Support Organisations
Wiltshire Parent Carer Council: The WPCC helpline provides signposting advice and information about agencies and services in Wiltshire for parents and carers of children and young people with special educational needs and/or disability.
www.wiltshireparentcarercouncil.co.uk
Call the WPCC Helpline on: 01225 764 647
​
Family Hub Wiltshire Council: The Family Hub offers a range of activities and support services to help you with all aspects of parenting, helping your family to grow and thrive. These services, funded by Wiltshire Council, are managed by Spurgeons across Wiltshire.
www. wiltshirechildrenscentres.org.uk
Call the Family Hun on: 0800 970 4669
​
HCRG Care Group: Wiltshire Children’s Speech and Language Therapy Service.
https://wiltshirechildrensservices.co.uk/services/speech-language-therapy-service/
​
Wiltshire Local Offer: The Wiltshire Local Offer provides information and guidance on services for children and young people, aged 0-25, with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND). This website contains information about education, health, social care, preparing for adulthood and leisure. It is also your opportunity to provide feedback and help shape the future services.
www.wiltshire.gov.uk/local-offer
call the SEND Service directly on: 01225 712620
​
Ordinary Provision for all Learners (OPAL):
OPAL is a resource which outlines the provision and support that should ordinarily be available for children and young people in education settings, such as early years, schools and colleges.
Wiltshire's Ordinary Provision for All Learners is important because:
-
Educational institutions would benefit from guidance on how they can anticipate being held accountable, and how they can deliver based on best practice
-
all children and young people can thrive more in an inclusive culture
-
parents and carers can understand a consistent approach more easily
In practice, our OPAL will:
-
promote a vision for a more inclusive system, firmly based on high standards and quality first teaching (QFT) for all
-
index and link to existing best practice documentation
-
define core standards and provide tools for learning to meet a consistent minimum effort
-
provide positive, celebratory examples of best practice in the Wiltshire context
-
contain supportive resources to promote practitioner development
-
provide a forum for collaborative learning and improvement, including a space for practitioners to share best practice
-
support provision of tools and skills to help children and young people to integrate in communities
-
support our communities to be as inclusive as possible
Wiltshire is a needs led area:
This means that any provision or support will be tailored to the individual's needs, and that a diagnosis is not required to access support in schools and settings.
Introduction - Local Offer (wiltshire.gov.uk)
​
Wiltshire Council – Children's Services: Information for all services through Wiltshire Council.
Children with disabilities - Wiltshire Council
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children: Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children may help with the extra costs of looking after a child who:
-
is under 16
-
has difficulties walking or needs much more looking after than a child of the same age who does not have a disability.
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children: Overview - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
​
Wiltshire Portage: a registered charity and independent organisation providing a free home-visiting, specialist educational service for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) .
https://wiltshireportage.org.uk/
​
Carer Support Wiltshire: Carer Support Wiltshire is a registered charity (Charity no: 1092762) that supports all unpaid carers, from 5 years upwards, in Wiltshire.
Call Carer Support Wiltshire on: 01380 871690
​
Carer's Allowance: You could get £81.90 a week if you care for someone at least 35 hours a week and they get certain benefits. You do not have to be related to, or live with, the person you care for.
Carer's Allowance: How it works - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
​
Family Fund : Families raising a disabled or seriously ill child or young adult, and living on a low income, can apply for a wide range of grant items.
Call on: 01904 550055
​
Blue Badge Scheme: Check your eligibility and apply for a Blue Badge. A parent of a child under the age of three years old may apply for a badge for their child if the child has a specific medical condition.
Apply for or renew a Blue Badge - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Jacob's Ladder Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children: Jacob's Ladder is a not-for-profit community organisation that supports children and young adults with special needs. Our aim is to run fun and stimulating projects for children and young people aged 2-19 in a safe and understanding environment.
www.jacobsladderwiltshire.co.uk
Wiltshire SENDIASS: Wiltshire SENDIASS (formerly WISA) is the statutory information, support and advice service for Wiltshire. We offer free, independent and impartial information relating to education, health and social care for children and young people (0-25) with Special Educational Needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and their families, to empower them to make appropriate and informed choices.
CONTACT: A charity for families with disabled children, that supports families, bring families together and help families take action for others.
​
Special Needs Jungle: Parent-led news, information and informed opinion on special needs, disability, children's mental & physical health conditions, in particular rare diseases.
https://www.specialneedsjungle.com/
​
IPSEA (Independent Provider of Special Education): Offers free and independent legally based information, advice and support to help get the right education for children and young people with all kinds of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
​
Relate: Affordable counselling is available for those in Mid Wiltshire.
​
The Challenging Behaviour Foundation: This resource contains practical information about specialist equipment for children and adults with severe learning disabilities who display behaviour described as challenging. Including Specialist car seats/harnesses.
Homepage for the Challenging Behaviour Foundation
​
​
