Local Support Services

• Local Support Services

  Specialist Nursing Telephone Advice Clinics
  The Community Paediatric Specialist Nursing Teams provide advice to families of children with additional needs and can offer support with sleep, behaviour, toileting and eating problems.

  For advice and support contact our health hub:

  Bedfordshire & Luton Health HUB –  Tel: 0300 555 0606
  Monday – Friday (except bank holidays) 0900 - 5.00.

  Occupational Therapy Sensory Processing Awareness Training
  The Paediatric Occupational Therapy team have produced a video for parent/carers & professionals to give them information on sensory processing and its role in a child’s everyday life.   If you would like to view a transcript of these videos in your native language please click here. 

  Further information can be found in the information booklet ‘Making Sense of Sensory Behaviour

  Children's Speech and Language Therapy

  The Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) Service works across Bedfordshire and Luton, and provides help in both community i.e. health centres, schools, pre-schools, and hospital settings. They treat children up to the age of 16 years (up to 19 years in special education), who have a difficulty with communication or swallowing, via individual or group treatment, parent/carer workshops and drop in clinics.

  For advice and support contact our health hub:

  Bedfordshire & Luton Health HUB –  Tel: 0300 555 0606
  Monday – Friday (except bank holidays) 0900 - 5.00.

• Local Offer Services

  Bedford Borough Local Offer|
  Up-to-date information about what is going on in the Bedford Borough area and details on how to access services, 0rganisations and activities for children and young adults aged 0-25, parents and carers. It also contains information about childcare settings, childminders and early help support for all families.
  

  Central Beds Local Offer
  Up-to-date information on services that are available to support children and young people with Special Educations Needs and/or Disability (SEND) from birth to 25 in Central Bedfordshire, including education, health and wellbeing, care as well as local clubs and groups.

  Luton Local Offer
  The Luton 'Local Offer' website helps you find information about local services, support and events for children and young people aged 0 to 25 years who have special educational needs or disabilities (SEND). A child or young person has SEN if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for them.

• Local Council Services

  Bedford Borough Early Help Team
  Tel: 0800 023 2057 Email: earlyhelp@bedford.gov.uk  

  The Early Help Team Early holds information on a wide range of services in Bedford Borough for children, young people and families to provide support as soon as possible to help families cope with difficulties and to prevent bigger problems emerging. These include sources of support, workshops, childcare, children's centres and children's activities. This help is accessed via an Early Help Assessment.

  Bedford Borough Educational Psychology Team
  Tel: 01234 228693 Email: school.support@bedford.gov.uk

  The Educational Psychology Team work with schools and families, to improve children and young people’s learning experience, when there are concerns around their learning, behaviour or emotional well-being. Appointment only drop-ins provide the opportunity for parent carers to discuss concerns and seek solutions.

  Central Bedfordshire Early Help Team
  Tel: 0300 300 8585 Email: earlyhelp@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk

  The Central Bedfordshire Early Help Team provide information and support via a wide range of services for children, young people and their families to enable families to cope with difficulties and to prevent bigger problems emerging at a later date. These include sources of support, workshops, childcare, children’s centres and children’s activities. This help is accessed via an Early Help Assessment.

  Luton Family Information Service (FIS)
  Tel: 01582 548888    Email:  fis@luton.gov.uk

  Luton Family Information Service (FIS) provides information, advice and guidance on a variety of services, helplines and websites that are useful to parents, carers, children and young people under the age of 20, and professionals who work with them.

  Bedford Sendiass 
  Tel: 01234 276267  Email: sendiass@bedford.gov.uk

  Bedford Borough Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support Service provide a free, impartial and confidential service to parents and carers for children who have special educational needs and or a disability.

  CBC Sendiass  
  Tel: 0300 300 8088     Email:sendiass@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk

  Central Bedfordshire Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) is a statutory service, provided by but working at arm’s length from the Local Authority which offers a free, confidential support service for young people with SEND and their parents and carers.

  Luton Sendiass
  Tel:  01582 548156    Email: sendias@luton.gov.uk

  The Luton Special Educational Needs and Disability Information Advice and Support Service (SENDIAS) was previously known as the Luton Parent Partnership. The information, advice and support provided is to help enable children, young people and their parents / carers to participate in decisions regarding their education needs, in order to achieve the best possible outcomes.

• Local Parent Carer Forums

  
  Tel: 07943 524553 
  Email: communications@bbpcf.org.uk

  Bedford Borough Parent Carer Forum are a group of parents and carers of SEN & disabled children who work in partnership with local authorities, education, health, social care and other providers to ensure the services they commission, plan and deliver meet the needs of SEN & disabled children and their families. Any parent or carer of a child or young person aged 0-25 can be a member.

  SNAP Parent Carer Forum  
  Tel: 07984 545044 
  Email: admin@snappcf.org.uk

  SNAP are a not-for-profit company made up of parents and carers of SEN and disabled children who work in partnership with health, education and social care, to enable the views of parent carers to influence and raise the standard of the services and support offered to children and young people aged 0-25 with SEND and their families within Central Bedfordshire

  EPIC Luton Parent Carer Forum
  Luton’s parent carer forum is now up and running, led by two proactive co-chairs Raja Asim rajaasim@epicluton.org and Ruqsana  ruqsana@epicluton.org. It will be known as EPIC Luton; EPIC stands for Empowering Parents Influencing Change.
   @epicluton (facebook)  @epicluton (twitter)  @epicluton (Instagram)
  

• Local Support Organisations

  Chums

  Tel: 01525 863924
  Email:info@chums.uk.com

  Chums provide Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing Service for Children and Young People in Luton, Bedfordshire and beyond. They offer individual support, group work, family support, family days, activity days and residential weekends and have a passion for making a difference to the lives of children, young people and their families. Parent/carers can self-refer via the website.

  CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service)

  • North Beds- 01234 893301/893300
    9 Rush Court, Bedford, BedfordshireMK40 3JT
  • South Beds/Luton- 01582 708140
    South Bedfordshire/Luton CAMH Team, 1st Floor Charter House, Alma Street, Luton LU1 2PL

  The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) provides outpatient assessments, support and treatment for children and young people up to the age of 18 experiencing moderate to severe mental health problems. The service works to provide them with a greater knowledge of their condition and improve coping techniques.

  Autism Bedfordshire

  Tel: 01234 350704  
  Email: enquiries@autismbeds.org

  Independent charity dedicated to improving the lives of autistic people and their families across Bedfordshire, offering information, guidance, support and training for children and adults with autism, as well as their parent/carers.

  Outside-iN

  Tel: 07817 212845
  Email:enquiries@outsidein-solutions.org
  Helpline Number: 07824 634762

  A voluntary organisation dedicated to supporting and educating families, adults and professionals living with or working with ADHD, ASD and associated conditions.

  Faces
  Spectrum Support
  Tel: 01234 270601
  Email:admin@facesbedford.org

  A parent to parent ASD and ADHD support group offering advice and support for parent/carers, as well as signposting to other relevant services

  Superkids Online

  Tel: 0300 300 6009
  Email:karen.burton@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk

  Superkids Online is a virtual support group for parent carers of children with Special Educational Needs. It runs every other Thursday from 10.30am to 11.30am.

  Carers In Bedfordshire

  Tel: 0300 111 1919
  Email:contact@carersinbeds.org.uk

  Carers in Bedfordshire is anot-for-profit registered charity providing support for carers of family members and friends throughout Bedfordshire, with offices in Bedford, Biggleswade and Leighton Buzzard.

  ADHD Wise UK
  Email:info@adhdwise.uk
  

  An organisation set up by adults diagnosed with ADHD, who champion the possibilities, and ‘promote positive outcomes’ for those individuals with ADHD.

  National Autistic Society

  Tel: 0808 800 1050
  Autism Helpline: 0808 800 4104

  The UK’s leading charity for people with autism spectrum and their families. Provide support, guidance and advice, as well as campaigning for improved rights, services and opportunities to help create a society that works for autistic people.

  Ambitious about Autism
  Tel: 020 8815 5444
  Email:info@ambitiousaboutautism.org.uk

  A national UK charity offering a variety of different services, including education and employment support and advice, training for parent carers and professionals as well as raising awareness and campaigning for change for autistic children and young people.

  ERIC
  Tel: 0808 169 9949

  The Children's Bowel & Bladder Charity is dedicated to give every child and teenager with a bowel or bladder condition in the UK the support they deserve to enjoy a life free from shame, isolation and fear. They offer a range of information and support for parent carers via online resources, workshops and their free helpline.

  ERIC have also put together two fantastic resources which you can view for free below:

  When it's Time to Go booklet

  Sensory Needs & Toileting

  Parent Mentoring Support Service
  Tel: 01582 660061
  Email:office@home-startcentralbeds.org.uk

  The Parent Mentor service isfunded by Central Bedfordshire Councilfor families with children with special educational needs (SEND). The charity’s Volunteer Parent Mentors who have themselves got experience with children with SEND offer one to one support for a period of time (usually six weeks) to other parents with children with additional needs.