Special Needs Webguide
A guide to information and support services related to special needs.
A-Z of specific conditions
Attention Deficit Disorder
ADDISS - information and support
Angelman Syndrome Support Education and Research Trust - information, helpline, newsletter
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
Amy and friends - support and information for parents
Cystic fibrosis
Cystic Fibrosis Trust - information, advice, support and funding
Down syndrome
Down Syndrome Education - educational opportunities for children
Down's Heart Group - information about associated heart conditions
Down's Syndrome Association - information by life stages, support and helpline
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
Daisy Garland Trust - focuses on children (up to 12) with difficult-to-control epilepsy
Epilepsy Action- information and support for children, adults and families
Young Epilepsy - information and resources for young people
Rett syndrome
Rett UK - information and support
Sickle cell
Sickle Cell Society - information and counselling
Spina bifida and hydrocephalus
Shine - information and advice, including a helpline
Tourette's syndrome
Tourettes Action - information and support
Turner syndrome
Turner Syndrome Support Society - information and support
General
Brain injuries and conditions
BIBIC (British Institute for Brain Injured Children) - offers families practical help
Brain injury hub - information resource from The Children's Trust
Brainwave - home-based programme for children with brain injuries/genetic conditions
Cerebra - support and information for families of children with brain-related conditions
Child Brain Injury Trust - provides information and support for the effects of 'traumatic' injury on a child's developing brain
Child Growth Foundation - information about conditions causing growth problems
Snowdrop - provides neuraldevelopmental therapy for conditions including Cerebral Palsy, Autism, genetic conditions, developmental delay and brain injury
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
Afasic - supports children with speech, language and communication impairments
British Stammering Association - national organisation for adults and children who stammer, run by people who stammer
Communication Trust- coalition of nearly 50 voluntary and community organisations with expertise in speech, language and communication
Michael Palin Stammering Centre - runs the UK's largest specialist service exclusively dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of children who stammer
National Literary Trust - downloads and videos for childen on receptive language difficulties
Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists - promotes and provides information on speech and language therapy
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
Care for the Family - a national charity supporting family life in the good and tough times.
Disabled Parents Network - for disabled people who are parents or hope to become parents
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
Association of Child Psychotherapists - the main professional body for psychoanalytic child and adolescent psychotherapists in the UK
British Association of Play Therapists - advice for parents of children with emotional and behavioural difficulties and listings of registered play therapists
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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