Dorset Wellbeing

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Dorset Wellbeing

Dorset Wellbeing is an alternative provision offering therapeutic support and bespoke education to children and young people across Dorset.

Dorset Wellbeing provides therapeutic support and bespoke education to children and young people across Dorset. More specifically, we work with the needs and interests of young people who find conventional education options difficult, collaborating closely with carers/parents and other stakeholders to create a safe and transformative learning environment. With Dorset Wellbeing, young people can unwind, improve their psychological resilience and get their learning back on track.

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Who we work with

Our service provides support for young people and children with complex SEMH and/or SEND needs. We currently work with young people and families on referral from both Dorset Council and BCP Council. This could include a child or young person who:

• Needs support because they’re unable to be at school full time
• Is experiencing declining mental health and/or self-harm
• Requires a calm and safe place to complete their education while working towards returning to school or post-16 education or apprenticeships
• Needs a period of intensive care and input for the purposes of supporting their wellbeing while they are awaiting CAMHs assessment and treatment
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What we offer

A placement with at Dorset Wellbeing can range from one to three days per week and these are designed around the interests, strengths and needs of our young people, making our service completely bespoke. We are also able to provide transport (GRATIS) for our young people, depending on what works for them. Where helpful, we and can start our work as an outreach service (working in the home or a local public space), with the hope that they will eventually feel confident enough to join us at one of our unique sites. More than that, where helpful, we provide support and tuition in Maths and English enabling young people work towards a level 2 vocational qualification by drawing on naturally occurring evidence from their day to day sessions.

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If you know someone who might benefit from our services, or want to know more about our work, contact us here: www.dorsetwellbeing.org/contact-us

15/02/2026

Cooking has shown itself in every form across our sites this week. Camp fire sausages, homely lunches prepared together, and professional displays produced for our Catering Pathway.

Everybody has been digging in, and fortunately there are usually leftovers...

13/02/2026

It's been nice weather for ducks recently, but a break in the weather allowed this young person to get out an meet the residents at our care farm site. 🦆

06/02/2026

Working with ink impressions made at our Gatehouse Farm site, this young person has let the patterns of her own ink impressions inspire a stunning array of animals for her Arts Award.

05/02/2026

prompts national conversations about mental health. At Dorset Wellbeing, the underlying idea runs through our work every day, particularly in how we support young people experiencing Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA).

Our latest post reflects on how time, space and everyday routines can help young people begin to talk about anxiety and school avoidance at their own pace.

https://www.dorsetwellbeing.org/blog/time-to-talk-every-day-coming-to-terms-with-ebsa

Time to Talk Day prompts national conversations about mental health. At Dorset Wellbeing, the underlying idea runs through our work every day, particularly in how we support young people experiencing Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA).

30/01/2026

After the rain comes the sun ☀️

Spring appears to be in the air here, with the learners attending our Greencore site coming up with some colourful tributes to the changing seasons. Let's hope they're not too premature... 🌸

28/01/2026

The weather may have been abysmal, but that didn't stop us getting out in the DWB Land Rover yesterday for our one-to-one outreach service 🚐💨

After some floodwatching, we went off road in search of some ideal hazel for walking poles, and even the dog enjoyed the trip 😊

23/01/2026

A productive day in the kitchen at Gatehouse Farm 👩‍🍳🍰

Our young people have been working through their Employability and Development Certificate, producing a range of sweet and savoury bakes as part of their coursework. These qualifications are equivalent to GCSE level and form a solid foundation for moving into further training or employment.

Through the Catering Pathway, young people build practical skills that are directly relevant to work in their chosen sector — from planning and preparation through to working alongside others.

21/01/2026

At Normandy Farm, young people on our Pathways to Adulthood programme have been installing a new gate as the site extends into the adjoining orchard.

These tasks form part of their individual logbooks, which track the hours, content and skills used in each activity they undertake, linked directly to practical site development work.

And what's more, the gate works!

16/01/2026

There’s been plenty of crafty activity at our Greencore site this week, from arts and crafts sessions to a bit of creative problem-solving...

One of our young people got to work on the sewing machine to make new fabric pouches for our well-used Monopoly Deal and UNO cards - colour-matched to each game. An ingenious solution!

13/01/2026

📖 We have a dedicated, qualified literacy and dyslexia tutor supporting young people at Dorset Wellbeing

For many young people, difficulties with reading and writing are shaped by disrupted education, unmet learning needs or long periods without the right support.

At Dorset Wellbeing, these challenges are often hidden behind confidence or avoidance. Our mentors work patiently to build trust, creating space for young people to talk openly and engage without embarrassment.

Alongside mentoring, our qualified tutor provides regular one-to-one literacy and dyslexia support tailored to each individual. Sessions take place as part of the normal day, helping young people build skills and confidence without recreating unhelpful classroom associations.

As confidence grows, literacy is integrated into everyday activities across our sites — reading instructions, labelling produce, writing short reflections or completing course work. Progress is steady, practical and meaningful.

Read more here 👇

https://www.dorsetwellbeing.org/blog/dyslexia-and-literacy-support-at-dorset-wellbeing

We now offer regular one-to-one dyslexia tuition and literacy sessions with a qualified practitioner, who helps our young people to read the world around them with new confidence.

08/01/2026

A hands-on session at Gatehouse Farm, with young people preparing food enrichment for the resident rabbits🥕🌿🐰

Presenting food in novel ways helps to stimulate our animals – especially over the winter – and encourages natural foraging and searching. It also gives our young people a chance to see the benefits of animal welfare in practice.

06/01/2026

There’s frost on the football pitches and the animals are lying low as we begin the new year at Dorset Wellbeing.

We hope the break offered time to rest and reset, but we also recognise that returning to familiar routines can bring a sense of security, steadiness and belonging.

We look forward to welcoming back our young people, and bringing on board some new starters for 2026 🎉

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http://www.dorsetwellbeing.org/

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Our Support

Dorset Wellbeing provides therapeutic support & bespoke education to children & young people across Dorset.

More specifically, we work with the needs and interests of young people who find conventional education options difficult, collaborating closely with carers/parents and other stakeholders to create a safe and transformative learning environment. With Dorset Wellbeing, young people can unwind, improve their psychological resilience and get their learning back on track.

---

Who we work with

Our service provides support for young people and children with complex SEMH and/or SEND needs. We currently work with young people and families on referral from both Dorset Council and BCP Council.

This could include a child or young person who:

Needs support because they’re unable to be at school full time

Is experiencing declining mental health and/or self-harm

Requires a calm and safe place to complete their education while working towards returning to school or post-16 education or apprenticeships

Needs a period of intensive care and input for the purposes of supporting their wellbeing while they are awaiting CAMHs assessment and treatment

---

What we offer

A placement with at Dorset Wellbeing can range from one to three days per week and these are designed around the interests, strengths and needs of our young people, making our service completely bespoke. We are also able to provide transport (GRATIS) for our young people, depending on what works for them. Where helpful, we and can start our work as an outreach service (working in the home or a local public space), with the hope that they will eventually feel confident enough to join us at one of our unique sites. More than that, where helpful, we provide support and tuition in Maths and English enabling young people work towards a level 2 vocational qualification by drawing on naturally occurring evidence from their day to day sessions.