Disability support advice and how-to guides
Plain-English, step-by-step guides to getting the support you're entitled to — written to be read, then acted on. Every guide shows when it was last checked and whether it has been verified.
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Crisis, safety & safeguarding 7
Urgent help, safeguarding, exploitation, emergency planning and what to do when someone may be at risk.
- Children's hospice care (Rainbows): when and how to access What Rainbows offers, who it's for, and how to get support quickly (including emergency referrals).
- Safeguarding: making a MASH referral (Northamptonshire) When to use MASH, numbers, out-of-hours, and the online form.
- Youth Violence Intervention Unit (YVIU): who they help & how to refer Police-led early intervention for under-18s at risk of exploitation or serious violence.
- Crisis & out-of-hours contacts (children & families) Key numbers if things escalate–social care, safeguarding, and urgent repairs.
- Spotting the signs of exploitation (CCE/CSE) in disabled children Early warning signs for criminal/sexual exploitation in disabled children and what to do.
- Emergency respite and crisis planning When the caring situation becomes unsafe or breaks down, here's how to request urgent support.
- Accessing food and essentials in a crisis Who can issue foodbank e-vouchers, how to find local foodbanks, and council schemes that help with food/energy.
Education, SEND & school 20
SEN support, EHC plans, school attendance, exclusions, transport, appeals and preparing for further education.
- Asthma: action plans & school support How to get an up-to-date action plan, share it with school, and manage triggers.
- Epilepsy: seizure first aid & school care plans What to do during a seizure, when to call 999, and making school safer.
- EHCP: Requesting an Assessment & Timeline (North & West Northants) How to ask for an EHC needs assessment, what happens next, local contacts, and the statutory 20-week timeline.
- School, short-break and post-16 transport: who does what for every journey Choose the child's age, care status and exact journey, then check who leads, arranges, funds, hands over and acts if every outward or return leg fails.
- First steps after diagnosis (North & West Northants) Who to contact in the first weeks after a diagnosis, how to access early years/SEND support, and where to get practical help locally.
- Emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA): support & guidance Understand what EBSA is, recognise the signs and learn how to work with school and services to support your child back into education.
- Suspensions, exclusions & reduced timetables: your SEND rights (incl. unlawful informal exclusions) Schools must follow the law when they suspend or exclude a pupil. This guide explains the rules on suspensions, permanent exclusions, and part-time timetables for children with SEND. It also shows you how to challenge a decision you think is unfair.
- SEN support and the APDR cycle: making it work This guide helps you make sure your child gets effective SEN Support in a mainstream school. It explains the Assess-Plan-Do-Review (APDR) cycle: the school checks what your child needs, plans support, puts it in place, then reviews how it went. It also covers the local SEND Ranges, the local framework that describes levels of need and support.
- Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) annual reviews: achieving meaningful changes Get the most from your child's EHC plan annual review, the yearly check of the plan. This guide shows you how to prepare well, ask for changes, and keep the plan specific and up to date. It also covers changing school placement, including independent options.
- Choosing and requesting a special-school placement in Northamptonshire How to compare school fit, check current official records, visit provision and ask for a school to be consulted through an EHC plan without confusing a tour with an offer of a place.
- Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) consultations & naming a school How the local authority consults schools during the EHCP process, what happens if a school says it cannot meet needs and how to challenge decisions. Covers state and independent options including Section 41 (S41) approved schools.
- Exam access arrangements & reasonable adjustments Your child may get extra help in public exams and assessments. This can include extra time, a reader (someone who reads the questions aloud), or a scribe (someone who writes the answers). This guide explains the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) rules, called 'Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments (AARA)'. The rules apply to all schools, including independent schools.
- Education Otherwise Than At School (EOTAS) and medical tuition Explore when Education Otherwise Than At School (EOTAS) packages or medical tuition are appropriate for your child and how to request them. Includes independent Alternative Provision (AP) options.
- Supported internships and Access to Work What a supported internship is, who qualifies, how to find a current Northamptonshire provider and where Access to Work can help with workplace support.
- Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) for higher education Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) is extra support for students in higher education. You may qualify if you have a disability, a mental health condition, or a specific learning difficulty. This guide explains what DSA covers, who can get it, and how to apply.
- Individual Healthcare Plans (IHPs) and managing medical needs at school Learn how to create a personalised healthcare plan for your child's medical condition and ensure schools fulfil their duties.
- Appealing a home-to-school transport decision How to distinguish a transport appeal from a service complaint, use the current two-stage North or West process and present evidence around the decision actually in dispute.
- EHCP Health & Social Care (H & F): What Good Looks Like Examples of strong sections H & F, evidence checklists, and annual review timing.
- EHC plan appeals in England: choose the right route and build your case A practical guide for parents, carers and young people challenging an EHC needs assessment or plan decision. Start with the correct legal route, protect the deadline, define the exact result needed and connect each need to specific evidence and provision.
- When school is not working: attendance, exclusion and education out of school A practical England guide for absence, emotionally based school avoidance, reduced timetables, suspension, permanent exclusion, no suitable placement and alternative provision. It helps families identify the legal route, secure support now and challenge drift without treating distress as blame.
Health, therapies & wellbeing 17
Health pathways, assessments, therapies, hospital support, mental health and managing specific needs.
- Childhood continence: where to get help, incl. specialist bladder & bowel services (Northants) Step-by-step for getting help with constipation, soiling, daytime wetting and bedwetting, plus trusted helplines.
- Sleep support for children with SEND: a pick-and-mix toolkit Calmer bedtimes, realistic routines and when to get extra help.
- Children's therapies: SALT, OT & Physio (NHFT) How to get Speech & Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy in Northamptonshire.
- Wheelchairs & community equipment: referrals and repairs How to get an NHS wheelchair, and how to repair/replace community equipment in Northamptonshire.
- Hydrotherapy access in Northamptonshire (children) Hydrotherapy/aquatic therapy is clinically led. Here's how to check eligibility and routes via local NHS children's physiotherapy and special schools.
- Grants for sensory equipment and therapy Targeted routes to fund sensory spaces, weighted items, communication aids and therapy blocks.
- Urgent repairs: wheelchairs & home equipment How to get urgent repairs to NHS wheelchairs and who to contact for community equipment fixes.
- Managing hospital appointments & frequent medical visits (NGH/KGH) Prep, reasonable adjustments, transport and parking for NGH/KGH children's appointments.
- Specialist learning disability health services: accessing CTPLD and IST Step-by-step on how to get NHS community learning disability team (CTPLD) and Intensive Support Team (IST) input in Northamptonshire.
- Hospital passports & reasonable adjustments (incl. procedures, sedation, blood tests) A hospital passport helps hospital staff understand your needs when you have a learning disability or autism. Learn how to create one and get support from hospital liaison teams.
- Specialist dentistry for disabled and autistic children and adults (North and West Northamptonshire) How to use NHFT Special Care Dentistry, request adjustments, find the North Northamptonshire clinics and understand when a hospital pathway is different.
- Getting adult mental health support in Northamptonshire (self-referral, crisis, community teams) A step-by-step guide for adults in Northamptonshire on how to get mental health support, from self-referring for talking therapies to getting urgent help in a crisis and being referred to a community mental health team.
- Autism assessment in Northamptonshire: every stage and what to do while waiting A stage-by-stage guide for child and adult NHS autism assessment in Northamptonshire, including Referral Management Centre checks, local waiting information, support before diagnosis, NHS patient choice and calm escalation. Published averages are not promises or deadlines.
- ADHD assessment in Northamptonshire: every stage, prescribing and support while waiting A stage-by-stage guide for child and adult NHS ADHD assessment in Northamptonshire, including Referral Management Centre checks, local waiting information, support before diagnosis, NHS patient choice and the important local prescribing position. Published averages are not promises or deadlines.
- The learning-disability annual health check and hospital passport (adults and young people 14+) Anyone aged 14 or over with a learning disability can have a free NHS annual health check every year. This guide explains how to get on your GP's learning disability register, what happens at the check, how to get a health action plan, and how a hospital passport helps you get the right care if you go into hospital.
- Accessible beaches and beach-wheelchair hire Find beach wheelchairs and all-terrain equipment, check booking and transfer support, and plan tides, surfaces, toilets and the route from parking to the beach.
- Demystifying NHS health pathways: who does what and how to keep care moving A calm route map for disabled children, young people and families navigating NHS referrals, triage, waiting lists, appointments, reasonable adjustments, continuing care, transition and concerns. It explains the questions that expose who owns the next action without pretending every local service works in the same way.
Social care, carers & short breaks 19
Assessments, short breaks, direct payments, carers, personal assistants and different kinds of support.
- Before and during a CWD referral: North and West Northamptonshire A practical screening guide: what reasonable local options to check, when to ask for Children with Disabilities support, and where the official detailed guidance lives.
- Short breaks & respite support in North and West Northamptonshire Short breaks are care, support or activities that benefit a disabled child and give unpaid carers a break. They can be daytime, evening, weekend, school-holiday, at home, community-based or overnight.
- Requesting a Social Care Needs Assessment (Children Act s17) How to ask Children's Social Care for a needs assessment for a disabled child (Section 17 Children Act 1989), what to include, and what happens next.
- Understanding your rights (SEND & social care) Key legal duties that protect disabled children and their families, with plain-English pointers to use in meetings and letters.
- Building your support team Who's on your team and how to reach them–school, health, social care and community support in Northamptonshire.
- Supporting siblings and young carers Spot the signs of young caring and where to get support in Northamptonshire.
- Looking after yourself as a parent carer (breaks, carer's assessment, emotional support) How to access carer support, mental health help, and practical relief when caring is intense.
- Direct payments and employing a Personal Assistant: from first conversation to running it Understand how direct payments work, who can get them and how to recruit, employ and manage a personal assistant (PA).
- Parent Carer Needs Assessments (PCNA) Find out how to request a Parent Carer Needs Assessment, what it involves and what support you could get.
- Turning 18: Health & Social Care Funding What changes at 18, how children's continuing care moves (or doesn't) into adult CHC, how Adult Social Care and Section 117 aftercare fit together, and who does what.
- Requesting an adult Care Act needs assessment (Northamptonshire) You can ask the council for a care needs assessment. This right comes from the Care Act 2014, the law on adult social care. This step-by-step guide is for adults in North or West Northamptonshire. It explains what happens in the assessment and how the council decides if you are eligible. It also covers personal budgets, the money the council sets aside for your care. And it explains financial assessments, the check of what you can afford to pay.
- Personal budgets and direct payments for adults (Northamptonshire) You can take control of your own care through a personal budget or direct payment. This guide is for adults with eligible needs in North or West Northamptonshire. A personal budget is the money the council sets aside for your care. A direct payment means the council pays that money to you, so you choose your own support. The guide also covers employing a personal assistant and getting free payroll support.
- How to get an adult carer's assessment in Northamptonshire If you look after a disabled or ill adult in North or West Northamptonshire, you have a legal right under the Care Act 2014 to a free assessment of your own needs as a carer. This guide explains what it is and how to get one.
- Where a disabled adult can live and spend their days: supported living, Shared Lives, residential and day services This guide covers the main options in Northamptonshire for where a disabled adult can live. They are supported living, Shared Lives and residential care. Shared Lives means living with an approved carer's family. The guide also covers how to spend the day, through council and charity day services. And it shows how to arrange all of this through adult social care.
- How to arrange a Shared Lives placement in Northamptonshire This guide shows how a disabled adult can get a Shared Lives placement, step by step. Shared Lives means living with, or regularly visiting, an approved carer's family. You arrange it through North or West Northamptonshire Council. The guide covers who it is for and how matching works.
- Carer's Allowance and the carer element of Universal Credit If you spend at least 35 hours a week caring for a disabled adult or child, you may be able to claim Carer's Allowance (£86.45 a week) and, on Universal Credit, an extra carer element (£209.34 a month). This guide walks through both, and the traps to avoid.
- CWD screening resource checklist A compact checklist for showing that reasonable local, SEND and community options have been considered before or alongside a Children with Disabilities referral.
- Before a CWD referral: North Northamptonshire family pathway A clear North Northamptonshire route through ordinary support, targeted help and the point at which to ask for a statutory Children with Disabilities assessment.
- Before a CWD referral: West Northamptonshire family pathway A clear West Northamptonshire route through ordinary support, targeted help and the point at which to ask for a statutory Children with Disabilities assessment.
Money, grants & rights 13
Benefits, grants, equipment funding, legal rights, complaints and challenging decisions.
- Motability for disabled children, carers and residential-care arrangements Who may drive a Motability vehicle, the disabled person's benefit rule, and what to check when a child lives in foster or residential care.
- Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) for children A detailed route through mandatory DFG funding, North and West Northamptonshire top-ups, relocation, equipment, charities, VAT and Council Tax help, including what to do when a child lives across homes or in care.
- DLA and PIP: strong claims, decisions and appeals A practical England guide to claiming Disability Living Allowance for a child, moving to Personal Independence Payment at 16, understanding a decision, mandatory reconsideration and tribunal appeal. It focuses on day-to-day functional evidence rather than diagnosis alone.
- Where to get funding for specialist equipment Charities that fund specialist equipment (buggies, beds, seating, tech) and how to make strong applications.
- Children's advocacy in Northamptonshire: when and how to ask How Northamptonshire's Children's Rights advocacy route can help a child or young person involved with children's social care, and how to request support.
- Legal & Advocacy for SEND families (Northamptonshire & national) Where to get legal help for education (EHCP), housing, community care, discrimination, and practical court support–plus who to call first.
- Home & garden safety: wandering, secure boundaries, RADAR keys & Lifeline Practical steps to secure home and garden, prevent wandering, and access local OT, telecare and funding.
- Legal & financial planning for families of disabled children How to protect your child's financial future through wills, trusts, guardianship and managing benefits.
- Holiday grants and practical support Funding and practical help for a family leisure trip. Holiday grants have their own eligibility and application rules; they are not the same as council-arranged short breaks or respite support.
- Making Reasonable Adjustments: Scripts & Templates Copy-paste letters/emails for school, health, and leisure providers with examples.
- Complaining about the council or the NHS: PALS, LGSCO and PHSO This guide gives the right order for complaining about a council or NHS service in Northamptonshire. Start with an informal conversation with the service. Then use the local complaints process. If that does not put things right, go to the ombudsman. The ombudsman is an independent body that investigates unresolved complaints.
- Council Tax reductions for disabled households in Northamptonshire Three separate council tax savings are commonly missed by disabled households: the disabled band reduction, the severe mental impairment disregard, and Council Tax Reduction for low income. This guide explains each and how to apply in North or West Northamptonshire.
- Assistance dogs: access rights and refusals Understand assistance-dog access in Great Britain, why an ID book or branded jacket is not a legal requirement, how to plan a visit and what to record if access is refused.
Activities, access & travel 13
Inclusive activities, accessible places, sport, holidays, travel and planning a visit.
- Inclusive sport & leisure in Northamptonshire Where to find inclusive activities, how to book, and funding hints.
- Holidays & accessible travel: check before you book For trips where you travel or stay together as a family. This is different from a short break or respite service, where care or support is arranged so an unpaid carer can have a break.
- Non-term-time activities & holiday clubs (Northants) This guide helps families find inclusive holiday clubs, sports sessions, play centres and support hubs during school breaks and how to access funding.
- Autistic and sensory rooms at UK sports venues Understand sensory viewing rooms, the Shippey Campaign’s pioneering work, where to check for current provision, and what to confirm before booking a match or event.
- Deaf and hearing access at theatres and live events Find captioned and BSL-interpreted events, understand loops and infrared systems, choose suitable seats and confirm what equipment or booking support is required.
- Inclusive playgrounds: find, check and improve local play Use Scope’s accessibility snapshot safely, assess whether a playground works for a particular child and find the right council route for practical improvements.
- Accessible countryside: routes and all-terrain equipment Find Miles without Stiles routes, detailed wheeling information and Tramper hire, then check surfaces, gradients, gates, facilities and equipment before travelling.
- Audio description and touch tours at arts and heritage venues Find audio-described performances, museum tours and touch tours, understand how they differ, and confirm booking, equipment, companions and orientation before visiting.
- ShopMobility: town-centre wheelchair and scooter hire Find a local ShopMobility scheme, reserve suitable equipment, understand training and costs, and check the permitted area, parking and collection arrangements.
- Accessible swimming: pool entry, changing and inclusive sessions Use Swim England's accessibility filters, compare hoists, Poolpods and changing, and confirm inclusive sessions, support and equipment before visiting a pool.
- Inclusive and adaptive cycling: find a suitable ride Find an inclusive cycling centre, try adapted cycles with support, and check booking, transfers, communication, route safety and progression before buying equipment.
- Find inclusive sport and physical activity Find current inclusive opportunities, then check the session, coach, equipment, support, venue and safeguarding arrangements before deciding whether it works for you.
- ATG theatre access: tickets, companions and hearing support Use ATG's free Access Membership, check show-specific concessions and companion arrangements, and prepare Mobile Connect or an assisted performance before visiting an ATG-owned or operated UK venue.
Adulthood, transition & independence 7
Moving into adulthood, capacity, housing, employment, money management and planning for the future.
- Opening a bank/savings account for your child (incl. when capacity is unclear) What to bring, how to set it up, and why doing it before 18 saves stress–especially if your child may not manage money on their own.
- Mental Capacity (16+) & best-interests decisions: an easy guide for parents What changes at 16, how to decide if your child can make money decisions, what 'best interests' means, and when to use Appointeeship or Deputyship.
- Preparing for adulthood without a service cliff edge A Year 9-to-25 roadmap across education, employment, health, social care, housing, money, decision-making, transport and community life. It helps families expose missing owners and handovers before a young person reaches 18.
- Planning for the future: when I am no longer here to care One of the biggest worries for anyone caring for a disabled adult is what will happen when they can no longer do it. This guide sets out the practical steps: a letter of wishes, a will and trust, and who can make decisions and manage money in future.
- Challenging a children's or adult social care decision A calm route through assessments, eligibility, care plans, personal budgets, reviews and complaints. It separates children's and adult procedures, explains the evidence that helps and shows when delay or risk needs a faster route.
- How to get an adult autism or ADHD assessment in Northamptonshire (18+) If you are an adult (18 or over) in Northamptonshire and think you may be autistic or have ADHD, this guide explains how the NHS assessment works. You cannot refer yourself, so it explains how to ask a professional to refer you to the NHFT Adult ADHD, Autism and Tourette's Team (AAATT).
- Managing someone's money: DWP appointeeship and Court of Protection deputyship When a disabled adult cannot manage their own benefits or wider finances, and has not made a Lasting Power of Attorney, you may need to become a DWP appointee, a Court of Protection deputy, or both. This guide explains the difference and how to apply.
Family life & practical support 9
Everyday guidance for families, relationships, routines and building the right support around you.
- Early Help (CFSS): getting support early How to start Family Help/Early Help with Northamptonshire Children's Trust, including for disabled children.
- Blue Badge for disabled children & young people (North & West Northants) A Blue Badge lets you park closer to where you need to go. This guide covers who qualifies for a child's badge. Some children qualify automatically. Others are assessed case by case, which is called the discretionary route. The guide also gives local application links, the evidence you usually need, and the fees.
- If you think your child is being exploited: what to do now Clear steps for immediate safety, reporting, and what happens next (including NRM for children).
- Getting AAC support for a child in Northamptonshire A current, practical route to specialist augmentative and alternative communication support, including the county service's temporary referral pause and what families can do meanwhile.
- Online safety & digital resilience for disabled children (incl. controls, VPNs, reporting) Practical steps to help disabled children stay safe online, build digital resilience and know how to report concerns.
- Dynamic Support Register (DSR): What It Is and How to Refer Who it's for, how it helps, how to get on the register, and what happens next.
- Relaxed, quiet and sensory-friendly visits Find and compare relaxed performances, quiet hours, autism-friendly screenings, sensory maps and calmer visitor routes without assuming that every venue uses the same adjustments.
- Finding support for a rare, genetic or undiagnosed condition in the UK How to find a trustworthy condition group, get support without a diagnosis, and keep charity information separate from NHS clinical advice.
- Changing Places toilets: what they provide and how to find one Use the official Changing Places map, understand the extra space and equipment these toilets provide, and confirm opening, access and equipment details before relying on a facility.