If you are facing difficulties with official bodies in accessing the health, social care and education support services you and your child are entitled to, the Cerebra Accessing Public Services Toolkit can help. It identifies common issues and offers strategies to help resolve them without resorting to legal action.  (Free pdf download.)

An authoritative yet accessible guide to the legal rights of disabled children and their families in England. The handbook aims to empower disabled children and their families through a greater understanding of their rights and entitlements. It is essential reading for the families of disabled children, their advocates and lawyers, voluntary and statutory sector advisers, commissioners, managers and lawyers working for public authorities, education, social and health care professionals, students and academics.  (Free pdf download.)

Independent Provider of Special Education Advice (known as IPSEA) is a national charity offering 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). 

The National Network of Parent Carer Forums (NNPCF) is the independent national voice of parent carer forums.  Reading Families Forum is the Parent Carer Forum for the Reading Borough Council area.

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Find out more at the above link about NNPCF and parent carer forums.

Special Needs Jungle creates easy to understand resources, articles and information for parents and carers of children with special needs, disabilities and health conditions to better enable them to navigate the special needs system.  

Contact is a national charity which supports families with disabled children.  Their website has lots of information and resources as well as details of their telephone helpline, campaigns and how you can get involved.

Disabled Living is a charity, offering free, impartial information about services for disabled individuals and those that support them. This includes advice about products and equipment and they also run the free Kidz to Adultz Exhibitions across the UK.  

Luke Clements is the Cerebra Professor of Law and Social Justice at the School of Law, Leeds University.  Luke’s Chair in Law is funded by the disabled children’s charity Cerebra and he has produced a number of reports and guides on topics including disabled facilities grants; local authority home to school transport policies; direct payments; social care charging; delay and complaints; social care policies that discriminate against disabled children and institutionalise parent-carer blame. 

SOS!SEN provides a range of information, advice and support to help parents find their way through the daunting legal and bureaucratic maze of securing SEN support for their children. Parents are not always aware of their children’s entitlement to SEN provision; we help them navigate the process, with advice underpinned by current legislation and best practice.