aged 8-18 with autistic spectrum condition. (unfortunately, this is not currently running, but please add your name to the waitlist). | If you would like to add your details to the waiting list for training please contact EforE@thomas-hardye.net with the subject ‘Cygnets’ |
| Incredible Years Programme | The Incredible Years is a series of evidencebased programs for parents, children, and teachers, supported by over 30 years of research. The goal is to prevent and help young children’s behaviour problems and promote their social, emotional, and academic competence. Programmes running include: The Incredible Years Pre-school group programme for parents of children aged 3-6 years (14 weeks), The Incredible Years School Age group programme for parents of children aged 6-12 years (12 weeks) and The Incredible Years group programme for parents of children aged 6 to 12 with a diagnosis of ADHD (18 weeks). | https://www.incredibleyears.com/ Speak to your local family support service for access to local programmes https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/w/parenting-support-courses Action for Children https://www.actionforchildren.org.uk/how-we-can-help/our-local-services/find-our-services-near-you/dorset-parent-training-and-education/ |
| NAS EarlyBird plus programme (a diagnosis is required to access) | The National Autistic Society (NAS) EarlyBird Plus Programme runs across Dorset, in the following venues: Westfield Arts College in Weymouth (co-ordinators for Dorset), Yewstock School in Sturminster Newton. The NAS Early Bird Plus programme will help you to: understand your child’s autistic spectrum disorder help improve communication with your child help to develop practical strategies to pre-empt problem behaviours and/or manage those which do occur | Contact Caroline Hubbuck or Kate Flute at Westfield for more details, an information pack or an informal chat Email: earlybird@westfield.dorset.sch.uk Phone: 01305 833518 Mob: 07444836954 |
Education support
| Service | What they do | Contact details |
| Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) | CAMHS is a specialist service that provides support to children and young people who are coping with significant mental health difficulties. A separate referral is needed to access the service.The CAMHS website contains lots of information and resources around mental health as well as information on the referral process. | http://www.camhsdorset.org/ |
| Dorset Mind Your Head | Dorset Mind Your Head is a Dorset-wide programme aimed to help young people of Dorset to be as mentally healthy as possible. Young people cope with the stresses and strains of life in different ways. Growing up in the 21st century is not always easy. We aim to equip young people to have the resources, tools, support and information they need to build resilience, learn how to deal with difficult emotions and live a mentally healthy life. | Email: dmyh@dorsetmind.uk Phone: 01202 315329 ext. 2. (for information about Dorset Mind Your Head Groups and Support ONLY) |
| Kooth | Free to those in Dorset. This service offers free online 1:1 counselling. There are also forum discussions and self-help resources. | https://www.kooth.com/ |
| Shout | Shout is a free, confidential, 24/7 text messaging support service for anyone who is struggling to cope, the text number is 85258. | https://giveusashout.org/ |
Activities / support groups
| Service | What they do | Contact details |
| Activate Performing Arts | The Remix is an inclusive youth performance company open to young people age 12-19, both disabled and non-disabled, from across Dorset. The Premix is a similar group set up for 7-11 year olds. Meet once a month and for holiday clubs. | https://activateperformingarts.org.uk/take-part/the-remix-the-premix/ Email: info@activateperformingarts.co.uk Phone: 01305 260954 |
| Artz+ Sportz+ | We provide school holiday arts and sports events for disabled children and young people aged 5 to 18 and their families. Join us at sports and outdoor centres, museums, woodlands, theatres and other venues across Dorset. | Email: leisureWDWP@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk |
| ASCape ASD and Social Anxiety Group | ASCape is a charity supporting young Autistic people (plus those with Social Anxiety) and their families in West Dorset. We have a number of different support groups and activities for families, young people aged 0-25 and parents/carers. | Email info@ASCapegroup.org Phone Clare: – 07754 065733 |
| AS Divas and Dudes | A parent and peer support group which meets once a month on the first Tuesday of each month 5.15-7.15pm in Dorchester. | Email: Asdivasanddudes@gmail.com Phone Claudia: 07443 534178 |
| A-Stars | Local support group for families with a child who has Asperger’s syndrome or any other Autistic Spectrum Condition which meet every Saturday morning 10.30am-12.30pm at the Asperger Base at Budmouth Technology College. | https://www.astars.org.uk/ Email: admin@Astars.org.uk Phone: 07498 543631 |
| Diverse Abilities | Dorset’s disability charity supporting children and adults with profound physical and learning disabilities. | https://diverseabilities.org.uk/ Email: info@diverseabilities.org.uk Phone: 01202 718266 |
| Dorset Adult Asperger Support Group | The DAAS Group offers support and information for adults with Asperger’s Syndrome and their carers, families, friends and supporters in the Dorset area as well as working to raise awareness and increase understanding of autism and Asperger’s. | https://www.dorsetadultaspergerssupport.org.uk/ |
| Hipp!!Bones | Youth club for young people with special needs. Hipp!!Bones provides a targeted youth club for young people with learning difficulties, disabilities, Autism and/or additional needs living in North Dorset and neighbouring counties. We predominantly cater for young people aged 11-19 years of age, although we can continue to cater for our members up to the age of 25 years of age. Gillingham Youth and Community Centre, Cemetery Road, Gilligham. 10-12 noon on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of month. | https://www.hippbones.org.uk/contact-us/ |
| Parent Support Group (Gillingham) | Parent Support Group for parents and carers of children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or those awaiting possible diagnosis. Dates: 1st Monday of the month Time: 7.00pm – 8.30pm Venue: Bones Youth Club, Cemetary Rd, Gillingham SP8 4AZ | Phone Helen Shorrocks: 01305 22431 |
| The Umbrella Group | Parent led support group for parents of children and young adults with ASD. Meets once a month on a Saturday 10am-12pm at Portfield School in Christchurch. | https://www.helpandkindness.co.uk/service/1276/The-Umbrella-Group Phone: 07450210911 |
National support services
| Service | What they do | Contact details |
| Ambitious about Autism | Ambitious about Autism is a national charity which provides services, raises awareness and influences policy. | https://www.ambitiousaboutautism.org.uk/ |
| Autism Central | Autism Central is a peer education programme, commissioned by NHS England. It aims to build knowledge and understanding of autism and empower families and carers to advocate for autistic people they support. Local support helps families to get the right understanding and adjustments in place across the services they use. | https://www.autismcentral.org.uk/ |
| Anna Freud | World leading mental health charity. | https://www.annafreud.org/ |
| Autism Unlimited | We exist to support and empower those living with autism. | https://www.autism-unlimited.org/who-we-are/about-us |
| Cerebra | We’re the charity dedicated to helping families with children with brain conditions discover a better life together. | https://cerebra.org.uk/ Email: enquiries@cerebra.org.uk Phone: 01267 244 200 |
| Contact a family | For families with disabled children. Provide information and advice and support. | https://contact.org.uk/ Email: info@contact.org.uk Free Helpline: 0808 808 3555 |
| National Autistic Society | The UK’s leading charity for people on the autism spectrum and their families. They provide support, guidance and advice, as well as campaigning for improved rights, services and opportunities to help create a society that works for autistic people. | https://www.autism.org.uk/ Helpline: 0808 800 4104 |
| Rethink | Rethink aim to improve the lives of people severely affected by mental illness through their network of local groups and services, expert information and successful campaigning. | https://www.rethink.org/ |
| Scope | We’re Scope, the disability equality charity in England and Wales. We provide practical information and emotional support when it’s most needed and campaign relentlessly to create a fairer society. Navigate Service – Navigate is a national mentoring service, that provides online emotional support for parents and carers of disabled children who are finding out about their child’s additional needs. | https://www.scope.org.uk/ Email: helpline@scope.org.uk Phone: 0808 800 3333 Email: navigate@scope.org.uk Phone: 0808 801 0510 |
| Scottish Autism | Scottish Autism is an organisation dedicated to enabling autistic people to lead happy, healthy and fulfilling lives. | http://www.scottishautism.org/services-support/family-support/women-and-girls-online-support |
| The Autism Services Directory | Lists ASD services and support groups across the UK. | http://www.theautismdirectory.com/ |
| The Girl with the Curly Hair Project | The Curly Hair Project is an organisation that helps people on the autistic spectrum and the people around them, founded by autistic author Alis Rowe. We use cool things like animated films, comic strips and diagrams to make our work interesting and easy to understand! | http://www.thegirlwiththecurlyhair.co.uk/ |
| Dorset Neurodiversity Hub | This website contains information to support neurodivergent people in Dorset, with a particular focus on autism and ADHD. Every neurodivergent person is unique. Some may need support to help them fulfil their potential or cope with certain challenges, others may not. Support is available in lots of different ways if you need it, and you don’t always need a clinical diagnosis to access it. | https://nhsdorset.nhs.uk/neurodiversity/ |
| ADAPT | This resource is for parents and carers of children and young people who have a diagnosis of autism. Parents and carers of a child or young person on the waiting list for an autism assessment might also find it helpful. Parents need to register an account with the Recovery College to enrol on the course. | https://www.recoverycollegeonline.co.uk/courses/adapt/ |