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.

An organization offering a website and app that helps users find accessible places to visit.

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.

Chance UK is a London-based charity with over 25 years of experience working with children who have faced trauma. It provides evidence-based interventions tailored to each child's needs through one-to-one mentoring, group sessions, and school workshops. It also offers specialist support to families, helping them build knowledge, skills, and resilience. When needed, it collaborates with schools and other support services.

Mentoring Programmes for Children Aged 5 to 13:

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

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.

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

Sunny Days Children's Fund is a national registered charity that raises funds to help children under 18 with a wide range of adverse medical conditions, including Leukaemia, Cerebral Palsy, the Deaf and Blind, Terminal Illnesses, and all other life-hindering conditions.

They provide small grants to help as many children and their families as possible, whether for day trips, medical equipment, respite, hospital travel, or making children's remaining time as comfortable as possible, to include, where achievable, children's last wishes.

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.