Skip to main content

Dorset Carer Service

Supporting unpaid carers across Dorset with information, guidance and wellbeing support.

Overview

We are an all-age service for young carers (from age 5+) and adult carers, whether you’re new to caring or have been caring for someone for some time. We are here to support you, whatever your situation, at every stage of your caring journey.

The Dorset Carer Service is an independent service, funded by Dorset Council and delivered by Help & Care in association with MYTIME Young Carers and The Hope Programme.

Do you provide unpaid support to someone who couldn’t manage without your help?

A carer is someone who provides unpaid support to another person, usually a family member, partner, friend, or neighbour, who could not always manage without that help due to frailty, illness, disability, mental health needs, or addiction. If the person you care for lives in the Dorset Council area, you can access free information, advice, and support from the Dorset Carer Service.

How to make a Referral

Please complete the referral form by clicking the button below or scrolling to the bottom of this page. We will contact the carer to discuss support options and next steps.

Consent is essential: Carers must know about and agree to the referral before we can accept and process it.

Once submitted, our team will review the form and make contact.

If you would prefer to speak to us directly, please get in touch:

  • 0303 303 0153 (Monday to Friday, 9:30am – 4:30pm)
  • carers@helpandcare.org.uk

If the person being cared for lives in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) council area, please refer them to their local carer support service – BCP Carer Support.

Refer a Carer to the Dorset Carer Service Visit the BCP Carer Support Website

What We Offer:

We hold the official register of unpaid carers on behalf of Dorset Council.

To register, we ask for some basic information which we handle securely. Registering means we can better support you – and there are many benefits to becoming a registered carer.

Our team provides:

✔ Personalised Support

A listening ear and tailored guidance. Tell us your story once – you can speak with one of our dedicated and friendly Carer Link Workers, and we’ll pick up right where we left off each time you contact us.

✔ Understanding Your Rights

Support to help you understand what services and support you are entitled to, including your rights as an unpaid carer.

✔ Access to Wider Support

With your consent, we can:

· Connect you with trusted partners and services to help you access the right support at the right time

· Signpost or refer you to Dorset Council for statutory support, including a Care Act Carer’s Assessment

· Notify your registered GP that you are a carer, so your practice can offer appropriate support

✔ Community & Peer Support

We help you build connections and reduce isolation by linking you to local groups and peer networks – so you feel connected, seen and understood.

✔ News, Updates & Opportunities

We send regular newsletters and updates to keep you informed about:

· Local services and support

· Campaigns and awareness events

· Opportunities to share your voice (we champion carers!)

· Community events and initiatives

Planned Hospital Admission?

Looking after someone else is a big responsibility.

When you or the person you care for has a planned hospital admission, it is natural to have questions or feel unsure about what comes next.

Help & Care is here to help you plan ahead by providing information, offer advice and guidance before admission, help you understand what support is available, and check-in once you are home.

You are not alone.

Introducing our Partnership

Dorset Carer Service

Help & Care leads the Dorset Carer Service, funded by Dorset Council and delivered in association with MYTIME YOUNG CARERS and the HOPE Programme.

The service, previously delivered by Carer Support Dorset, continues to ensure carers across Dorset can access guidance, signposting, and wellbeing support. This change in provider marks an ongoing partnership between Dorset Council and Help & Care, maintaining continuity for carers while building on Help & Care’s 40 years of experience supporting local communities.

Working alongside MYTIME Young Carers and the HOPE Programme, we bring together specialist expertise and opportunities to support you in your caring role.

 

MYTIME YOUNG CARERS

MYTIME YOUNG CARERS brings specialist expertise in supporting young carers and young adult carers. Through its extensive range of programmes, young carers can connect with others, take a break from caring, access new opportunities and receive support as they move into adulthood.

 

The HOPE Programme

Help & Care is the certified provider of the HOPE Programme in Dorset, offering friendly, practical courses that help adults build confidence, improve wellbeing and take charge of their health.

Carers and the people they care for can benefit from these courses, with options to take part digitally or join face-to-face groups across the county.

 

Working Together to Support Carers

Dorset Council also works in partnership with other organisations to provide the best possible support for unpaid carers. As the lead provider of the Dorset Carer Service, Help & Care is delighted to work alongside these partners to help you access the support you need.

 

Forward Carers

Forward Carers provides the Dorset Carer Friendly ID Card, available to Dorset Council residents who register as unpaid carers with Help & Care’s Dorset Carer Service.

The card:

  • provides photo identification to help verify your caring role
  • displays your In Case of Emergency (ICE) contact details
  • gives you access to discounts and special offers at participating businesses

 

Leonardo Carer Support

Leonardo Carer Support offers a range of support for unpaid carers, including grant programmes, practical help, wellbeing services and access to counselling.

Help & Care also work with Leonardo Carer Support through its Leonardo Friends programme to explore opportunities for our carer peer support groups, including activities and time together away from caring responsibilities.

 

SWAN Advocacy

SWAN is a charity providing independent advocacy to help people understand their rights and have their voices heard. It supports carers aged 16 and over through assessments and care and support planning, helping ensure their needs are considered and their rights respected.

 

Bridgit Care

Bridgit is an online self-service platform available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can:

  • ask questions and explore support with an AI Coach
  • create a personalised self-help plan
  • read about support available across Dorset
Find out more

Impact Stories

Our impact
Services

Helping Helen* Navigate Menopause Support and GP Feedback Options

Helen* contacted us using a ‘Big Health Chat’ card we handed out at a group we…

Read the full story
Services

Rediscovering Life After Illness – Sarah’s Story

Sarah, a young woman in remission from a rare form of cancer, came to coaching after…

Read the full story
Services

Margaret’s Story: How Coaching gave her a new confidence

Margaret came for coaching sessions to help regain her confidence and purpose.

Read the full story
Services

Rony’s Story: A HUGE thank you to my coach!

Thank you so very much for coaching me. You managed to get me “out of my…

Read the full story

For support, enquiries, or feedback, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team.

0300 111 3303 contact@helpandcare.org.uk

Prefer to chat directly?

Our team is available Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm. We’d love to hear from you!

What we offer

Support that’s personal, local, and seamless –
so you never have to tell your story twice.

Drop-in Wellbeing Support

Access Wellbeing Hubs

Practical help, compassionate listening, and a clear path forward.

Life’s pressures can pile up fast – finances, family, housing, studies, grief, or simply the weight of worry itself. Our trained Wellbeing Coordinators are here to guide you toward the right help at the right time, so you can breathe easier and feel more in control. 

Learn more

Group programme sessions

HOPE

Help & Care is the certified provider of the HOPE Programme in Dorset, offering friendly, practical courses that help adults build confidence, improve wellbeing, and take charge of their health.

HOPE is a free six-week self-management course designed for people aged 18 or over who are registered with a GP in Dorset and ready to explore new ways of looking after their health. It’s ideal for anyone living with long-term conditions or facing the pressures of caring.

Learn more

Make services work for you

Involving People

Involving People puts lived experience front and centre.

We work with communities – not just for them – through expert, community-led research. By partnering across sectors, we co-design services, drive change, and ensure real voices shape real decisions.

Collaborate with us