Family Hub services

Dorset wide there are a range of services, information, advice, and tools you can access for support.

The NHS deliver maternity services in Dorset. Found out about maternity services in Dorset on the NHS Dorset County Hospital website.

You can get support during pregnancy and in the postnatal or postpartum stage by:

• visiting Maternity Matters Dorset - your guide to maternity options and services
• getting involved with the development of maternity services on the Maternity Matters website via Maternity Voices 
• following the Dorset Maternity and Neonatal Voices Facebook page
• visiting the antenatal services on the Dorset Healthcare University Trust website 

A health visitor will usually visit you at home around 10 days after your baby is born, until then you will be cared for by local midwives.

The NHS deliver health visiting services. Found out about health visiting on the Dorset Healthcare University website.

Find contact details for your local health visiting team on the Dorset Healthcare University website.

Parentline offers support via text message too, find details of parent line on the Dorset Healthcare University Trust website.

You can also follow the Dorset Healthcare Visiting Service on Facebook.

The types of services offered include groups and remote support via Zoom or social media.

Your local Family Hub or children's centre may hold groups run by the Breastfeeding Network or volunteers, find your nearest children's centre or Family Hub. Your midwife and health visitor can also support with breastfeeding.

To get support visit the Breastfeeding Network website. 

Find breastfeeding support groups ran by Families and Babies (FAB) in Dorset.

Perinatal mental illness affects up to 27% of new and expectant mums and covers a wide range of conditions.

Specialist perinatal mental health assessments are available across Dorset, which focus on the needs of mother and infant, and treatment for women suffering with severe mental illness.

Referrals to specialist services can be made via your GP, social care worker, health visitors, maternity departments, and other health care professionals. 

Find information on perinatal mental health services on the Dorset University Trust website.

Find further support and advice on maternal mental health on the Healthier Together website.

Through games and playful activities children can practice and strengthen important executive function skills such as learning to focus attention, strengthening working memory and developing basic self-control.

Find your nearest children's centre or Family Hub and contact them to find out what's on offer. Library Services also host a range of evidence-based activities for children under 5, find library events in Dorset.

You can also find activities, groups and events for children on our website.

See our childcare funding options for full details of funding and financial support.

Visit the Dorset Healthier website for support, or download their app.

If you prefer to contact these services directly, find links to Dorset Mental Health Services:

• Access Mental Health on the NHS Dorset Healthcare University website
• Dorset Mind provide essential mental health services
• Active Dorset provide mental health support
• Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in Dorset offers assessment and treatment to children and young people up to the age of 18

Services include face to face support, live well coaching, nicotine replacement, vape starter kit and the Alan Carr easy way seminar.

Your local Family Hub or children's centre can connect you to these services or visit the Live Well Dorset website for further information.

These services can be found at your local Family Hub or children's centre, visit the Reach website for more information.

Livewell Dorset also provide information and tools on cutting down alcohol.

Your local Family Hub will have a wider range of local information and advice sessions from different organisations with expertise delivered directly on site. With links to both council owned and housing associations as well as support for private renters. If required, we can connect you to national support services too.

Find housing advice on our website.

Get help if you are experiencing domestic abuse. If you are in immediate danger, call 999. Do not put yourself or any children at risk.

Family Hubs offer a range of parenting support on site such has parenting support courses and connection to services and information and advice.

if you cannot get to somewhere in person visit our webpages to find support for parents in a relationship. 

You can also find further support through:

• our get help for your family page
• parenting support courses
• Healthier together parenting courses from the NHS
• Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)

Visit the Dorset Youth webpages for local activities and organisations. 

Further information on our website includes:

• find a youth club near you
• Dorset youth advice and information centres

Find out more on the Dorset Combined Youth Justice Service website.

Visit the balanced system online tool to find speech and language support available in Dorset. 

There is further support available from:

• the Dorset Healthcare Speech and Language Therapy Service for children and young people

Home learning

Find information on home schooling and flexi schooling on our website.

Contact your local children's centre or Family Hub to find out the dates and times support is available. Both drop ins and appointments are offered.

You can get advice on managing your money on our website, and find out more about benefits for Dorset residents.

NHS Somerset provides community dental services for Dorset residents. 

Find out more about the NHS Somerset dental services.

Special Care Dentistry

Special Care Dentistry, also known as special needs dentistry looks after people who have special educational needs or a disability (SEND).

Find information on dental treatment for people with special need on the NHS website.

The LiveWell Dorset website has a wide range of managing weight information, tools and services.

LiveWell Dorset offer NHS health checks and advice on getting active to improve your health and fitness.

For support online visit our SEND Dorset Local Offer.

All births in England, Wales and Northern Ireland must be registered within 42 days of the child being born. You should do this at the local register office for the area where the baby was born.

Book an appointment to register a birth online