Services & Signposting for Families

Kind Hearts, Inquisitive Minds

Knowing how to access support and who to speak to can be overwhelming and difficult at times. Here are different charities and organisations that can provide help and support.

The SEND local offer is a single place for information, services, and resources for children and young people aged O-25 with special educational needs and/or disabilities, their families, and the practitioners who support them. Shropshire’s Local Offer can be found by clicking on the image below.

The SEND local offer | Shropshire Council

Parent Carer Council Shropshire (PACC)

The PACC Preparation for Adulthood (PFA) Navigator service is available to help SEND families understand the options available for young people with SEND on their preparation for adulthood journey.

You can contact PACC for support and information on

PACC Shropshire

We provide information, advice and support to parents and carers of children aged O to 25, and young people aged 16 to 25 who have, or may have, special educational needs or disabilities (SEND).

www.shropshiresendiass.com

We are the leading charity in the West Midlands for Autistic adults, children, young people and those who love and care for them. Our passionate, expert staff and volunteers work across a range of age groups and abilities.

www.autismwestmidlands.org.uk

IPSEA (Independent Provider of Special Educational Advice) is a registered charity in England that provides free legal advice and support to families of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

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www.ipsea.org.uk

The AET is a not-for-profit organisation, led by the National Autistic Society and Ambitious about Autism, and supported by the Department for Education. AET offers an extensive library of free resources for education professionals, leaders and parents on topics such as exclusion, good autism practice and positive relationships, as well as a series of Framework Documents for each education phase: Early years, Schools, and Post-16.

www.autismeducationtrust.org.uk

The National Autistic Society has a substantial database of resources. Don’t be put off by the fact it’s charity created to support and advise about autism, there is a lot of advice that is helpful for many learning needs e.g. information about transitioning classrooms or schools or Going to the Dentist – a guide for parents and families.

www.autism.org.uk

The ADHD Foundation Neurodiversity Charity supports parents and carers so they can understand and meet the needs of their child. With a range of webinars, courses, resources, and a screening service, they help families to know which interventions and adaptations are right for them. As with previous websites, don’t always be put off by the name. There is relevant information that would be useful for many children with SEND. The Resources page has links to relevant materials across the internet which you can either search with key words or scroll through the hyperlinks.

www.adhdfoundation.org.uk

BeeU was previously known as Camhs. They provide emotional wellbeing and mental health services for children and young people (ages 0-25) in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin. The service also provides neurodevelopmental assessments for children – autism for 5 – 18 year olds, and attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) for 6-18 year olds; and community eating disorder services for 0-18 year olds.

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camhs.mpft.nhs.uk/beeu

Young Minds contains mainly resources and support for young people KS3+. However there is still some useful information relevant for parents of younger children and a parent helpline.

Parent page link https://www.youngminds.org.uk/parent/

www.youngminds.org.uk

Sibs supports people who grow up with people who grow up with or have grown up with a disabled brother or sister. It is the only UK charity representing the needs of over half a million young siblings and half a million adult siblings. This website has areas for children 7+, adult siblings, parent carers and professionals. It has a useful area that describes a diverse range of disabilities and conditions in a child friendly way as well as the facility to contact advisors with questions.

www.sibs.org.uk

A UK charity supporting people with a learning disability. They also support families and carers. Their website includes a broad range of information including: Education, Health, Social care, Money and Work amongst other things. They also have a helpline.

www.mencap.org.uk

Scope campaign to transform attitudes to disability, tackle injustice and inspire action. They create opportunities and provide information and have online and telephone support.

www.scope.org.uk

Cerebra listen to families that include children with brain conditions. They use what families tell them to inspire the best research and innovation. Then they help them put the knowledge into practice so they can discover a better life together. Advice on: Education and transport, DLA and accessing public services, Getting some sleep, Stress and emotional wellbeing, Toilet training and continence, Managing behaviour, Understanding my child’s condition.

cerebra.org.uk

Unique provides support, information and networking to families affected by rare chromosome and gene disorders. They have a helpline and can connect families with others.