We want our children and young people to:
- Be safe wherever they are
- Enjoy positive relationships
- Know their personal strengths and qualities
- Feel that their voices are heart and listened to
- Be confident and successful learners who can succeed in life
We welcome applications from foster carers from diverse backgrounds to reflect the needs of the children we look after. We welcome applications from people of all religions, sex, genders, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation and marital status.
As the only fostering service dedicated entirely to serving the county of Dorset, we understand the local area better than anyone.
We are committed to placing children and young people with local families. This is so that we can keep them in their current schools and close to their friends and birth families wherever possible.
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
This service offers therapeutic support to children and young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties. This may be via the CAMHS social worker, psychologist, or other therapeutic specialists. Psychiatric input is available for more severe mental health difficulties. Specialist advice, consultation, and support is also offered directly to foster carers and fostering social workers by two psychologists attached to the Fostering Service on a part-time basis.
Dorset Virtual School
Dorset has a specialist team of workers from the ‘Virtual School’ who ensure that the particular needs of the looked after child are prioritised through Personal Education Plans (PEPs). Staff from the Virtual School ensure that looked after children’s readiness for learning is assessed, their progress monitored, and also that there is support where there is a need for accelerated progress to be made.
Action for Children
Action for Children provides the independent advocacy service and independent visitors for Dorset’s children in care. The advocates work with children and young people on a one to one basis to help them access their rights and express their point of view. An independent visitor is a trained volunteer who provides children and young people in care with friendship and support.
Our foster carers get an extensive training and support package throughout their fostering journey that’s tailored to their needs. And once you’ve been approved as a carer with us, you’ll become part of a wider community of foster carers with access to support groups and online resources to support your growth.
Read about training and support available
