Not sure where to start? – SEND can feel overwhelming. If you are unsure which service is right for your family, Parent Carers Together can help you find the best starting point.
Local SEND Services & Information Hubs
A site for young people, parents and carers where you can search for local activities for those with SEND and support and advice. There is also 0-25 knowledge hub for those working with children, young people and their families across Dorset.
Neurodiversity Information Hub
In March 2024, Dorset’s neurodiversity information hub was launched. The hub is a resource for the neurodivergent community in Dorset. It was developed as part of NHS Dorset’s All Age Neurodevelopmental Review, which identified a need for better information about support for people with neurodevelopmental conditions, particularly those living with autism and ADHD.
Local SEND Information & Advice Packs
The below support and advice packs have been developed by the University Hospital Dorset NHS Foundation Trust.
Before each of the packs were finalised, Parent Carers Together we invited to consult our members and all parent and carer feedback was collated anonymously and offered to the Trust to develop the packs further to help meet the needs and understanding of local families whose children and young people had undergone an assessment.
My journey through the Child Development Centre
The pack guides families through the assessment process at the Child Development Centre at Poole Hospital.
Children and Young People on the Autistic Spectrum Pack
The pack will be given to the families of those children and young people given an Autism diagnosis. Friends and anyone working alongside an autistic child will also find this guide useful. This pack was last updated in December 2024, and is due to be reviewed by December 2027.
Children with Attention Deficient Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Pack
This support and advice pack is given to families of those children and young people who are assessed but not given a diagnosis.
In May 2023, the University Hospital Dorset NHS Foundation Trust developed an advice and support pack to give to parents of children and young people diagnosed with ADHD.
Local Support Groups
BCP & Dorset PDA Group (Pathological Demand Avoidance)
A private Facebook group for individuals and families who live in BCP/Dorset and have some form of connection with PDA, to communicate with each other.
Beer and an Ear: Dads of neurodivergent kiddies
A group of Dads with neurodivergent kids who come together once a month in Southbourne for a chat and a pint.
Supporting individuals and families whose lives have been touched by Downs Syndrome.
National SEND Advice & Legal Support
National SEND Information & Support Pack
ADHD Foundation-'A Teenager's Guide to ADHD'
This guide will help you learn about what ADHD is, how it affects those with ADHD, and ways people with ADHD can thrive.
National Condition Specific Support
A support group for birth, adopted and kinship families with diagnosed and undiagnosed Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).
A registered charity in England and Wales offering training, advocacy and useful 'what helps?' guides to navigate childhood and adulthood.