SEND support directory for primary school children
Are you a parent of a primary school-aged child with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)? Our list of organisations, services and resources is a great place to start for support and guidance.
This page is broken up into the following categories:
- General support
- Specific Learning Difficulties (Dyslexia, Dyspraxia and Dyscalculia)
- Neurodevelopmental conditions (Autism and ADHD)
- Learning difficulties
- Physical difficulties
- Mental health
- Learning aids
This directory is constantly evolving and growing. If you can’t find what you’re looking for and want to make a suggestion for future edits, feel free to get in touch.
General support
-
strives to allow children with disabilities, young people and those with special educational needs to have full and happy childhoods, to fulfil their potential and to be active within their community. And they want parents of children with disabilities to be parents first – living ordinary lives.*
-
provides advice and information about concerns a family might have about raising a child with additional needs. They run a free helpline and offer a Listening Ear support service, a range of email newsletters and parent guides.
-
is the UK’s largest grant-making charity for families raising a child with disabilities or a seriously ill child on a low income.
-
aims to gain equity within education, health and care for children and young people with special educational needs and their families through accessible education, support and advocacy for parents, carers and professionals.
-
is a hub for parents and carers supporting children and young people with additional needs. They offer information, guidance and advice on all aspects of supporting a child or young person with additional needs, from birth to age 25.
-
shares activities, advice and recommendations with parents and teachers of children with SEND.
-
provides innovative resources to help parents and teachers support children with individualised needs. These resources cover everything from SEND and EAL to SALT and pastoral care.
-
offers free and independent legally-based information, advice and support to help get the right education for children with SEND in England.
-
is a charity that can help you find the right educational support for your child if you are living in England.
*You can also find the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information, Advice and Support (SENDIAS) services in your area via the Council for Disabled Children’s website.
Specific Learning Difficulties: Dyslexia, Dyspraxia and Dyscalculia
General
-
is a national charity providing a subscription-free service of unabridged audiobooks for adults and children with sight problems, dyslexia or other disabilities who cannot read print. It is free for younger members under 18 living in the UK.
Dyslexia
-
is an information, resources and training source to help you ensure your dyslexic child can reach their full potential.*
-
is a small charity started by parents of dyslexic children to share information, tips, ideas and experiences.
*The British Dyslexia Association’s parents booklet is a great resource for supporting your child at home.
Dyspraxia
-
offers expert advice, assessments and strategies to children, young people and adults with dyspraxia throughout the UK.
Dyscalculia
-
is a not-for-profit community interest company run by volunteers to support and advocate for people with dyscalculia and maths learning difficulties.
Neurodevelopmental conditions: Autism and ADHD
Autism
-
aims to ensure autistic children and young adults have access to an education which empowers a life full of choice, independence and opportunity.
-
is a regional service that provides advice and support for pupils with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
-
is a parent-led partnership organisation formed to promote positive collaboration between Northern Irish parents, professionals and individuals with autism, and address the need for appropriate services.
-
aims to make it easier to learn more about autism and the services available to you.
-
has a parent toolkit called ‘Right from the start’ for preschool and older children to help guide parents and carers throughout their child’s autism journey. The toolkit has practical tips, checklists and signposts to other support sources.
-
helps autistic people and their families in the UK by running specialist schools, campaigning for improved rights or training companies to be more autism-friendly.
-
works to improve services, policy and practice by sharing our knowledge, skills and experience with autism, so autistic people can thrive and live their lives as part of their communities.
-
is an online directory of services for the autistic community, their families and carers, run by autistic people for autistic people.
-
is the largest provider of autism-specific services in Scotland and a leading authority and advocate for good autism practice.
-
helps to improve the lives of autistic people and their families in Wales. They offer a wide range of free downloadable resources developed with autistic people, parents/carers and professionals across Wales.
ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)
-
is a support network for children, young people, and families affected by ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). It has offices in Belfast and Dungannon and runs information sessions for families all over the province.
-
is the UK’s leading neurodiversity charity, offering a strength-based, lifespan service for the 1 in 5 who live with ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, DCD, Dyscalculia, OCD, Tourette’s Syndrome and more.
-
aims to help people navigate their lives with ADHD. They want to reduce the stigma that some attach to those with ADHD, build awareness and undertake or fund research that will have a meaningful positive impact on those with ADHD.
-
brings together voluntary organisations that provide support to adults and children with ADHD in Scotland, as well as their parents, carers, and families.
Learning difficulties
-
ensures people with a learning disability are listened to and included in all aspects of life.
-
is where people with learning disabilities champion and defend their own and other people’s human rights, and lead the work to improve policy, practice and legislation.
-
supports people with learning disabilities in Northern Ireland in living independently. The services and support offered by the government will depend on individual circumstances and will require an assessment of individual needs.
-
offers support and guidance to get the right help for your family’s needs via their free Family Line helpline — telephone, text message or email for free.
-
wants Wales to be the best country in the world for people with a learning disability to live, learn, love and work.
Physical difficulties
-
provides help and advice to families caring for a child with disabilities or a child with specific health conditions.
-
offer free and impartial information, advice, and support for families of children and young people with disabilities or special educational needs.
-
is the disability equality charity in England and Wales. They provide practical information and emotional support when it’s most needed and campaign relentlessly to create a fairer society
-
works with organisations for people with disabilities, public bodies, businesses and government across the UK to influence regional and national change for better rights, accessibility, benefits, quality of life and economic opportunities for people with disabilities.
-
work to promote, protect and uphold the human rights of people with disabilities in Northern Ireland.
-
is the national association of people with disabilities’ organisations in Wales striving to achieve the rights and equality of all people with disabilities.
-
supports people with disabilities and their families in Scotland.
Mental health
CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services)
CAMHS are free services run by your local NHS and are made up of medical and mental health professionals. CAMHS can help if you or your child are going through mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, panic attacks, hearing voices, self-harm, or suicidal thoughts.
General
-
offers information for parents of young people aged 11–18 who are worried about their child’s wellbeing and want to know how to support them.
-
is an emotional literacy service that combines healthcare and education, helping children explore and understand their emotions, how they feel in their bodies, and why they might feel different emotions. They have a wealth of free resources for parents.
-
uses a distinctive therapeutic approach to support children and young people with their mental health.
-
ensures all young people can get the mental health support they need when they need it, no matter what.
-
developed a report called ‘It’s not rocket science’, based on the experience of children and young people who have experienced Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) inpatient environments. There are sensory recommendations and useful information available to download.
-
is a charity that supports siblings of children with disabilities.
Learning aids
-
provides a reliable, affordable tool for individuals and their support networks who need assistance with executive function skills.
-
rebuilds reading and spelling foundations to support children and their parents by making it easier to improve reading and writing skills. There is a free version with paid options.
-
removes barriers to accessible reading and is free for personal use by anyone with a print disability.
-
is part of a set of three apps to support early phonics. This app focuses on nine phonemes and gives children games and prompts for phonics play.
-
want to empower everyone in the UK to have numeracy skills that will allow them to fulfil their potential at work, home, and school. Their Family Maths Toolkit includes fun maths activities that schools or families can use. They help schools engage parents and carers with children’s maths learning – and they help parents and carers boost their children’s confidence with numbers.
