Useful Links

Eliza Fricker’s compelling, hard-hitting and irreverently humorous illustrations follow a family through the early days of school avoidance, the process of accessing support and the challenges of coping in the meantime. ‘Can’t Not Won’t’ illuminates the absurdity and frustrations that often arise when dealing with health, social and educational systems, and will help any parent in the same boat feel seen. This guide acts as a way to communicate these difficult circumstances with others.

Rosemary Richings is a writer, editor, and speaker who provides lived experience-informed education and insight into what it truly means to write and talk about the subject of neurodiversity and chronic illness at work, school, and everyday life. Her book ‘Stumbling Through Space and Time Living Life With Dyspraxia’ shares Rosemary’s experience of growing up dyspraxic, and how it impacts her sense of space, time and co-ordination. Diagnosed with DCD at the age of four, Rosemary shares her insights and experience dealing with challenges, from coping with bullies in school to choosing a dyspraxia-friendly university, pursuing self-employment and travelling abroad.

Join author Allie Mason as she introduces activities ranging from archery to stargazing, sailing to fossil hunting, snorkeling to nature-writing – and so much more. Each easily digestible factsheet comes with a short introduction, a summary of the sensory experiences involved, suggestions on approaching activities for when you’re just getting started, as well as a handy budgeting system.

Parents in Need is a charity which supports families of children with Special Educational Needs by funding the professional reports to support their application for appropriate educational placement and therapy.

SEND unlocked is a charity whose aim is to provide parents and carers of children and adults with specific needs, as well as the schools and services that support them, a pathway through the maze of bureaucracy surrounding access to SEND support.

Social Farms & Gardens is a UK wide charity representing and supporting community gardens and social farms. They have over 3000 members growing and providing nature-based activities for the health and wellbeing of people and the planet.

Makaton has been shown to be useful for all sorts of people including those who struggle with understanding concepts, those who have poor literacy skills, including grammatical knowledge, and those with English as an Additional Language. By using Makaton, children and adults can take a more active part in life, because communication and language are the key to everything we do and learn.

Thrive Gardening use gardening to bring about positive changes in the lives of people living with disabilities, ill health, or who are isolated, disadvantaged or vulnerable.

WorkFit is the Down’s Syndrome Association’s employment programme which brings together employers and job-seekers who have Down’s syndrome. It is a tailored service dedicated to training employers about the learning profile of people who have Down’s syndrome so that they can be supported in the workplace.

Positive Assessments Support and Training (PAST), offers support and advice for families of neurodivergent children and teenagers.

Lisa is a Certified ADHD Life Coach (CALC) who helps clients develop strategies to overcome their challenges associated with ADHD and help them reach their personal, academic and professional goals.

As an independent educational consultant, Lorna Woolley is passionate about supporting parents in finding the best school environments for children and young people of all ages, including those experiencing autism spectrum condition, dyslexia, emotional and behavioural difficulties, ADHD, ADD, OCD, PDA, high ability, general learning difficulties, and physical or sensory impairments.

SEND Success UK Ltd provide high quality, bespoke support packages to organisations, individuals and loved ones to improve the provision for children, young people and adults with SEND. 

They use their specialist knowledge and expertise to advise and collaborate with all stakeholders to optimise outcomes.

Succeeding with SEN are a Reading based Special Educational Needs Consultancy. They work nationally, and internationally, with parents and carers to help them to understand and access the Special Educational Needs system here in England. Their team provide a range of different services that are tailored to the individual child and their family

The SEND Collaborative are a specialist team of SEND advocates who achieve positive educational outcomes for children and young people with SEND. Their mission is to maintain strong and truly collaborative relationships with the key professionals delivering support as well as parents/carers.

The name HELLO stands for Hillingdon Empowering Local Lives Offer and was chosen by young people with special educational needs and disabilities, as they feel it best reflects what their local offer aims to be. HELLO provides families and professionals with information on local services, support, activities and events for 0 to 25-year-olds with special educational needs and disabilities, and helps to improve the lives of children and young people in Hillingdon.

Support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities aged 0-25.

Sunshine Support empower and advocate for parents, carers, and professionals who support children and young people with SEND. They offer a whole range of services from free downloads and resources to premium private services.

Educational Potential are a thriving Educational Psychology practice in Central London and work with children, young people and families. Their goal is to get to the bottom of why children are not reaching their potential at school.

Forest School is a child-centred inspirational learning process that offers opportunities for holistic growth through regular sessions. It is a long-term program that supports play, exploration and supported risk taking. It develops confidence and self-esteem through learner inspired, hands-on experiences in a natural setting.

Learn and Thrive provide specialist support using digital tools and resources that support learners with Down’s syndrome and learning disabilities to live more independent, connected and safer lives. We all have the right to a fulfilling life within our community. A diagnosis of Down’s syndrome must never be a barrier to life and love.

The Maths For Life programme offers a pathway to those students for whom a standard maths national curriculum structure and timescale is unattainable. It helps students of any age, with or without SEND, do maths – accurately, independently and in real-world application.

AccessAble is here to take the chance out of going out. To give you the accessibility information you need to work out if a place is going to be accessible for you. They have surveyed 10,000s of venues across the UK and Ireland.

Anniseeds was founded in 2023 with a mission to create change by raising awareness and working to improve the standards of life for a whole generation regardless of their background, belief or status. Their podcast and magazine provide a space for readers and listeners to develop their understanding of diversity, equity and inclusion.

When you are not sure where to turn, BRAAIN will give you the information you need. From details on specialist schools in the area, to accessing professional help, to finding out about clubs for your children and support groups for you. We are here to help make life a little easier on this journey.

Family Voice Surrey’s vision is clear: cultivate a diverse and inclusive society where parent carers feel valued and listened to and all children and young adults with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are supported to reach their full potential.

Special Needs Jungle provides parent-centred information, news, resources and informed opinions.

The Senses Project is a new approach to mentor neurodiverse people to achieve independence. They specialise in Autism, Sensory Processing Needs, ADHD, and SEMH supportive mentoring approaches. This includes their Neurodiverse Workshops, Alternative Provision, and Reflective Workshops for Teachers, Support Teams, Parents, and Employers.

Autistic, ADHD and SEND children share their special interest in trains. They create, connect and collaborate in an environment designed especially for them. Play sessions with trains that build confidence & reduce anxiety.

As the UK’s most experienced Day Camp operator, Camp Beaumont Day Camps are unrivaled in this industry. When it comes to caring for children during the school holidays, nobody does it better. 

Through their productions, performance training, education courses, and outreach projects, Chicken Shed’s mission is to create wonder out of chaos and change out of challenge. They succeed together or not at all. This is our vision of how the world should be – a society where everyone can flourish. They’re here to shake things up by sharing experiences with each other, with those who hold power and with those who feel they have none. They do this on stage, off stage and wherever people come together.

They have nurtured musical learning for 30 years, and offer SEND music sessions and music therapy. Their ethos encourages child-initiated learning through playful, creative multi-sensory music making.

Club Hub is the UK’s largest online directory for children’s clubs and activities, and it’s a game-changer for SEND families. The platform allows parents and carers to search for local, inclusive activities tailored to their child’s age, interests, and specific needs. Whether you’re looking for adapted sports, sensory play, drama workshops, or specialized learning sessions, Club Hub makes it easy to find the right fit.

Based near Market Harborough, They offer therapeutic activities and workshops for all abilities. Their animals help with their therapeutic approach, successful for many conditions including Autism, PDA, ADD, ADHD, anxiety and depression.

The Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA) are empowering adults with ADHD to live their best lives. A different brain requires a different approach, whether you’re newly diagnosed, wondering if you have ADHD, or simply ready to take charge of your life – ADDA is here to help

Singing Hands would like to introduce you to the amazing world of signing with Makaton. This unique and enthusiastic approach is designed to help develop someone’s communication potential through music, songs, games & activities. They focus on learning language in a way that it is motivating, engaging and most of all, fun!

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, they are dedicated to transforming lives and changing attitudes.

Emily is an Autistic Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) based in Greater Manchester, UK, and Co-Founder of Divergent Perspectives; a training provider delivering workshops to professionals in how to support Autistic children, young people, and adults. She advocates and campaigns for radical changes in therapy practices for through public speaking, training, and education. Her lived experience of being Autistic informs her work in addition to her clinical expertise as an SLT, makes her uniquely positioned to make a difference.

ClarkSLT is an independent speech and language therapy service based in and around Surrey, Sussex and Kent, led by Speech & Language Therapist Becky Clark. The team are passionate about making a difference for children and young people aged 4 – 25 years with speech, language and social communication difficulties.

Susannah Thomson is a private Speech Therapist in Bristol (UK), and has specialist training Working with Teens and Adults with Selective Mutism. She works exclusively online Via Zoom and has had great success supporting parents.

Cleandra is a fully qualified and experienced counselling psychologist serving clients in Brighton, Hove, and online through secure sessions. Her approach is integrative and trauma-informed, grounded in compassion and evidence-based practices such as EMDR Therapy, Relational Life Therapy (RLT), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), and interpersonal neurobiology.

Hopscotch Children’s Therapy Centre are dedicated to supporting neurodiverse and neurotypical children aged 6 months to 25 years, helping them unlock their full potential through Occupational Therapy and Speech and Language Therapy, with a strong emphasis on Sensory Integration. Their mission is to provide evidence-based, compassionate care that empowers children and supports families throughout their journey.

Magic Words Therapy offers private Speech and Language Therapy for children, teens, and adults – delivered online or in-person from seven convenient clinic locations (London Archway & Greenwich, St Albans, Milton Keynes, Northampton, Cambridge, and Birmingham). Clients can self-refer quickly and easily by calling 01908 614 479, emailing [email protected] or by completing the New Client Form.

They offer a full range of standard and specialist assessments—including Dysphagia and complex needs—alongside ongoing therapy, tailored advice, training, and EHCP tribunal assessments. Sessions can take place in schools, at your nearest clinic location, or online. Their expert therapy team is available to answer any questions you may have during regular business hours, Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm (term time only).

Sensory Smart Child are a private Paediatric Therapy practice in the South East of England, offering comprehensive assessment and therapy services for children 0 – 16 years through fun, education and play.

Therapy4Kids are a private paediatric therapy practice based in South West London offering specialist Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language Therapy and Psychotherapy… just for kids! They offer excellence in expertise and service, with a very hands-on and child-friendly approach. They have a gentle, happy and relaxed environment in which to help your child reach their potential.