*** Last updated 20 January 2012 ***

Below are a number of links to other websites together with a brief description of the purpose of the organisation.

Educational

To find the schools in Surrey nearest to your address click here

Or to search all schools in Surrey click here  

Advisory Centre for Education (ACE) - a national helpline that provides advice and information to parents and carers on a wide range of school based issues - 0808 800 5793

ACE Exclusions Advice Helpline - 0808 800 0327

Alliance for Inclusive Education - Campaigns for all disabled learners to have the right to access and be supported in mainstream education. 020 7737 6030

Coram Children's Legal Centre (formerly the Children's Legal Centre) - Provides free legal information, advice and representation to children, young people, their families, carers and professionals - 08088 020 008

IPSEA - Provides free legally based advice to families who have children with special educational needs. All advice is given by trained volunteers. General Advice Line: 0800 018 4016  // Tribunal Help Line: 0845 602 9579 

Rathbone Special Education Advice Line - National helpline offering advice and support to parents with children with special educational needs. Areas of help: school admissions, school stages, statementing (and statement analysis), tribunals and appeals, bullying. 0161 236 5358

Surrey School Admissions - Surrey County Council web page

Disability - general

Social Information on Disability (SID)- Free and independent advice for disabled people, carers, relatives and friends who live or work in Surrey - covers leisure and holidays, benefits issues, clubs/support groups, legislation, community services, homecare services, housing, education and employment, special aids and equipment . . . etc. SID also runs a second hand disability equipment service. Enquiries: 0800 04 39 39 5 //  Admin: 01372 372 888

Caring for a disabled child - DirectGov web page

Contact A Family - Information for parents from the only the only UK-wide charity providing advice, information and support to the parents of all disabled children. Helpline: 0808 808 3555

Council for Disabled Children (CDC) - Information for parents from the umbrella body for the disabled children’s sector in England. 0207 843 1900

Equality and Human Rights Commission Helpline - 0845 604 6610

Special Educational Needs in Under FIves - Direct Gov web page

Stevenage One Stop Shop - Website from Hertfordshire with many useful links for parents and young people

Surrey Children's Disability Register - Registration is voluntary and helps Surrey CC to plan services. The register also forms the basis of a mailing list to inform and consult children/young people and parents/ carers about services, changes to welfare benefits, playgroups, holiday schemes, etc. 03456 009 009

Disability - specific conditions

ABAPSTAS - The Association of Blind and Partially Sighted Teachers and Students.

AFASIC - provides information, help and advice to families of children with speech and language impairments and is a membership organisation.

Challenging Behaviour Foundation - Support for families caring for children and adults with severe learning disabilities and challenging behaviour. General Enquiries: 01634 838739 //  Family Support Line: 0845 602 7885

Dyspraxia Foundation Surrey - Supporting children, families and adults with dyspraxia. 01372 702984

Epilepsy Action - helpline; local suport groups; Epilepsy Today magazine; insurance schemes . . . etc. Helpline: 0808 800 5050

Mencap - Supports parents, carers and people with a learning disability to lead a full and valued life.  Their website has information sheets and other resources. 020 7454 0454

National Autistic Society - Surrey Branch - Supports families involved in the care of children and adults with ASDs in Surrey. 07423 435413

National Autistic Society - Helpline: 0808-800-4104 - email: autismhelpline@nas.org.uk

Scope - A national disability organisation whose focus is people with cerebral palsy.

South East Surrey Dyslexia Association - Aims to increase dyslexia awareness with practical advice for parents, teachers and classroom assistants

Surrey Association for Visual Impairment - Provides a full range of services, aids and equipment for blind and partially sighted people resident in Surrey

www.adders.org - Aims to promote awareness of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and to provide information and as much free practical help as possible to sufferers, both adults and children, and their families.

The Contact a Family website gives comprehensive links to voluntary organisations by type of condition

DELTA - Deaf Education through Listening and Talking - A national charity supporting deaf children, their families and practitioners who wish to follow and auditory oral route, from birth, through education and beyond.

NDCS - National Deaf Children's Service  

SENSE  - Provides advice and information as well as specialist services to deafblind people, their families, carers and the professionals who work with them . . .

Action on Hearing Loss - The new name for RNID - Advice on a range of issues including equipment, British SIgn Language, employment, specialist care and support . . . etc

Health and Wellbeing

Bullying links - Surrrey County Council web page

Carers UK - Information and advice on all aspects of caring. CarersLine is a free advice line for carers staffed by welfare rights, community care and benefits experts.

Childline - Free and confidential helpline for children and young adults in the UK - 0800 1111

How to exercise if you are in a wheelchair - US web page

Surrey Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) - web page for parents and carers

Surrey Young Carers Project - Offers free impartial information and support to young carers.

Drug and alcohol misuse - Surrey County Council web page

Leisure

Disability Challengers - Provides essential leisure, play and learning experiences for young people with any kind of physical, learning or emotional impairment.

English Federation for Disability Sport - The national body responsible for
developing sport for disabled people in England.

Family Activities and Breaks for Surrey (run by SID) - Information for families / carers / professionals of children with disabilities

Freewheelers Theatre Company - Brings together disabled and non-disabled actors and supporters, production teams and the local community to create innovative work (Leatherhead)  

Link Leisure - A Woking-based charity providing sports, social and recreational activities for children and adults with a broad range of learning disabilities which range from mild developmental delay to profound or more complex needs.

Money matters

Benefit Enquiry Line - Government helpline which provides advice and information for disabled people and carers on the range of benefits available.

Citizens Advice Bureaux - Free, independent, confidential and impartial advice to everyone on their rights and responsibilities.

Family Fund Trust - The UK’s largest provider of grants to low-income families raising disabled and seriously ill children and young people - 08449 744 099 - info@familyfund.org.uk

Financial advice and benefits  - Surrey County Council web page covering the range of benefits available

Parent Voice

Family Voice Surrey - The local forum for parents and carers of children with SEN and disabilities in Surrey - part of the National Network of Parent Carer Forums

Parenting / Family Support

Face 2 Face - A one-to-one befriending service for parents of disabled children -  volunteer befrienders are all parents of disabled children who can offer emotional and practical support . . .

FamilyLine Surrey (formerly ParentLine) - Provides help and emotional support by listening to all your family problems - 0808 800 5678 - help@familyline.org.uk

Family Lives (formerly Parentline Plus) - Free professional, non-judgmental support and advice for all the family. 24 hour helpline, website, message boards, email service, live chat and parenting/relationship support groups – 365 days a year.

Home Start Surrey - Matches families with volunteers, who have parenting experience themselves, and who visit for a couple of hours a week to give emotional and practical help.

Surrey Care Trust (Parenting Circles) - This project runs groups for parents to help with parenting skills - all age ranges

Surrey Family Information Service (Part of Surrey County Council) - Information, advice and assistance to parents and carers of children and young people aged 0-25 years, who are disabled or have special needs - from information on choosing school and early education, to advice about work life balance and support available to families.  

Surrey Family Link - Aims to improve the emotional health and wellbeing of children and families in Surrey through the provision of parenting courses and training for professionals.

Guildford Action for Families -  Supports families which have become isolated, to increase self esteem and confidence.

Surrey Young Carers - Part of Action for Carers

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