Useful Information
On this page, you will find a selection of organisations who help and support parents and carers of special needs children. Please contact the organisations listed directly using the contact details provided.
Parent Support Websites to Visit
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www.specialneedsjungle.com
A great site aimed at helping parents get support for the statementing process and sifting through the jungle of SEN information. -
www.carers.org
The Princess Royal Trust for Carers provides information, guidance and support. -
www.careinfoscotland.co.uk
This site provides information & advice for carers in Scotland -
www.nhs.uk/Carersdirect
Carers Direct is an information resource providing advice and support for carers -
www.parentsofdisabledchildren.co.uk
An online support forum for parents and carers of disabled children -
face2facenetwork
Parents supporting parents of disabled children
Support for fathers of disabled children can be found at the Fatherhood Institute's website www.fatherhoodinstitute.org
Support groups, information and support for parents of disabled children in Northern Ireland can be found at NIdirect
5 Useful Tips for the days when things aren't going so well
Caring for a child with special needs is a daily challenge and although the tips below won't change the world, they will give you something practical to do when things aren't going so well, which is sometimes all it takes to regain your composure and carry on in a better frame of mind.
1. Go into a room on your own, close your eyes and take ten really deep breaths. Imagine each breath is expelling the stress, anger, fustration and worry out of your body
2. Take five minutes to stretch your body, first start with raising your arms above your head and imagine you are reaching for the sky. Lower your arms by stretching out to the sides as far as you can whilst bringing them down to your sides. Repeat this ten times. This small bit of exercise will send oxygen round your body and give you a nice relaxed feeling
3. Play some music as you go about your daily routine, even five minutes of listening to a song you like can alter your mood
4. Phone a friend, a charity support line or anyone outside of your close family. Talking is a great way to get perspective and sharing your fears and problems can often make you think about them in a different way. By sharing with someone removed from your everyday life, their distance from the situation can often give you a fresh perspective
5. Sleep. Probably the best advice we have! Things always seem a lot worse when you're tired and you're less efficient too. If you need to have a few nights where you arrange help or even go away with your child to a short break centre to acheive this, then take any oppportunity to ensure you get this most vital of basic needs. Sleep won't cure your troubles but it will go a long way to helping you tackle every challenge at your very best.
