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.
See how we research, check and update guides · Guide updates feed
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.
- Phoenix Project (formerly the Youth Violence Intervention Unit): who they help and how to refer Police-led early intervention for children and young people up to the age of 17 at risk of exploitation or serious violence. Northamptonshire Police's page for the former Youth Violence Intervention Unit now describes it as the Phoenix Project.
- 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 14
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 and post-16 transport in North and West Northamptonshire: who does what Think about each journey on its own, then check who leads, arranges, pays for, hands over and acts if a journey fails. This guide covers North and West Northamptonshire school transport, post-16 help, short breaks and what to do if there is a safeguarding worry.
- 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.
- 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 West Northamptonshire's SEND Ranges, which describe levels of need and support.
- Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) annual reviews: how to prepare and what happens next Get the most from your child's EHC plan annual review. The council must review the plan at least every 12 months. This guide shows how to prepare, what the council must do after the meeting, what to do if you disagree, and how reviews change from Year 9.
- 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 council asks schools about your child's place, what you can ask for, and what to do if you disagree. It covers the types of school you have a right to ask for, including Section 41 schools, and how independent schools are treated. The council decides which school is named, and you can appeal.
- 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.
- Appealing a home-to-school transport decision How to tell a school transport appeal from a service complaint, and how the two-stage appeal works in North and West Northamptonshire. Appeal the specific decision you disagree with, and give evidence about that decision.
- EHC plan appeals in England: choose the right route and build your case A plain guide for parents, carers and young people who disagree with an education, health and care (EHC) needs assessment or plan decision. It helps you pick the right route, keep to the deadline, say clearly what you want changed, and back each point with evidence.
Health, therapies & wellbeing 9
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 and home equipment: referrals and urgent repairs How to get an NHS wheelchair, and who to contact for urgent repairs to wheelchairs and community equipment in Northamptonshire.
- Grants for sensory equipment and therapy Targeted routes to fund sensory spaces, weighted items, communication aids and therapy blocks.
- Managing hospital appointments & frequent medical visits (NGH/KGH) Preparing for the day, transport and parking for children's appointments at Northampton General (NGH) and Kettering General (KGH).
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Social care, carers & short breaks 9
Assessments, short breaks, direct payments, carers, personal assistants and different kinds of support.
- Before and during a CWD referral: North and West Northamptonshire What might help alongside a Children with Disabilities referral: local support worth checking, where to get independent advice, and where the official guidance is.
- 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.
- 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 carers' needs assessments in Northamptonshire Parent carers of disabled children have a legal right to a needs assessment from the council in some circumstances. This guide explains what the law says, how to ask, and what to expect.
- Challenging a children's or adult social care decision A calm route through assessments, care plans, budgets, reviews and complaints. It covers children's and adult social care separately, and explains when to get urgent help instead of making a complaint.
- Carer's Allowance and the carer element of Universal Credit If you care for someone at least 35 hours a week and they get certain benefits, you could get Carer's Allowance (£86.45 a week). If you are on Universal Credit, you may also get a carer element (£209.34 a month). This guide shows what to check and how to claim. Rates change each year, so check GOV.UK for the current amounts.
Money, grants & rights 7
Benefits, grants, equipment funding, legal rights, complaints and challenging decisions.
- DLA and PIP for children: claiming, decisions and appeals A guide for parents in England about claiming Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for a child, moving to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) when they turn 16, and what to do if you disagree with a decision. A DLA decision is based on how the child's condition affects everyday life, not on a 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.
- 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.
- 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 12
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.
Adulthood, transition & independence 2
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.
Family life & practical support 8
Everyday guidance for families, relationships, routines and building the right support around you.
- 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 for disabled children (controls and reporting) Practical steps to help disabled children stay safe online, and 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.