FAQs

Where are you based?

We operate out of four locations in Dorset – Haymans Bakery and Brenscombe Woods on the Isle of Purbeck, Gatehouse Farm in Wool and, our most recent site, Manor Farm in Dewlish, near Dorchester. These various sites mean we are able to work with young people across Dorset and respond to their unique needs. Find out more here.

What does the onboarding process look like?

In order to make a referral or to discuss availability and the kind of placement you may be looking for, please use the form or phone number on our contact page

Depending on the situation, you and your client can join us at one of our sites, meet our staff and learn more about the support and curriculum on offer. Alternatively, we can contact the family directly and meet the client before proposing a way forward to build a working alliance.

My child won’t speak to anyone can you help?

In many cases the answer is yes, and we are always keen to help. We have worked in this line of service and support for more than 20 years and we find that, in most cases, we can at least get an initial conversation happening and, often, this leads to some form of engagement.

Can we do a trial day?

We often find a trial day, or even just a brief visit to walk around one of our sites and meet some of our staff works well as a starting point. Get in touch using our contact form to find out more.

Do you provide transport?

As part of our provision offer we usually include transport pick ups and drop offs, as well as any further movement between our locations. This is all provided gratis and proves to be a really useful opportunity to begin our work in building relationships and supporting the young people.

How can I refer a/my young person to you?

If you would like to refer a young person to us, please complete the form on our contact page.

One of our team will be in touch soon and, depending on the conversation, we can arrange for you and your young person to join us at one of our sites, meet our staff and learn more about the support and curriculum on offer. Alternatively, we can contact the family directly and meet the client before proposing a way forward to build a working alliance.

How do I know if your services are a good fit for my child?

A good idea may be to read through the testimonials across our website so that you can hear from other parents who would have had similar questions to you. Once you’ve read a little more about what we can offer your young person, please do get in touch to discuss things further. You can be confident that we work closely with young people and their carers/parents, as well as other professionals, to design a personalised provision.

My child doesn’t like large groups, how many children are in a group at Dorset Wellbeing?

Most of our work starts 1:1 and, when helpful, expands to include work in small groups of up to 5 or 6, depending on the need of the young person. We are also lucky to have multiple sites on offer to us to host young people while in our care. This allows us some flexibility in order to plan accordingly to meet the varying needs of our young people. In addition to this we are able to offer Outreach sessions which can be conducted in the home, or in a prearranged settings agreed ahead of time.

How are you regulated?

In September 2018 Dorset Wellbeing was awarded a place on the Alternative Provision Framework for Children and Young People by Dorset County Council – Tender Reference: DN341953.

We are also members of the National Youth Agency and Social Farms and Gardens and we choose to be bound by the Ethical Framework for Good Practice of the British Association of Counselling & Psychotherapy.

Can you provide qualifications?

Currently we are able to provide support for those working towards functional Skills in both Maths and English, as well as a certificate in Employability and Development Skills Level 2, Construction Level 2, Motor Vehicle Studies Level 2 and a certificate in Catering Level 2 through the Open College Network. However, if your young person is interested in any other qualifications, it is worth having a conversation with us. Our staff have a breadth of knowledge to draw on, so will do our utmost to cater for the varying interests of the young people we work with.

How long are the sessions? My child finds it hard to concentrate/sit for long.

We tend to focus on operating two ‘sessions’ a day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. However, we have a fairly unique ability to tailor our provision to the relative needs of the young person. That means that we can alter our session delivery to maximise the engagement of the child, rather than conforming to a more rigid, traditional timing delivery.

What age children do you work with?

As a team, we have experience of working with the whole educational age range, including Early Years and Further Education. Most of our work is with young people between KS2 and KS4, and we carefully consider the compilation of small groups in order to keep them age/maturity appropriate. That being said, not all of our settings will be suitable to all age groups, so it is best to discuss individual needs with us, it may initially be more suitable to work with your child inn a 1:1 in a setting that is familiar to them.