Support for Parents and Carers
We appreciate that having a child or young person with additional needs can be challenging and we know that our families are all at different stages of their journey.
With this in mind, you may find the links below useful:
Family Support and Advice
Suffolk Family Carers have information and events for parents, carers and siblings.
Suffolk Local Offer has wide ranging information and advice for young people and families in Suffolk.
Sendiass has a wealth of information for families including about EHCPs, health and social care and preparing for adulthood. Sendiass sometimes come to our coffee mornings and we will all advertise these in advance.
NDD Parent Workshops are delivered by the Psychology in Schools teams. These are virtual sessions that run throughout the year.
Financial Support
Apply for Carer’s Allowance if you are under the threshold. https://www.gov.uk/carers-allowance
Suffolk County Council gives out a family fund payment of £150. If you are known to them you should receive this if someone there has nominated you. They keep changing the name of it though!
If you get DLA, you can then apply for a Disability Cost of Living payment.
Contact Anglian Water as you may be entitled to a discount. They will want to know a lot of financial info.
Having ‘direct payments‘ to arrange your own care support is an option available if you’ve been assessed as being eligible for care services support by your local authority.
If you’re an unpaid carer, you may be able to get financial support to help you with your caring duties.
You will get a council tax reduction for caring for a disabled child once they’re 18.
Family Fund and Caudwell Children offers grants for sensory items for families on a low income.
Medical
Parents can have a Carer flag on their Doctor’s records; this entitles you to a Flu and Covid jab if you aren’t already eligible.
Special needs flag on hospital record for child. You can also access extra help if the child struggles with hospital visits from Roger Blake, Special Needs Nurse at Ipswich Hospital. If you give him enough notice he will be able to make the necessary arrangements. He works Monday to Friday.
Also, it is good to know that you can get added to your child’s record any reasonable adjustments that will need to made for them to allow them to access services.
A Hospital Passport is useful, you fill this out and it then stops the need of repeating yourself. You hand them a copy to keep on file.
SEN children are entitled to a 14-year-old health check at the doctors. They then have a health check annually after that with the same doctor so they get to know the child.
Leisure Activities
Leading Lives is an organisation which runs youth activities for young people aged 13-24 who are autistic or have learning disabilities. They run an evening youth group in Rushmere as well as a range of activities in Lowestoft.
Leaps runs extra curricular activities including holiday clubs for pupils with additional needs.
Activities Unlimited can offer short breaks for children and young people with SEND in Suffolk.
Carer tickets/ Discounted Tickets and Fast passes for visits to theme parks. A lot of places offer this but you need to search the website and take proof with you, which is normally a diagnosis letter or DLA letter. The website normally specifies the accepted proof.
RDA Clopton – register with them for Riding lessons. 30mins for £43.75 a month. There is a waiting list.
Ability School of Dance offer a variety of classes depending on age.
Cinema: A CEA Card gets a child in for free and then discounted ticket for accompanied adult.
All Stars Youth Club at St Andrews Church in Rushmere – a parent has heard this is good and parents can stay.
Miscellaneous
The Suffolk County Council preparing for adulthood guide can be found here.
Hidden Disabilities Sunflower website has information on sunflower lanyards and other products as well as loads of hints and tips.
Mencap offer a free webinar about Wills and Trusts. There are a few seminars which are free and a solicitor gives up his time to run the seminar alongside Mencap. A family only needs to book one place if they are listening together at home.
Someone granted with a Blue Badge can use disabled parking spaces if you display the card. It can be used in any car that he/she is travelling in and with this Blue Badge you can park for free at the hospital if the car is registered with reception (Entrance 6)
Register on the Priority Services Register with UK Power Networks, Energy Supplier and Anglian Water. Lots of other info on here too.
Heathrow Airport participates in the Hidden Sunflower scheme.
You can register for the Access Scheme and get discounted theatre tickets. You may need to register individually if not part this group and you have to provide proof. You are issued with a number which can be used to book the tickets.
A Family Rail card costs £35 for the year. It works best if the tickets are booked a long way in advance. Also you can use Tesco clubcard points to half the cost.
Online seminars for advice – Psychology in Schools Service. These are helpful and they email you the recording and pack if you can’t attend.
The East Suffolk Disability Advice Service is based at Martlesham Heath.
If you have a link or tip which could help other parents and carers, please use the form at the bottom of the page to share it with us for the website.
