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Special Needs Webguide

A guide to information and support services related to special needs.

A-Z of specific conditions

Attention Deficit Disorder

Autism, Mutism and Asperger syndrome

  • Ambitious about Autism - the national charity for children and young people with autism and their families

  • Anna Kennedy Online - offers information, training and advice, and supports families with autism

  • Puzzle Centre - promotes and delivers early intervention for young children with autism and other communication difficulties

  • SMIRA - resources and information on selective mutism

Cerebral palsy and hemiplegia

  • CP Sport England - promotes sport and physical recreational opportunities for people with a disability, especially cerebral palsy

  • Conductive Education - offering full time and part time specialist provision for children with cerebral palsy

  • Scope - helpline and factsheets for parents

Cockayne Syndrome

Cystic fibrosis

Down syndrome

Dyslexia and dyspraxia

  • Dyslexia Action - a guide for parents and carers supporting children affected by literacy difficulties and dyslexia to navigating the changes in SEN and disability provision

  • Dyslexia-SpLD Trust - a collaboration of voluntary and community organisations funded by the Dept of Education to help children with dyslexia/SpLD succeed in school

  • Dyspraxia Foundation - books, suggestions, teen newsletter, and adult support group

Epilepsy

Rett syndrome

Sickle cell

Spina bifida and hydrocephalus

  • Shine - information and advice, including a helpline

Tourette's syndrome

Turner syndrome

General

Brain injuries and conditions

Chromosome disorders

  • SOFT - support for families affected by Patau's syndrome, Edwards syndrome, partial Trisomy, mosaicism and related disorders

  • Klinefelter's Syndrome Association UK - information and support

  • Unique - information, networking and support for anyone affected by a rare chromosome disorder, their families and the professionals who work with them

  • Genetic Alliance - alliance of charities supporting children and families affected by genetic disorders

Hearing impairments

  • Elizabeth Foundation - helping deaf preschool children learn to listen and talk

  • National Deaf Children's Society - help and support

  • Heartline - support and help for children with congenital heart conditions and their families

  • Sense – support and information for families of children and adults who are deafblind or have multi-sensory impairments

Learning difficulties and special educational needs

  • Easyhealth - accessible health information for parents, supporters and carers of people with learning disabilities, and people with milder learning disabilities themselves

  • IPSEA - helping children with special educational needs and/or disabilities get the right education

  • Mencap - support and information for families and carers of children with a learning disability

  • SOS!SEN - free confidential telephone helpline for people looking for information, advice and support

  • Special Educational Needs Advice Centre - (SENAC) confidential advice line for parents looking for information on statutory special educational needs provision in Northern Ireland

  • Support SEND Kids - a charity that connects SEND families, professionals and lawyers

Limb conditions

  • REACH - support and advice for children with hand or arm deficiencies, and their parents

  • Steps - support for parents of children affected by lower limb conditions

Speech and language impairments

Visual impairments

  • Living Paintings - a free library of Touch to See books bringing to life the visual world for blind or partially sighted people

  • LOOK UK - supporting parents and carers of children with a visual impairment

  • RNIB Guidance on Teaching and Learning - primarily for practitioners, concerning the support and education of children and young people with vision impairment

  • Sense – support and information for families of children and adults who are deafblind or have multi-sensory impairments

  • VICTA Visually Impaired Children Taking Action - support for blind and partially sighted children, young people and their families

Resources

Befriending

Education

  • CReSTed - register of schools which provide support for children with specific learning difficulties

  • IPSEA - provides free legally based education advice

Equipment and grants

  • ACE Centre - provides help with assistive technology

  • Cerebra - grants and help for children under 16 with neurological conditions

  • Department for Work and Pensions - benefits information

  • Disability Grants - guide to different grants available

  • Family fund - grants for families with severely disabled or ill children aged 17 and under

  • Fledglings - identifies and supplies practical, affordable products to help with everyday life

  • Hearts and Minds - recycles old mobiles to raise funds to help families affected by autism

  • Living made easy - advice from occupational therapists about equipment for children and young people with disabilities

  • Meru - designs and manafactures bespoke equipment for children and young people with disabilities

  • New Life - information and grant services for funding equipment

  • Remap - a charity with a network of skilled volunteers who design and custom-make equipment free of charge for people with disabilities

  • Whizz-Kidz - provides mobility equipment, training and advice

Experiences and opportunities

  • Activity Alliance - national charity for developing sport for disabled people in England

  • Kangaroos - runs activities in mid Sussex for children and young adults with learning disabilities

  • Sense Toys - educational toys and games for children with special needs

Professionals

Other useful links

  • Bliss - support and care to families of premature and sick babies across the UK

  • Child Death Helpline- for anyone affected by the death of a child, from prebirth to adult

  • OT for Kids - occupational therapy for children with SEN

  • SNAP Childcare - specialist recruitment agency for special needs nannies and care workers

  • Young Minds - works to improve young people's mental health; information and helpline for parents

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