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.

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.

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

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.

Help if you're a undergraduate or postgraduate student with a learning difficulty, health problem or disability

There are options for those who may need extra care and support to stay in their homes, would like support to live independently, or are considering residential care.

Grants and Holidays for Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities and Serious Illnesses.

Short breaks, also known as respite, provide opportunities for children and young people with special needs to spend time away from their primary carers. These breaks can occur during the day, evening, overnight, weekends, or school holidays and can take place in various settings such as the child's home, an approved carer's home, a residential setting, or a community location.

Types of short breaks:

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.