A new home for up to five Dorset children and young people, called The Harbour, is being built in the grounds of 45 Dorchester Road, Weymouth.
Dorset children need to grow up and be cared for in Dorset. Some children are not able to live with their families and have to be cared for by Dorset Council. A shortage of accommodation means some have to leave their schools, their friends and everything they know and be placed in care far away.
The Harbour is an integrated service for young people which brings together a range of accommodation options, services and outreach support centred around a residential hub in Weymouth. The home will give local children a better and more secure start in life.
Professionals from services all over Dorset (including Dorset Police, Dorset NHS Clinical Commissioning Group, Education Providers, Children’s Services, Councillors, foster carers, the voluntary sector and more) gathered together during October in honour of the official launch of The Harbour.
Melissa, is a young care leaver working with Dorset Council was at the event. She wrote the following reflections:
“Dorset Council is spreading its wings and are taking off! With so many upcoming improvements beginning to happen in the community, the launch of The Harbour is a benchmark for serious progression in the children and young people services.
“Local Children’s services leaders and nationally acclaimed keynote speakers (Mark Finnis, Restorative Practice and Dr Dave Roberts, The Mulberry Bush) modelled pure passion for the routes professionals should be taking when supporting families, carers and young people. Speakers had the whole room welling up from the pride and compassion everyone there held for their work improving services and so many people’s lives.”
When asked by Melissa about what he was most looking forward to about the harbour project, Cllr Andrew Parry, Dorset Council Dorset Council Cabinet Member for Education, Children & Early Help said:
“I can’t wait to take the council on this journey and to deliver a safe environment and give a voice for young people. This is a revolutionary approach for the council especially in Dorset and provides new hope for those in need.
Reflecting on the event he added:
“It’s lovely seeing and meeting members of the team again post lockdown and the inspirational speakers were incredible.”
Dorset Police are letting their presence be known as a strong supporter and showing a great interest in helping with some of the problems needing to be met in the community.
David Sidwick, Police and Crime Commissioner had some great things to say regarding the event: He commented:
“This is going to be great for breaking silos between services and provide a helping hand to get young people on a different path. The event has been an eye-opener to tear away from the statistics and hear the real stories of young people’s lives.”
As well as supporting families and young people, The Harbour is going to be improving support networks and creating a new sense of community for foster carers around the county.
One of the first of many foster carers who’ve joined the project, Eldya Maxsted said:
“I’m so happy the residential home development is well underway which will also be a hub for foster carers. It’s so great to have a base to talk to other carers and to have such a mix of people creating a sense of community.”
Coming to the end of the event, a poem recited by care leaver Chloe Wells called ‘I LAC nothing’, left a lot of people feeling very emotional. Through all these projects and day to day working lives, it’s so easy to forget who is at the heart of everything and why things are put in place, the children and people that have been through so much and making sure they get the best support.
Further accommodation for care leavers
In addition to the range of accommodation options being developed for The Harbour, planning permission for the change of use of a former residential home in Weymouth has been approved as part of an exciting project to support local care leavers.
The property in Kirtleton Avenue, will be refurbished to provide accommodation for care leavers over the age of 18, to provide independent housing for them as they leave formal care settings in the county.
For more information on the Harbour, including all vacancies currently being recruited to if you’d like to join our team, visit our website.
