SEND Directory

Access to Work can help you get or stay in work if you are 16 or older and have a physical or mental health condition or disability.

You can apply for an Advanced Learner Loan to help with the costs of a course at a college or training provider in England.

Loan eligibility does not depend on your income and there are no credit checks.

If you’re studying a level 3 qualification, you might be eligible for an ‘Adult Education Budget’ grant instead of an Advanced Learner Loan. If you get a grant, you do not need to repay it. Ask your college or training provider about grants before you apply for a loan.

Apprenticeships are an opportunity to combine paid work with training and receive nationally recognised qualifications along the way. People of all ages from 16 and over are welcome to apply.

Resources for Autism is a registered charity. We provide practical services for children and adults with a diagnosis of autism and for those who love and care for them.

We have a team of trained, enthusiastic and kind staff and volunteers offering a wide range of support. All our staff are autism specialists who understand communication and sensory needs.

We're here to help the 700,000 autistic people in the UK and their families. Be it running specialist schools, campaigning for improved rights or training companies on being more autism-friendly, we are dedicated to transforming lives and changing attitudes

Our advice and guidance section has a wide range of information about autism. There are 24 different topics, including diagnosis, behaviour, communication, loneliness, sensory differences, mental health, benefits and money, education, and more.

Mums In Mainstream is a support group for Mums of kids with an autism diagnosis. We provide a peer network and a supportive environment for all stages of the autism journey.

It is not a group for professionals working within the field of autism and is not a general SEN group. Our ethos is "neurodiversity-positive" meaning we exist to support ourselves and our kids through their autistic journeys and consider autism as a different way of being and not a deficit or illness which needs curing.

Independent Parental Special Education Advice (ISPEA) is the leading national charity in the field of SEND law in England.

They provide:

• Free and independent legal advice and support to families of children and young people with SEND. 
• Training on the SEND legal framework.
• Help children and young people with SEND get the education they are entitled to by law.

Newlife is the UK’s largest charitable provider of specialist equipment for disabled children.

Newlife offers a lifeline for families, providing life-changing and life-saving equipment when and where its needed. Alongside equipment, they campaign to improve the outlook for disabled children and change lives. They support parents, work with health professionals and strive for a future where all disabled children get the equipment they need and deserve.

Lifeline 4 Kids is a London-based charity that provides life-changing equipment for children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities.

Parents and caregivers can apply for various types of specialised equipment, such as electric wheelchairs, mobility aids, iPads, and more. 

Please visit their website for the latest information on how to apply and what equipment is available.

• Application for help webpage