There are many support networks locally available to you, that you can reach out to for help and guidance.

Local support

Information and advice and support services

Wolverhampton Information, Advice and Support Service offer free impartial information, advice and support on matters relating to a child or young person’s special educational needs or disability from birth to 25 years.

The service helps families navigate complex SEND related processes such as Education, Health and Care Plans, school placements, appeals and more.

Parent/Carer Consultation Service with Educational Psychology Service - offers a free remote consultation service to parents/carers living in Wolverhampton, and also to parents/carers of children or young people in the care of Wolverhampton Local Authority. They could offer emotional wellbeing support, mental health advice for you and your family, SEND related advice about your child’s life known as transition.

Carer Support Team - specialise in supporting carers of all ages including parent carers, young carers (up to the age of 18 who help care for someone within their family) and adult carers.  

Parent Support Offer - Has a range of support available for parents which includes:

•    Training events
•    Workshops
•    Coffee mornings
•    Drop-in sessions
•    Useful websites, services and resources

Please view Parent Support Offer to see what’s on depending on need.

The Start for Life Offer provides information in one place, to help families to identify the support and services that will help them give their babies the best possible start in life.

Visit Start for Life Offer to find out more.

Useful apps

DadPad® is a free guide for new and existing dads living in Wolverhampton, with advice on becoming a dad, what to expect, and details of local support groups and service providers.

Visit DadPad to find out more.

The Healthy Child Wolves app is packed with tips, advice and signposting to support families, from pregnancy to getting a child ready for school and everything in between. The app is free to download from Google Play or the App Store.

Download from Google Play
Download from App Store

Local services to visit

Cherry Street SEND and Sensory Hub – Wolverhampton Family Hubs offers a space for families of children and young people with SEND where they can access SEND support from education, health and social care services. 

Visit Cherry Street SEND and Sensory Hub to find out more.

They also offer SEND Stay and Play with Cherry Street SEND and Sensory Hub.

Family Hubs - A Family Hub is a place where children, young people and their families can go to access services from different agencies in their local area. They will offer a wide range of activities, with weekly timetables. These include regular stay and play sessions for parents, carers and their children, breastfeeding support groups, coffee mornings, child development clinics, parental support sessions and more.

There are 8 Family Hubs across the city that also offer support and SEND workshops to families with children aged 0-18, or 25 for young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

Family Hubs services will also be delivered through other sites across Bilston.

Information leaflet about the Family Hubs

Family hubs will be open from Monday to Friday, with some services offered at evenings and weekends.

Visit Family Hubs to find out more.

Community centres - serve as diverse gathering places for various activities and services.

They offer spaces for meetings, classes, training, conferences, and events, including sports, fitness, and cultural activities.

These centres also provide amenities like libraries, cafes, and even childcare facilities, creating a hub for community engagement and well-being. 

To find out more about local community centres visit Community centres.

Wolverhampton Libraries - offer Books, CDs, DVDs, Internet Access, Free WiFi, Activities, and Events across the City of Wolverhampton.

Here you can find your nearest library.

Join the Wolverhampton Libraries facebook page for the latest updates and events.

Parent support groups

There are support groups that can help parent and carers within Wolverhampton area to feel connected to others in similar circumstances. 

Professionals maybe invited to discuss their services and to advise about further support you can get. The groups are run by either parent carers, local charities or national organisations.

They are a great way of socialising and sharing views. Below are some of the support groups offered to parent and carers.

School coffee mornings - Some schools may run coffee mornings which are a good way for schools to communicate with their SEND parents and carers in a relaxed informal environment. It's also an opportunity for parents and carers to ask questions, share experiences and find out what is happening in school. To find out about your school’s offer please speak with the school.

Parent & Carer support group Walsall, Wolverhampton & surrounding areas - They are a voluntary parent led group who are all parent and carers of children with special educational needs or are related to a child with special educational needs/disabilities. Offering the following; Peer support online meetings and in person meetings, activities, social events, food parcel service and more.

Friendly Faces Disability Support CIC is a disability services and support organisation dedicated to empowering disabled individuals, families and carers. 

Include Me Too is a local charity in Wolverhampton that provide a range of services to disabled children, young people and their families.

Zebra Access - for Deaf, Deafblind and Hard of Hearing people -  is a Deaf led charity based in Wolverhampton that aims to develop opportunities for Deaf, Deafblind and Hard of Hearing people to have better chances in life by providing access to a range of activities. 

Define Fine: Parent Peer Support for School Attendance Difficulties - Are a parent/carer-led organisation set up in response to children and young people who experience school attendance difficulties.

Help with grants or equipment from voluntary and community organisations

Caudwell Children is a charity with an aim to help change the future of disabled and autistic children by providing clinical assessments, equipment , sensory packs, services and support to help them lead a full and active life.

Children’s Bowel and Bladder Charity is the UK’s leading charity supporting all children and teenagers with a bowel or bladder problem.

Contact support families with guidance, helpline, workshops, charity shop and more. They bring families together in local groups and online, to support each other by sharing experiences and advice. They help families to campaign, volunteer, fundraise and shape local services to improve life for themselves and others. General information is available about a range of subjects including finances, family fund, sleep, feeding, behaviour and toileting.

Family Fund are UK’s largest charity providing grants to families raising disabled or seriously ill children and young people and living on a low income, can apply for a wide range of grant items, such as washing machines, sensory toys, family breaks, bedding, tablets, furniture, outdoor play equipment, clothing and computers.  Grants can be applied for annually. There are eligibility criteria, which can be found on their website.

Fledgings is Contact’s not-for-profit shop, supplying life-changing products, clothing and equipment for disabled children that help with their everyday challenges.

Newlife charity for disabled children is a charity based in Cannock who loan equipment, offer support for equipment grants as well as help with emergency equipment loan.

They also offer a free loan of specialist toys to families who have disabled and terminally ill children. The Play Therapy Pods are self-contained and are delivered direct to the family’s door for 12 weeks. The ‘play pods’ are for different ages, linked to sensory needs including toys to explore sound, texture, interaction, communication, lights etc.

React is a charity working to improve the quality of life for children up to the age of 18 with life-limiting illnesses living in financially disadvantaged households. They supply a wide range of equipment from specialist wheelchairs, beds, baths and mobility aids to essential everyday homecare items like pushchairs and domestic appliances. This may include educational equipment to ensure a child’s developmental needs are met. They also provide React Holidays at one of React’s mobile holiday homes, funeral expenses and memorial headstones. You can also contact the charity to discuss whether a child might be eligible.

Variety is a charity who offer specialist equipment grants and funding for wheelchairs.

Whizz Kidz - Children's Wheelchair Charity - provide equipment and grants to assist people with a physical disability requiring mobility/ wheelchair equipment, they may have a waiting list for this. Also, they give support and life skills courses including Wheelchair Skills Training.

Online Resources

Cerebra - Provides health, legal, financial and social care advice for children with brain conditions and their families.

Challenging Behaviour Foundation - Provide information support and workshops to support families who have children, young people and adults with severe learning disabilities whose behaviour challenges.

SOS Feeding - SOS Approach to Feeding to help Parents and Caregivers understand how complicated feeding/eating is, why children may struggle to eat, and how to help children to eat better.

Epilepsy Action - offers advice and information from diagnosis to treatment, guidance about daily living with epilepsy. They also offer online support groups which are a great way of connecting with others, who have experiences of epilepsy, in a safe and relaxed environment.

Mencap - Provide helpful information and advice around Learning disabilities across areas such as education, social care, relationships and friendships as well as a learning disability helpline you can contact.

Guide Dogs - Have a wide range of services with and without dogs to support people living with a vision impairment. Providing support for getting around safely to dog care and welfare, family support with technology, life skills and more.

CustomEyes Books - From Dr Seuss to Shakespeare, from inspirational fiction to educational textbooks, they have large print books available. Each one is custom made, with font size, spacing, colour and more all tailored to your child’s individual needs.

Listening books - An audiobook lending charity for those that find their illness, mental health, physical or learning disability affects their ability to read the printed word or hold a book.

Calibre Audio - Provide free audiobooks to children and young adults (0-25 years) with SEND.

RNIB – the Royal National Institute of Blind People - is the UK's leading sight loss charity. They offer practical and emotional support to blind and partially sighted people, their families and carers.

National Deaf Children’s Society - Providing support on childhood deafness, raise awareness and campaign for deaf children’s rights, so they have the same opportunities as everyone else. Providing advice and guidance including helpline, online group support and more.

Speech and Language UK - Provide families the confidence and skills to help their children with speech and language development. With free resources and services, they can help with understanding what to look out for, child’s speech, language and communication milestones, how to get support and even some simple ways you can help your child at home.

Afasic - supports and provides information for families with children and young adults who have Speech Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) with a focus on Developmental Language Disorder (DLD).

CLAPA - Cleft Lip & Palate Association - is the national charity supporting people born with a cleft and their families in the UK. They bring together people affected by cleft to help them connect with others who share their experiences, welcoming them into a supportive community for life.

Cerebral Palsy Midlands (CPM) - is a charity that support adults with cerebral palsy and other disabilities to live fulfilled and independent lives. They provide a range of opportunities for people to develop their skills, stay active and healthy, be creative, and meet new friends.

Down’s Syndrome Association - is the only charity in the UK providing support for all aspects of Down’s syndrome. Supporting people who have Down’s syndrome, and their parents and carers, throughout their lives, from before birth into older age.

The Pathological Demand Avoidance Society - provides information, training and support for PDA people, parents & carers, and professionals.

Council for Disabled Children (CDC) - is the umbrella body for the disabled children's sector. They provide a collective voice that champions the rights of children, young people and their families and challenges barriers to inclusion. Resources available that parents can access to find out more about disability policy and practice.

Disability Rights UK - is the UK’s leading organisation led by, run by, and working for Disabled people. They work with Disabled People’s Organisations, public bodies, businesses and Government across the UK to influence regional and national change for better rights, accessibility, benefits, quality of life and economic opportunities for Disabled people.

IPSEA - Are the leading charity in the field of SEND law in England and provide free and independent legal advice and support to families of children and young people with SEND. They also provide training on the SEND legal framework, and influence policy at both a local and national level.

Changing Our Lives - Challenge social injustice and health inequalities. Working alongside disabled people and people with experience of mental health difficulties to make an ordinary life possible.