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Support A-Z

A

ADHD

Advice and support

National:

Action For Children

Action for Children protect and support children and young people, provide practical and emotional care and support, ensure their voices are heard, and campaign to bring lasting improvements to their lives.

Aspire  

Website: Aspire Living

Changing our Lives

Changing Our Lives is a rights-based organisation. We work alongside disabled people and people experiencing mental health difficulties, of all ages, to find solutions to social injustice and health inequality.

Contact

We are Contact, the charity for families with disabled children. We support families with the best possible guidance and information. We bring families together to support each other. And we help families to campaign, volunteer and fundraise to improve life for themselves and others.

Dimensions

We support people with learning disabilities and autism to have a louder voice, choice and control in their lives.

Disability Rights UK

We are disabled people leading change, working for equal participation for all. With a focus on independent living and career opportunities.

Family Fund

Family Fund is the UK’s largest charity providing grants for families raising disabled or seriously ill children and young people.

Homestart

Home-Start is a local community network of trained volunteers and expert support helping families with young children through their challenging times. Home-start works with families in communities right across the UK. 

Include Me Too

We provide a range of support including peer support, befriending services, activities and holiday clubs for disabled children, outreach and information and advice to families.

In Control

We are a national charity working for an inclusive society where everyone has the support they need to live a good life and make a valued contribution.

Information, Advice and Support Services Network (IASSN)

We do not provide direct advice or support to children, young people and parents. However, we can help you find your local IAS service or you can have look at our resources section for other sources of support.

IPSEA

Independent Provider of Special Education Advice (known as IPSEA) is a registered charity (number 327691) operating in England. IPSEA offers free and independent legally based information, advice and support to help get the right education for children and young people with all kinds of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). We also provide training on the SEND legal framework to parents and carers, professionals and other organisations.

Kids

Providing a wide range of support services to disabled children, young people and their families. We support children with any disability from birth to 25 years of age. We offer our support to the whole family with the aim of giving disabled children a brighter future.

Learning Disabilities

We look at how to change things that are not going well for people with learning disabilities and suggest ways to make them better.

Scope

We're Scope, the disability equality charity in England and Wales. We provide practical information and emotional support when it's most needed and campaign relentlessly to create a fairer society.

Scope Online Community

Our online disability forum is a vibrant and supportive space for disabled people, parents and carers to get disability advice and information, and talk to people with similar experiences.

SEN Direct

SENDirect is a service run by Contact, the charity for families with disabled children. SENDirect is here to help you find and compare accessible services and activities to meet the needs of your child. As well as searching for local support, you can review and share recommendations, and find out what services have benefited other families with disabled children.

Skybadger

Sky Badger is a charity that finds help and adventure for disabled children and their families all over the UK. We do this by building bridges between disabled children and the charities and services available to help. We find everything from disabled sports clubs to sibling groups to ‘make a wish’ charities and tell families about them through our website, social media platforms, videos, information packs and helpdesk.

SOS SEN

We offer a free, friendly, independent and confidential telephone helpline for parents and others looking for information and advice on Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND).

Syndromes Without a Name (SWAN)

Supporting families affected by a syndrome without a name.

Together For Short Lives

A charity for seriously ill children and their families. We offer confidential emotional support and information on a range of issues and provide easily digestible information about available support so families can spend less time searching for help and have more time together. And we connect families with support services and other families who understand what they are going through, so they don’t feel as alone.

Wellchild

Providing practical and emotional support to seriously ill children, young people and their families, enabling them to leave hospital quicker and live life in their own homes.

Local:

Disability Information Advice Line (DIAL) Worcestershire

DIAL South Worcestershire is an independent, free, impartial and confidential information, advice and welfare benefit service for disabled people, their families, carers, friends and relevant professionals.

Echo Herefordshire

ECHO is proud to be a leading provider of services for people with disabilities living in Herefordshire. Day opportunities, leisure and social 

Hansel and Gretel

The Hansel and Gretel Support Group is a registered charity providing mutual support and friendship to disabled and special needs children and their families in the Wyre Forest area of Worcestershire (Kidderminster, Bewdley, Stourport and surrounding communities). We provide the opportunity for families to meet together and share ideas and experiences, build friendships and overcome isolation.

Hereford Disability United 

Herefordshire Disability United (HDU) is run by people with disabilities, for people with disabilities. It's committee come from a broad variety of backgrounds with a wide range of experiences and skills, intent on improving life within the county. Herefordshire Disability United is a voice for disabled people.

Malvern special families

Providing safe and fun social opportunities for children and young people with disabilities.

Marches Family Network

Providing inclusive activities, services and short breaks for children and young people with disabilities in Herefordshire.

Onside Advocacy

A charity working across Worcestershire and Herefordshire providing a range of support and services for adults who may be vulnerable, disadvantaged or discriminated against.

Parents Voice

Parents’ Voice is a group of parents who want to keep parents in Worcestershire informed, up to date and to be their voice. We want to share information to help parents be parents, whatever the age of their children.

SpeakEasy NOW

SpeakEasy NOW is a self-advocacy charity run by people with learning disabilities for people with learning disabilities, across Worcestershire. Self-advocacy means speaking up about things that are important. They help other people with learning disabilities to speak up too.

What Makes You Different Makes You Beautiful

What Makes You Different Makes You Beautiful is a special needs support network that provides a support service for families with special needs.

Additional Needs stay and play group, Worcester
Buttercup childrens centre Fridays 10-11am term time

DANG- Droitwich additional needs
Wands chikldrens centre, 2nd Thursday of every month 9-11am

PANS- Pershore Additional Needs
Blossom Vale childrens centre, 2nd Friday of every month 9.30-11.30
SEN PEEP playgroup- Thursdays 1-2pm term time

SANS- sunshine additional needs, Malvern
Sunshine childrens centre 1st Tuesday of every month 12.30- 1.30pm

Arthritis

Asthma

Autistic Spectrum Conditions

National

Ambitious about Autism

Ambitious about Autism is the national charity for children and young people with autism. We provide services, raise awareness and understanding, and campaign for change.

Asperger Foundation UK (ASF)

The Asperger's Syndrome Foundation is committed to promoting awareness and understanding of Asperger's Syndrome. The Foundation aims to promote high quality support and services

Autism Awareness

Autism Awareness is a global community interested in learning and understanding more about autism.

Autism Education Trust

The AET is a not for profit programme led by two national autism charities – the National Autistic Society and Ambitious about Autism. Established and supported by the Department for Education, the AET promotes and supports partnerships throughout the education system to improve educational access, experience and outcomes for children and young people with autism.

Autism links

There’s lots of support and advice out there to help you make sense of the world of autism. Charities, support groups, and specialist service providers, are all ready to share advice and experience whenever you need it. Autismlinks is dedicated to making those helpful and sometimes vital links, it covers who to talk to, where to go and contains lots of helpful advice all in one place.

Autism Spectrum Database-UK (ASD-UK)

Autism Spectrum Database UK (ASD-UK) powers autism research in the UK. All families of children on the autism spectrum can join the national database to take part in research.

Autistica

An autism research charity funding and promoting groundbreaking medical research, improving understanding of autism and advancing new therapies and interventions

Caudwell Children's Autism Service

The Caudwell International Children's Centre is dedicated to multidisciplinary autism diagnosis, support and research. 

 

Research Autism

This website is aimed at anyone with an interest in autism. This includes people on the autism spectrum, parents and carers, service providers and policy makers. This website provides up-to-date, scientifically reliable information about autism. It provides information about some of the issues, problems and challenges facing individuals on the autism spectrum. It also provides information about a wide range of treatments, therapies and services used to help them.

The National Autistic Society

NAS provide specialist help, information and care for children, adults and families with autism.

The National Autistic Society Parent To Parent Support Service

Our volunteers have personal experience of autism and the impact it has on their own families. They can give other parents the opportunity to talk through problems and feelings.

United Response Autism support

United Response support many people who are on the autistic spectrum.

Local

ASPIE

ASPIE is a social self-help and motivation group for adults and young people with Asperger’s Syndrome (Aspies). We provide a centre in Worcester where Aspies feel welcome and accepted.

Autism West Midlands

We are the leading charity in the West Midlands for autistic people. We use our passion and expertise to enrich the lives of people on the autism spectrum and those who love and care for them.

National Autistic Society - Hereford 

The Herefordshire Branch of the National Autistic Society hopes to provide support to individuals of all ages with autism, their immediate families and carers, and to help  campaign for better local services for those living with autism in Herefordshire. 

Spectrum Project Your Ideas

The Spectrum Project offers support for children and young adults with high functioning Autism. We run three weekly social clubs: Spectrum Yellow ages 5-9, Spectrum Orange 10-13, Spectrum Red 14-21+

B

Behaviour

Family Lives

People contact us about all aspects of family life that include all stages of a child’s development, issues with schools and parenting/relationship support. We also respond when life becomes more complicated and provide support around family breakdown, aggression in the home, bullying, teenage risky behaviour and mental health concerns of both parents and their children.

Bereavement Counselling

National

Local

Phoenix Bereavement 

Phoenix Bereavement Support Services is unique in Herefordshire and is one of very few specialist bereavement support services across the country. 

Hope Support 

Supports children and young people when someone they love is seriously ill.  

Brain Conditions

Bladder and Bowel problems

Brittle Bones

Bullying

C

Carers

National

Local

Carers Trust for all 

CarerLinks offers emotional and practical support to unpaid carers, helping them to protect their health and wellbeing and cope with their caring role. 

Cleft Lip & Palate

Communication

Afasic

Afasic is a parent-led organisation to help children and young people with speech and language impairments and their families. We provide information and training for parents – and professionals – and produce a range of publications. Members meet in local groups in many areas of the UK.

Communication Matters

Communication matters is a UK wide organisation that supports people of all ages who find it hard to communicate because they have little or no clear speech.

I Can

We want a world where all children have the communication skills they need to fulfil their potential.

 

Cystic Fibrosis

D

Diabetes

Disabilities

National

Local

Down’s Syndrome

Dyslexia

National

Local

Worcester dyslexia parent group

H&W Dyslexia Association 

Hereford and Worcester Dyslexia Association (HWDA) is a local charity which covers the two counties and aims to help by: providing specialist teaching in literacy, maths and study skills for children with dyslexia or dyslexic-type difficulties and/or dyscalculic-type difficulties through its specialist tuition centres. 

Dyspraxia

National

Local

E

Early Years

National

Local

Education

National

Local

SEND Services

Call the SEND Services Helpline on 01905 845579
Email SEND Services on SEN@worcschildrenfirst.org.uk

Write to SEND Services:
The administrative officer
Inclusion and Assessment SEND Services
Worcester Children First
Worcestershire County Council
County Hall
Spetchley Road
Worcester
WR5 2NP 

Herefordshire SEND team

Tel: 01432 260178 
Email: senteam@herefordshire.gov.uk

Exams

F

Financial Advice

National

Information on benefits and financial help including a benefits calculator.

Family Fund

If you’re raising a disabled or seriously ill child or young person you might be eligiable for a grant from family fund.

Website: Family Fund

Working families

Working Families is the UK’s work-life balance charity. We help working parents and carers—and their employers—find better balance between responsibilities at home and in the workplace.

Website: Working families

Local

Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

Fragile X Syndrome

H

Health

Local

Hearing

National

Local

Heart conditions

L

Learning Disability

Legislation and Children

M

Mental Health

National

Local

Hereford Mind 

We provide advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. We campaign to improve services, raise awareness and promote understanding. We won't give up until everyone experiencing a mental health problem gets support and respect. 

 
Hereford bipolar  

The Hereford Bipolar UK Support Group belongs to the national network of local groups run by Bipolar UK.  We are a peer support group offering one another support as we talk about Bipolar and our own unique experiences with the illness.  The group is open to all individuals affected by Bipolar, including those with a diagnosis, those pre-diagnosis, their family members, friends and carers.  Sometimes we invite speakers to the group, in the past we have had a pharmacist, Healthy Lifestyles getting us cooking and various therapists. At the moment we are a very small group and you will find us very friendly and welcoming. 

Strong Young Minds Herefordshire

Strong Young Minds is a Big Lottery funded project designed to improve the mental health & wellbeing of young people in Herefordshire. The SYM Project is for young people (10 - 24 yrs) who are disenfranchised, distressed, unemployed, at risk of social isolation, poor achievement & ill health, due to poor mental health and wellbeing. 

P

Parent Carer Forum

A parent carer forum is a group of parents and carers of children with additional needs or disabilities.The aim of parent carer forums is to make sure that the services in their local area meet the needs of children with additional needs or disabilities and their families.

Play and Recreation

National

Local

Riding for the disabled Hereford

Riding and horse care sessions aim to improve mobility while providing mental and physical stimulation with the opportunity to open up new horizons.  

S

Short Breaks

National

Local

Marches Family Network 

Specialist short breaks for children and young people with disabilities: playdays, youth clubs 

Single Parent Families

Siblings

T

Therapy

National

Local

Megan Baker House 

Megan Baker House (MBH) provides conductive education sessions for children and adults with motor disorders such as Cerebral Palsy, Dyspraxia, Parkinson's disease, stroke and Acquired brain injury. Through conductive education participants learn how to manage and deal with the difficulties caused by their condition to enable them to lead a more independent life. 

Website: Megan Baker House

Tourette’s Syndrome

Transport

National

Local

U

Undiagnosed Conditions

V

Vision

National

Local

Y

Young Carers

Herefordshire Young carers 

Herefordshire Carers Support has an established programme to support young carers through activities just for them, run by Susan Brace. This year and for two more years it is funded by the BBC Children in Need charity.

Young People

National:

Local

No Wrong Door 

NWD offers access to information, support and guidance from a range of agencies in a variety of areas.  

 

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