Links

Below are links to a number of sites we think you may find useful.  We are not responsible for the content of any external websites.

• Scottish Executive. A comprehensive website, with the full text of the Additional Support for Learning (Scotland) Act 2004 and its 2009 amendments, the "Supporting Children's Learning" code of practice and guides for parents and schools. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Education/Schools/welfare/ASL   
• ASL Health Inclusion Project.  Promoting inclusion by providing a holistic problem solving approach to the management of children with additional support for learning needs.    www.asl.scot.nhs.uk
• Enquire.  the Scottish independent advice and information service for additional support for learning (special educational needs). It is managed by Children in Scotland and funded by the Scottish Executive. The service is available to parents and carers of children and young people with additional support needs, to children and young people themselves, and to professionals working with them.  www.enquire.org.uk/enquire/index.html

• Benefits Now.  This site has a wide range about detailed information about claiming DLA, along with discussion lists where parents can exchange advice and information, as well as links to equipment suppliers and information about the Motability scheme.  The site also contains the full text of the Disability Handbook, used by the Benefits Agency when assessing claims and which has useful information about the appeals process.  www.benefitsnow.co.uk
• Department for Work and Pensions website.  Gives details of the different types of benefits available and how to make a claim.  http://www.dwp.gov.uk/lifeevent/benefits/index.asp  
• Barton Hill Advice Service.  A voluntary sector agency  which offers free online guides to claiming disability living allowance, attendance allowance and incapacity benefit.  www.bhas.org.uk/
• Advice guide.  Benefits information from the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux.  www.adviceguide.org.uk

• The Child Bereavement Trust.  The Child Bereavement Trust is a national UK charity that provides specialised training and support for professionals to improve their response to the needs of bereaved families. It also produces resources and information for bereaved children and families and the professionals that work with them.  www.childbereavement.org.uk
• The Compassionate Friends.  The Compassionate Friends is an organisation of bereaved parents and their families offering understanding, support and encouragement to others after the death of a child or children. They also offer support, advice and information to other relatives, friends and professionals who are helping the family.  www.compassionatefriends.org.uk
• Cruse Bereavement Care.  Cruse offers a free confidential counselling service and support groups to all who are affected by bereavement. They also provide telephone counselling, leaflets, newsletters and training. There are over 200 local branches, including one in Edinburgh and one in East Lothian.  www.crusebereavementcare.org.uk
• The Pedro Project.  The Pedro Project is a recently recognised Scottish Charity established with the intention of helping young adults (12-25) through Bereavement.  The charity is run by young adults who have all experienced bereavement themselves.  They believe that it is important to recognise the effect that the death of someone close can have upon your life, and believe the best way to do this is by providing information, advice and support to let young adults make the right decisions to help themselves through bereavement.  Everybody experiences bereavement differently and there is no right or wrong way to grieve as every death is different and is experienced differently by everyone affected by it.   www.pedroprojectbereavement.org.uk
• Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society (SANDS). Provides support for bereaved parents and their families whose baby has died at or soon after birth. For information on local offices, such as the Edinburgh branch, please contact Kindred or the UK SANDS.  www.uk-sands.org
• The Child Death Helpline.  A helpline for all those affected by the death of a child. Available every evening from 7pm - 10pm. Operated from The Alder Centre and Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital.  Freephone 0800 282986

• The Childcare Information Service.  Information about national and local childcare services.  www.scottishchildcare.gov.uk
• Firsthand (formerly Edinburgh Sitters).  Firsthand provides a sitter service for lone parents, parents and carers of disabled children and adults and carers of frail elderly.  www.1sthand.org.uk

• City of Edinburgh Council.       www.edinburgh.gov.uk
• East Lothian Council.                 www.eastlothian.gov.uk
• Midlothian Council.                    www.midlothian.gov.uk
• West Lothian Council.                www.westlothian.gov.uk

• British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. www.bacp.co.uk

• Counselling Directory.  This website is a support network of UK counsellors and psychotherapists, with information on their training and experience, areas of counselling covered, fees and contact details. This service is free, confidential and easy to use. www.counselling-directory.org.uk

• Enquire.  Enquire is the national special educational needs information and advice service for Scotland.  www.childreninscotland.org.uk/enquire.htm
• Independent Special Education Advice (ISEA) Scotland.  An organisation that provides a support and advocacy service for parents of children with special educational needs.  
  Helpline: 0131 454 0082.
• National Association for Special Educational Needs (NASEN).  The leading organisation in the UK which aims to promote the education, training, advancement and development of all those with special educational needs.  www.nasen.org.uk

• Assist IT.  An organisation specialising in assistive and adaptive computing.  Their website offers a range of tips, advice and information for people who find standard computer equipment hard to use.  www.assist-it.org.uk
• The Disabled Living Foundation.  This website contains a huge amount of information and resources on equipment for people with disabilities.  www.dlf.org.uk
• The Helping Hand Company.  Specialises in the design and manufacture of daily living aids.  www.helpinghand.co.uk
• Medic Alert.  Provide bracelets for emergency identification.  www.medicalert.org.uk
• The British Red Cross Ayrshire branch provides a range of services for people between the ages of 16 and 64 who have physical disabilities and need support to improve their independence. www.redcross.org.uk/localservice.asp?id=88478
• Ricability.  Ricability are an independent research organisation that provides information on equipment for people with disabilities and older people.  www.ricability.org.uk
• Rifton Equipment. Catalogue of toys and equipment including bikes & tricycles.  www.rifton.com
• Special Needs Pushchairs.  Suppliers of the Pathfinder and Mountain Buggy Terrain XL all-terrain pushchairs designed for older/larger children with special needs.  www.specialneedspushchairs.co.uk

• Funder Finder - Kindred staff can carry out Funder Finder searches on your behalf, searching a database of trusts that might be able to provide funding for you.  Click here to download a Funder Finder form and guidelines, or call us for more information.
• The Family Fund.  The Family Fund helps families of disabled or seriously ill children under 16.  They give grants and information related to the care of the child, including holidays, leisure, laundry equipment, driving lessons and lots more.  The range of information provided includes benefits, holidays, transport, Taking Care, After age 16 and lots more.
  If your income is £23,000 (£21,500 in Scotland) or less we may be able to help.  Apply by phone on 0845 130 45 42, online at www.familyfund.org.uk or in writing to Family Fund, PO Box 50, York, Y01 9ZX.  Please give your child's name, date of birth, their disability and tell us the help you need.  

• NHS Health Scotland.  Health information service which brings together the Health Education Board for Scotland (HEBS) and the Public Health Institute of Scotland.  Provides access to a range of resources such as databases, publications and posters.  www.hebs.org.uk

• Access Travel.  Access Travel provides holidays for disabled people. They can arrange wheelchair accessible properties, special aids, nursing and care services and adapted vehicles.  www.access-travel.co.uk
• Badaguish.  Badaguish is an outdoor holiday and activity centre in the Cairngorms. They offer a 'Respite Care Activity Holiday Programme' that provides a fully staffed, all inclusive package so that people with special needs can attend unaccompanied.  www.badaguish.org.uk
• The Calvert Trust.  The Calvert Trust specialises in outdoor activity holidays for people with disabilities. There are sites at Kielder, Keswick and Exmoor.  They also have a bursary fund for financing holidays to Kielder.  www.calvert-trust.org.uk
• Edinburgh Activity Camps.  Organises day and residential camps during school holidays for mainstream children aged 5-16, also includes children with disabilities.  www.eac-summer-activity-camps.co.uk/
• Holiday Care.  Holiday Care is the UK's central source of travel and holiday information for disabled people, their families, friends and carers. They have information on hundreds of accessible hotels and visitor attractions in the UK and a range of information sheets on overseas destinations.   www.holidaycare.org.uk
• Special Families Homeswap Register.  Set up for physically disabled people of all ages to enable them to swap homes in a two-way or one-way swap for holidays or breaks at any time of the year.  www.mywebpage.net/special-families/
• Trefoil House. Trefoil House is a specially adapted mansion in Edinburgh that provides holidays for adults and children with all levels of disability. www.trefoil.org.uk

• City of Edinburgh Housing Department.  Part of the official council website devoted to housing issues.  Links to sections on adaptations, information for tenants  and details of houses available for exchange.  http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/info/925/council_housing/
• Margaret Blackwood Housing Association.  MBHA provide houses for rent and shared ownership for disabled and non-disabled people and their families throughout Scotland.  They also offer flexible care and support packages for disabled people which are specially tailored to meet personal needs.  http://www.mbha.org.uk
• Ownership Options In Scotland.  A charity providing information, advice and other support to disabled people (which includes people with learning disabilities), carers and professionals to improve access to housing in the owner occupied sector.  www.oois.org.uk

• The Drake Music Project.  Enables adults and children with special needs to participate in music.  www.drakemusicproject.com
• Capinfo : City of Edinburgh Council.  Details of local activities and leisure options.  www.edinburgh.gov.uk
• No Limits Sports Club.  Promotes sport for children with special needs living in West Lothian.  http://nolimits.agurney.com/
• Fabb.  Run clubs for people with disabilities throughout Britain. In Lothian, clubs include the Lothian Integration Project aimed at 14-25 year olds, and the 7up group.  www.phab.org.uk
• Riding for the Disabled. Horse riding for people with disabilities. There are two centres in Edinburgh and the Lothians.  www.riding-for-disabled.org.uk/
• West Lothian Leisure.  Provides information on activities in local leisure centres and swimming pools.  www.westlothianleisure.co.uk/

• Contact A Family.  Contact a Family is the only UK charity providing support and advice to parents whatever the medical condition of their child. Their web-site has information on a huge number of specific conditions and rare syndromes, along with details of support groups.  www.cafamily.org.uk
• Click here for information and support for specific medical conditions

• Children's Hospice Association Scotland.  A Scottish charity committed to the provision of children's hospice services in Scotland , working exclusively with children with life limiting conditions and their families.  www.chas.org.uk
• Leonard Cheshire Scotland.  Leonard Cheshire are the leading charity provider of services for disabled people in the UK and operate in 53 countries across the world. Among many services, they have an extensive respite care project.  www.leonard-cheshire.org

• CHIP.  CHIP is an information service set up specifically to answer any questions you may have about services available to families in the Highlands, who have a child with special needs.  www.chipinfo.org.uk
• Children In Scotland.  National agency for voluntary, statutory and professional organisations and individuals working with children and their families in Scotland. It exists to identify and promote the interests of children and their families and to ensure that relevant policies, services and other provisions are of the highest possible quality.  www.childreninscotland.org.uk
• Link Support Group.  A support group situated in West Lothian who are dedicated to providing information to parents of children with special educational needs.  www.linksupport.wl.btinternet.co.uk 
• Parentline Scotland.  Being a parent isn't easy. Every parent faces periods when they need information, to be pointed in the right direction, or simply to be listened to. Talking through worries, problems and concerns can and does help. Some people have no one to talk to. Others prefer not to share their concerns with family or friends. That's where ParentLine Scotland can help. Any parent or carer can call and your phone call will cost you nothing.  http://www.children1st.org.uk/parentline/  Telephone : 0808 800 2222
• Renfrewshire Education's Additional Support Needs Forum.  This forum has been provided to encourage the exchange of information between parents of children who need additional support in the short or long term because of bullying, behavioural or learning difficulties, disability, bereavement or school attendance issues.
• Roadpeace is Britain's charity for road traffic victims, set up in 1992 in response to the overwhelming need for a national organisation to support bereaved families and injured victims of road crashes.  It is the only specialist charity for bereaved and injured road traffic victims and offers a wide range of information and support including a seven days a week helpline (9am - 9pm) 0845 4500 355. www.roadpeace.org
• Sleep Scotland.  Sleep Scotland provides support to the families of children with special needs with severe sleep problems.  www.sleepscotland.org
• Vocal - Voice of Carers Across Lothian.  A carer-led organisation which campaigns for carers and their needs, giving them a real voice. It provides information and advice to carers & professionals and an advocacy and counselling service is available to carers free of charge. www.vocal.org.uk

• Bobath Scotland.  Bobath Centres specialise in the treatment of cerebral palsy and acquired neurological conditions in children & adults. There are centres throughout the UK, including The Scottish Bobath Centre in Glasgow.  www.bobath.org.uk
• Brainwave is an independent charity based in Somerset providing developmental therapy for children who have both physical and cognitive disabilities.  A programme of physical and cognitive exercises is designed by the therapy team according to each child's very specific needs.  These exercises are taught to the child's parents and carers who carry out the programme at home.  www.brainwave.org.uk
• The Craniosacral Therapy Association of the UK.  Craniosacral therapists recognise health as an active principle. This health is the expression of life - an inherent ordering force, a natural internal intelligence. Craniosacral Therapy is a subtle and profound healing form which assists this natural bodily intelligence. Craniosacral Therapy is so gentle that it is suitable for babies, children, and the elderly, as well as adults; and also in fragile or acutely painful conditions. As a whole body therapy, treatment may aid almost every condition, raising the vitality and enabling the body's own self-healing process to be utilised.  www.craniosacral.co.uk
• Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy.  The Nordoff-Robbins approach to music therapy is grounded in the belief that everyone can respond to music, no matter how ill or disabled. The unique qualities of music as therapy can enhance communication, support change, and enable people to live more resourcefully and creatively.  www.nordoff-robbins.org.uk
• Westerlea Early Education Centre.  Open to anyone who feels their child will benefit from any of the services on offer. These services include group and individual work on play, movement, communication and sensory development, massage, hydrotherapy and music therapy. Westerlea offers centre based work and outreach.  www.capability-scotland.org.uk

• Community Transport Association.  Voluntary sector and local authority contacts for transport operators in Scotland.  www.communitytransport.com
• Disabled Drivers Association.  Campaigns on behalf of disabled drivers.  www.dda.org.uk
• Handicabs.  Offer a door-to-door transport service for people unable to use ordinary public transport.  www.handicabs.org.uk
• Motability.  A charity set up to help people with disabilities become more mobile. They offer schemes to help people obtain a vehicle, powered wheelchair or scooter.  www.motability.co.uk

• Parents at Work.  By working with parents and organisations alike, Parents at Work aim to help children, working parents and their employers find a better balance between responsibilities at home and work.  Their Children with Disabilities project  produces "Waving not drowning", a newsletter for parents of disabled children who work or want to work.  Their website has a wide range of information, including factsheets to download about things like tax credits and flexible working.  www.parentsatwork.org.uk