Family Help
In Dorset, we want every child to grow up feeling safe, loved, and happy. All children should have the best possible start in life, enjoy their childhood, and be ready to learn when they start school. Our goal is to help every child do well in school, build confidence, and have the skills they need for a bright and successful future.
All families face challenges from time to time. These might include changes in:
- health
- disability
- money worries
- relationship difficulties
- housing problems
- Many families manage with the support of friends, relatives, or trusted professionals. Support is available through places like Family Hubs, where you can get advice and connect with support services.
What is Family Help?
Family Help is a new way of offering support to families who need more intensive help and support. It brings together different types of help into one service, so families don’t have to keep repeating their story to several workers.
What makes Family Help different?
It brings together targeted early help and social care into one team.
It’s based in your local community and designed around the needs of children, young people and families.
It’s delivered by friendly, skilled professionals who have the time and knowledge to really help.
It’s about working with you, not doing things to you.
Focuses on your family’s strengths and your support network, to find solutions together. This helps create lasting change and stronger, more resilient families.
Family Help is consent based.
Community reporting
If you would like to raise a safeguarding concern about an incident or worry you may have outside of school hours, please use our community reporting link: Community reporting link
Supporting your child’s mental health at home
Please see below a list of useful websites to support your child’s mental health and wellbeing at home: