Bournemouth Social Services provides a range of services for children, young people and their families. We have a legal duty under The Children Act 1989 to help and protect children in need. We undertake an assessment to determine the support a family may require to promote a child or young person's health and development. We also provide information on a variety of services for children and young people including information about voluntary organisations.We provide support and advice when a child is:
- in need because their family is in crisis
- in need because a parent has a disability
- abused or at risk of abuse or neglect
- lacking family support or homeless
- emotionally and behaviourally disturbed or in trouble with the law
- disabled or has a serious illness
- cared for away from their family
- in need of support after leaving the care of the local authority
Working together
We aim to support families to bring up their children and prevent family breakdown. We have a lead responsibility for protecting children from harm. We do this by working together with other organisations concerned with children's welfare to enable families to provide good standards of care for their children and to help them find the best solution if they need extra support and services.
We work in partnership with:
- parent/s, relatives and carer/s
- children and young people
- health workers
- teachers and other education workers
- youth services
- voluntary services
- the police and courts
- the probation service.
Children and young people at risk of harm
If a child or young person appears to be at risk of abuse or neglect we will look into the situation. Sometimes the families concerned do not want us to become involved but we have a legal duty to make sure the child is safe and not at risk of significant harm.
Only in exceptional situations will the child be separated from his/her family. In most cases we work to offer positive support and reduce the risk of harm.Sometimes if there are serious and continuing concerns about safety, the child's name may be placed on the Child Protection Register. When this happens we work together with the family and other agencies to offer support and protect the child. If you are worried about any child or young person who seems to be at risk of harm you can contact us on 01202 458000 during office hours and ask to speak to the duty social worker. If you need to contact Social Services urgently out of hours contact the Out of Hours Service on 01202 668123.
Family Centre and Satellites
We help families where parent/s are having difficulty caring for their children. We do this by assessing the needs of the family and providing support and guidance on looking after children and the home as well as on personal relationships and communication. Support is available at the Family Centre and a number of other locations throughout Bournemouth.
Family Support Workers
Our Family Support Workers work in the community with children and families in their own home. Our aim is to promote the well-being of the child/children and prevent them being at risk of harm by providing emotional and practical support to the whole family. We also undertake work relating to Child Protection concerns.
Family Assessment Service
We have specialist Family Assessment Workers who can provide intensive work with families where there are child protection concerns. We work with families to assess the child/ren's needs and the ability of the parent/s to care for them and protect them from potential dangers and risks.
Children cared for away from their family
Some family problems mean that parents are unable to care for their child/ren. In most instances children are best looked after by members of their own family. However, occasionally we may arrange for a child to be looked after by the local authority. When this happens the child/ren are usually cared for by foster carers. A child may stay with foster carers for a short time while difficulties are sorted out or for longer periods if this will provide stability for the child. Foster carers work with members of the child's family as well as health, social services and education workers to help the child feel settled, confident and happy. Most children return to their own families after a stay with foster carers.
Private fostering This is a private arrangement made between a child's parents and foster carers. We work with other agencies such as the health and education services as well as the child's parents and private foster carers to safeguard the child's welfare.
Residential homes Bournemouth Social Services run a home for young people over the age of 12 where staff provide guidance and support. They help the young people who live in the homes feel settled, work through some of the difficulties in their lives and make the most out of opportunities to continue their education and become independent. We also run a home which provides short periods of care for children with a learning disability.
Children and young people in trouble with the law The Youth Offending Services aims to reduce youth crime by working with young people and their parents to:
- look at the reasons why young people offend
- confront young offenders with the consequences of their offending
- make sure cases get to court quickly.
Bournemouth and Poole Youth Offending Team is made up of workers from Social Services, Education, the Police, Probation and the Health Authority.
Services for disabled children We arrange services to increase the independence of disabled children and young people and lessen the pressures on their families and carers. This may include practical help at home, help to manage everyday living tasks or helping children use leisure facilities.Other services include help with minor home alterations and making recommendations for a Disabled Facilities Grant for home adaptations. We also act as specialist advisors on all aspects of disability such as specialist housing and design of public buildings.
Short breaks for disabled children This scheme enables disabled children and young people to have periods of care with people recruited by us to be short breaks carers. The carers welcome the child or young person into their home for a short time, take them out and/or sit with them in their own home to enable other members of their family to go out. If you have an interest or experience in supporting a disabled child why not consider becoming a Short Breaks Carer? You can find out more by getting in touch with our Family Placement Team.
Young carers Young carers are children or young people who have someone in their family with a long term illness, a disability or problems with drink or drugs. Often young carers have to do jobs around the home, look after younger brothers or sisters or help care for someone else.Our Young Carers Support Worker understands what being a young carer's all about and can offer help, advice and support. This might be someone to talk to, practical help at home, meeting other young carers or information about other help available.
Adoption services Our experienced adoption workers provide support on all aspects of adoption. You can contact them at our Adoption ServicesTeam if you:
- would like to adopt a child
- have adopted a child and need support
- want to place a child for adoption
- have been adopted and want to trace your birth parents
- have had children adopted and need support.
Foster carers We are always looking for people from all backgrounds to become foster carers and care for children and young people from babies to 18 years as part of their family. This might be for a short time while difficulties are sorted out, for a longer period or for a planned short stay to give a break to a family. Foster carers need experience of looking after children, patience and an understanding of the needs of children who are going through an uncertain period in their lives . Our Placement Team provide advice, training and support to foster carers. Contact them to find out more.
Pathways Team Our Pathways Team works with young people in need who are over the age of 14. We also provide comprehensive support and information for young people when they leave care to enable them to make choices about their future. We involve each young person in decisions about housing, employment and money matters as well as providing information on health, leisure and other organisations that can offer support. Together we plan what services can be provided and for how long they'll be needed. We also help young people develop their own support by maintaining existing relationships and contacts as well as making new ones.
Psychology Services
We provide specialist social workers and child psychology services as part of Dorset HealthCare NHS Trust's Child and Adolescent Mental Health Strategy. We work in partnership with multi-disciplinary clinic teams within the community providing services to children, their families and other professionals.
Other organisations providing support
We work in partnership with private and voluntary organisations providing family support services including:
Boscombe Family Drop-In
Tel: 01202 391500
Bournemouth Childminding Association
Tel: 01202 245459
Bournemouth Churches Housing Association
Fully and semi-supported schemes toward independent living. On-going support of in-house provision for training and employment opportunities.
Tel: 01202 410500
Dorset Care at Home (Leonard Cheshire Services)
Tel: 01202 718281
Dorset Scope
Langside school and Smithers provide education and short breaks for children & young people with severe and profound physical and learning disabilities.
Tel: 01202 718266
Home-Start Bournemouth and Poole
Offers help and support to any family under stress with at least one child under the age of five years.
Tel: 01202 574877
The Children's Society The Junction
Advice and information for young people.
Tel: 01202 399733
Springbourne Family Support Project
Offers support, advice and practical facilities to families with pre-school children who are under stress and living in poor housing in the Boscombe area.
Tel: 01202 399997
Sure Start Bournemouth
Promotes the positive development of children under four in the West Howe area by providing services for them and their carers.
Tel: 01202 593086
The Wessex Autistic Society
Tel: 01202 483360
The Victoria School
Run by the Shaftesbury Society for disabled children.
Tel: 01202 758330
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