SEND Directory

Shine is a national charity providing specialist advice and support pre-birth and throughout life, to anyone with or affected by:

• Spina Bifida
• Hydrocephalus
• Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus
• Anencephaly
• Encephalocele - also may be known as Cranium Bifida
• Tethered Cord
• Idiopathic intracranial hypertension
• Chiari II Malformatio 

Shine provides a range of support such as benefits, support for carers, employment and disability, education, legal services and more. 

Personal budgets for children and young people with special needs and/or disabilities and their families will now be known as the Short Breaks Grant.  

A new policy statement and self-assessment form are being finalised and launched in early 2025. 

This page will soon include more details. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please contact the Disabled Children’s Team.

The Sleep Charity advocates for improved sleep support and access to free, high-quality information. 

Speech and Language UK is a charity that gives children and young people the skills they need so they aren’t left behind, waiting to be understood. 

Their free resources and services can help you understand what to look out for, your child’s speech, language, and communication milestones, how to get support, and even some simple ways you can help your child at home.

They create tools for schools and nurseries and advise and guide families.

Families

Afasic is a parent-led membership organisation that supports and provides information for families with children and young adults with Speech Language and Communication Needs (SLCN), focusing on Developmental Language Disorder (DLD).

Some of their services include:

The Stroke Association supports individuals in rebuilding their lives after a stroke. They offer specialist support, fund research, and advocate for ensuring the best care and support for stroke survivors.

Childhood Stroke:

For those affected by childhood stroke, the Childhood Stroke Support team answers questions and connects individuals with practical information and guidance.

• Visit the Childhood Stroke website for more details
   

SWAN UK is the UK's only dedicated support network for families affected by undiagnosed genetic conditions, often called syndromes without a name (SWAN).

Their mission is to ensure every family receives the support they need, regardless of diagnosis status. Their efforts include:

The Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 is an important law for people with a learning disability who are 16 or older. The MCA is designed to protect and empower people who may lack the mental capacity to make their own decisions about their care and treatment.

For more information:

The Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist NHS mental health trust focused on training, education, and providing a full range of mental health services and therapies for children, families, young people, and adults.

Examples of their services include:

The Changing Places Map website is a database with 3,194 'Changing Places' toilets throughout the UK. 

There are 2299 facilities to the full specification that offer the facilities of a normal accessible toilet for disabled people but with extra features—7m² originally and now 12m² of space, an adult changing bench, and a hoist. These are essential for people who have a carer, have profound and multiple learning disabilities, or cannot reasonably use standard accessible toilets. You will need to bring your own sling.