Advice agencies
ACE (Advisory Centre for
Education)
The Advisory Centre for Education (ACE) is an independent
advice centre for parents, offering information about state
education in England and Wales for 5-16 year olds.
Afasic (Association for all
speech impaired children)
Afasic is a UK charity established to help these children and
young people, their families and the professionals working with
them. Afasic is a recognised training provider and offers a range
of services including a helpline, publications, and support
groups
Asperger syndrome support group
Offers support to families who have children with Asperger
Syndrome and conditions within the autistic spectrum, through
monthly house meetings. For more information contact: 26 St
Dunstan's Avenue, Acton W3 6QB. Tel: (020) 8993
3623.
Association for Spina Bifida and
Hydrocephalus (ASBAH)
The North West London branch is the local branch of a
national charity run by parents.The group provides information
and distributes a magazine to members and will refer you to head
office if you require individual support. For more information
contact: 37 Milton Road, Hanwell W7 1LQ. Tel: (020) 8579
4685.
Behaviour/cognitive therapy department
This service offers one-to-one psychotherapy sessions. For more
information contact: Behaviour/Cognitive Therapy
Department, Avenue House, 43-7 Avenue Road, Acton
W3. Tel: (020) 8993 7892
Blackhill health centre
This private team of clinical psychologists and counsellors
offer advice on how to cope with temper tantrums, sleeping
difficulties, feeding problems, post-natal depression and stress.
For more information contact: Blackhill health
centre, 209 Pitshanger Lane, Ealing W5
1AQ. Tel: (020) 8566 7539.
British Deaf Association
The BDA is the largest Deaf organisation in the UK that is
run by Deaf people and amongst other things are campaigning for the
right for all Deaf children to receive a bilingual education, using
British Sign Language (BSL) and English, and the right to quality
and choice in education.
British
Dyslexia Association (BDA)
The BDA promotes early identification and support in
schools to ensure opportunity to learn for dyslexic learners.
They also aim to represent the needs of dyslexic people on leaving
school, in higher education and in work. The Ealing
branch provides information, advice and drop-in sessions for
parents, teachers, children and adult dyslexics. There are also
regular talks, seminars and courses that promote awareness and
understanding of specific learning difficulties. Members receive a
regular newsletter and there are support group
meetings. For more information contact (020) 8995
7092.
The Children's Disability Network
This is a voluntary register of children under 18
years with special needs and disabilities. If your child is
registered you will receive information and a newsletter twice a
year. Your child can also be assessed by a social worker to
ensure appropriate services are offered to meet his/her needs. For
an application form or for more information
contact: Children's Disability Network, Freepost PAM
1797, Acton Town Hall, Winchester Street, Acton W3
9NE. Tel: (020) 8832 6367.
Connexions
A national website offering confidential advice, support and
information for 13-19 year olds on a range of subjects, including
careers, learning, health and relationships.
Contact a family
Contact a family is a national charity offering advice,
information and support to families who care for children and young
people with special needs up to the age of 19. The two projects in
the London Borough of Ealing - based in West Ealing and Southall -
offer a range of services including advice for parents, holiday
activities for children, volunteering opportunities, regular
drop-in sessions and support groups.
The Ealing branch offers a student placement scheme for young people with disabilities to gain work experience and a babysitting link service for parents/carers. There is also free access to the internet for information on special needs.
Department for Education and
Skills (DfES)
The DfES aims to give children an excellent start in
education and encourage adults to achieve their full potential
through learning.
The disability law service
The service provides free, confidential legal advice and
representation for adults and children with disabilities or special
needs. For more information contact: Holborn House, Ground
Floor, 39-45 Cavell Street, London E1 2BP. Tel: (020) 7791 3131,
email:
advice@dls.org.uk
Down's syndrome
association
The only organisation in this country focusing solely on all
aspects of living successfully with down's syndrome, they provide
information and support for people with down's syndrome, their
families and carers.
Dyslexia Action (DA)
The DA is an educational charity for the assessment and
teaching of people with dyslexia and for the training of teachers.
It has grown to become the only national dyslexia teaching
organisation in the world.
Dyspraxia
foundation
A UK charity which exists to help people to understand and
cope with dyspraxia and is also a resource for parents, for
teenagers and adults who have the condition, and for professionals
who help all of them.
Ealing
dyslexia association
A local organisation offering a drop-in centre, news,
resources, information and support.
Ealing music therapy project
The sessions are intended to motivate, stimulate, calm and
build communication through the theraputic use of music. The
service caters for young people aged 0-19 years in several local
venues. For more information contact: Ealing Music Therapy
Project, St John's Church, Mattock Lane, Ealing W13 9LA. Tel: (020)
8567 4100.
Ealing pre-school learning alliance
The alliance runs two pre-school groups for children with
special needs in Southall and Perivale. Your child can be referred
by the child development team, your family doctor, a speech
therapist, social worker, health visitor, or you can contact them
directly. Transport can be provided.
In partnership with Ealing Speech Therapy Service, the alliance also runs three speech and language pre-school groups in Acton, Hanwell and Northolt. Your child can be referred by the Speech Therapy Service.
If you would like your child to attend their local pre-school or nursery or would like advice on choosing a pre-school for your child, the special needs development worker may be able to help. Funding may also be available to provide a one-to-one support worker. For more information contact: Pre-school Learning Alliance, 46 Lower Boston Manor Road, Hanwell W7 2NP. Tel: (020) 8567 5247.
Ealing sickle cell and thalassaemia support group
The group offers information and advice for sufferers and
carers. Support meetings are held every two months. For more
information contact: Windmill Lodge, Uxbridge Road,
Southall UB1 3EU. Tel: (020) 8354 8022.
Kids
Kids focus on all of the child's needs - educational, social,
developmental and emotional - as well as offering support to the
whole family.
Kid's cookery school
The school provides cooking experiences for children including
those with special needs. Kid's Cookery School, 107 Gunnersbury
Lane, Acton W3 8HQ. Tel: (020) 8992 8882.
Log cabin
This is an adventure playgroup for children with special
needs and their siblings aged 5-15 years. There are daytime
sessions for special schools and units, an after-school club and
holiday play schemes that can give you a break from caring for your
child. For more information contact: Log Cabin, 259
Northfield Avenue, Ealing W5 4EU. Tel: (020) 8840 3400.
Mencap
A UK based learning disability charity working with people
with a learning disability and their families and carers. Ealing
Mencap has an advocacy worker who provides information and support
for young people with disabilities aged 15 years and over, who are
leaving school/college. For more information contact: Ealing
Mencap, 173A Uxbridge Road, Hanwell, W7 3TH; tel: (020) 8567
9185
Mind
A mental health charity working in England and Wales and
works to create a better life for everyone with experience of
mental distress.
National Autistic Society
(NAS)
NAS champions the rights and interests of all people with
autism and ensures that they and their families receive quality
services appropriate to their needs. This site includes information
about autism and Asperger syndrome, and about support and services
available in the UK.
National Blind Children's
Society
The National Blind Children's Society aims to provide blind
and partially sighted children with an equal opportunity for
education which is adequately supported with information provided
in a suitable format for their needs, and where there are no
barriers to sports and recreational activities.
National Deaf Children's Society
(NDCS)
The National Deaf Children's Society is the only UK charity
solely dedicated to providing support, information and advice for
deaf children and young people, their families and professionals
working with them.
National society for epilepsy
The National society for epilepsy is committed to providing
information and support to people with epilepsy. We also provide
care for people with epilepsy through medical and residential
services.
Royal Association for Disability
and Rehabilitation (RADAR)
A charity which aims to promote change by empowering disabled
people to achieve their rights and expectations; and by influencing
the way that disabled people are viewed as members of society.
Royal National Institute for the
Deaf (RNID)
Offers a range of services for deaf and hard of hearing
people, and provide information and support on all aspects of
deafness, hearing loss and tinnitus.
Royal National Institute of Blind
People (RNIB)
A UK charity offering information, support and advice to over
two million people with sight problems.
Scope
Scope is a disability organisation in England and Wales whose
focus is people with cerebral palsy.
Sense
Sense works with a wide age range, from babies who have just
been diagnosed with deafblindness to older people. They also
offer training and other services related to deafblindness.
Special Educational Needs and
Disability Tribunal (SENDIST)
Parents whose children have special educational needs can
appeal to the Special Educational Needs and Disability
Tribunal against decisions made by local education authorities
(LEAs) in England and Wales about their children's education.