John and Matt are two of the residents who call Elizabeth Court in Dorchester home. Like their neighbours, they live in their own self‑contained flats and can get support from staff when they need it. This helps people with learning disabilities and autistic people to live independently while staying close to friends, family and the town they know well.
For John, being linked in with local life really matters, he said: “Elizabeth Court is a really good place because it’s near the town centre”. Matt agreed, adding that he loves having a McDonald’s close by.
Elizabeth Court was designed to help people build their confidence and develop their skills, with support there when needed. Residents are encouraged to do as much as they can for themselves, with staff providing reassurance or guidance.
Elizabeth Court meets NHS England’s autism standards for accommodation and is run by Agincare Enable, one of our partner organisations. It is part of wider work across Dorset to support people with learning disabilities to live well, stay connected to their communities and have more choice over their daily lives.