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.

The following bereavement charities all offer help, support and information for parents, siblings and other family members who are grieving the loss of a child.

Camp Simcha exists to provide practical and emotional support for Jewish families where children are suffering from serious illness including premature babies.

Support is provided throughout the whole of the UK to families who have children and young people aged 0-18

CARIS advice service is designed to assist homeless families in Haringey in dealing with their everyday challenges, including evictions, benefits decisions, debt, violence, unemployment, poverty, lack of opportunity and isolation. 

How to get support:

To receive support from CARIS, a referral form must be completed by a professional. However, you can contact CARIS if you have any questions.

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.

Whizz Kidz is the UK's leading charity supporting young wheelchair users up to 25 years old, providing them with the equipment and skills they need to live life as independently as possible.

Whizz Kidz offer:

• Wheelchairs and equipment 
• Skills and training
• Social activities

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.