Our Aims

Longmead Community Farm supports children and families to enhance their wellbeing and reach their full potential. We work with families experiencing a wide range of challenges, including:

•     Parenting difficulties and boundary setting

•     Mental health concerns

•     Social and emotional difficulties

•     Unhealthy or strained relationships

•     SEND-related needs

•     Parental conflict or separation

•     Isolation or deprivation

•     Trauma

•     Low self-esteem

•     Bereavement

Many families in Dorset face increasing pressures in their daily lives. By offering a supportive, structured, and non judgemental environment, we enable families to enjoy positive time together, explore new interests, understand each other’s perspectives, and strengthen their relationships.

Families consistently tell us they value having exclusive use of the farm during their visit. This privacy helps them feel comfortable, relaxed, and able to engage more fully.

Participation at Longmead is voluntary. All family members included in the referral are expected to attend sessions, which take place during weekends and school holidays.

What We Offer

Family Days

Our Family Days provide supported, quality time together in a relaxed, homelike setting. We offer 2–6 sessions, tailored to the family’s needs, using evidence based approaches such as:

•     Motivational Interviewing

•     The Incredible Years

•     The Solihull Approach

These sessions are designed to strengthen relationships, build confidence in parenting, and encourage positive communication.

Referral process:

Referrals are accepted from professionals. Following a referral, we visit the family in their home to learn more about their needs before inviting them to Longmead.

Costs: To be confirmed.

Support for Young People (Ages 8–25)

We provide up to six sessions of person centred support delivered by a trainee counsellor. Each 45 minute session offers structured helping and listening within a calm, supportive, and non judgemental environment.

Sessions take place in our dedicated counselling room, equipped with resources to help children and young people explore their thoughts and feelings safely.

Referral process: Referrals are accepted from professionals.

Confidentiality: All conversations remain confidential unless we have safeguarding concerns. If we need to share information to keep someone safe, we will always explain what we are doing and why.

Contribution: We ask for a £5 donation per session.

Our Developing Wellbeing Programme

We are currently expanding our wellbeing programme to offer a wider range of creative and therapeutic opportunities, including:

•     Art based activities

•     Music based sessions

•     Gardening and nature based wellbeing

These sessions aim to support emotional regulation, confidence building, self expression, and connection with nature—all in the peaceful setting of Longmead Farm. More details will be shared as the programme grows.

Costs: To be confirmed.