Information & advice
National organisations
There are many organisations that provide support for families with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. We cannot list them all here but you will be able to find many local support organisations in your Local Offer. This page lists some of the larger national organisations that provide SEND support in various ways.
KIDS: Kids is a national charity, founded in 1970, that provides a wide range of services to disabled children, young people and their families in England.
IPSEA: the Independent Provider of Special Education Advice (IPSEA) offers free and independent legally based education advice to parents of children with SEND. They also provide training on the SEND legal framework to parents and carers.
Council for Disabled Children: the umbrella body for the disabled children’s sector bringing together professionals, practitioners and policy-makers.
Children and Young People IASS Network: information, advice and support services for young people aged 25 old or younger and need extra help with learning and have a disability. There are lots of different ways to talk to a friendly advisor.
Contact: Contact provide online, printed and helpline advice on education, benefits and finances, childcare, social care, medical information and more. They run programmes across the UK, including information sessions, workshops, drop-ins in hospitals and parenting courses.
Right to Participate: this website is part of Disability Rights UK’s Right to Participate project, funded by the Legal Education Foundation. The project aims to increase awareness of the Equality Act, especially the ways it can protect disabled people from discrimination in everyday situations.
The Girl With the Curly Hair: the Curly Hair Project is a social enterprise which supports people on the autistic spectrum and the people around them, founded by autistic author Alis Rowe. They use cool things like animated films, comic strips and diagrams to make their work interesting and easy to understand!
Cerebra: the national charity dedicated to helping children with brain conditions and their families discover a better life together. Listening to the needs of families helps inspire the most helpful research and innovation.
AccessAble: AccessAble is here to take the chance out of going out. To give you the detailed information you need to work out if a place is going to be accessible to you. Their Detailed Access Guides tell you all about a venue’s access. They are 100% facts, figures and photographs.
Family Fund: Family Fund is the UK’s largest charity providing grants for families raising disabled or seriously ill children and young people.
Mencap: Improving the lives of people with a learning disability and their families.
Meningitis Now: Meningitis Now is the first meningitis patient group in the world, founders of the meningitis movement and the only charity dedicated to fighting meningitis in the UK.
National Autistic Society: the UK’s leading autism charity. Their goal is to help transform lives, change attitudes and create a society that works for autistic people.
Down’s Syndrome Association: the Down’s Syndrome Association have specialist advisers who can provide you with information and support on issues such as health, social care, benefits and education for people with Down’s syndrome.
National Deaf Children’s Society: the National Deaf Children’s Society are the leading charity for deaf children and their families.
Sense: Sense give legal advice and assistance to deafblind individuals or their family members and supporters.
Remap Custom: Remap custom-makes equipment to help disabled people live more independent lives
Sky Badger: Sky Badger is a charity that finds help and adventure for disabled children and their families all over the UK.