The Local Offer provides information and advice for families and children and young people aged 0 to 25 years with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
It covers services in education, health and social care. Depending on where you live, the services may differ slightly.
The Kent Local Offer has a directory that enables you to search by location and key word to find activities, events, advice, support and more.
The Medway Local Offer has a directory that is split into education, health and wellbeing, things to do, social care and family help and support.
Kent County Council has a guide on understanding autism in children and young people that includes advice on masking, sleep, preparing for days out and much more. This guide will be useful to families in Kent and Medway.
Children who are neurodivergent may experience higher levels of mental health issues like anxiety, but this is often as a result of a lack of support or the stress of ‘masking’ where children try to ‘fit in’ to avoid a negative reaction.
The Pod, run by Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust, offers advice on neurodivergence with a focus on ADHD, autism and sensory processing differences. It includes videos that provide strategies to help with sensory processing.
IASK (Information Advice and Support Kent) provides free, impartial and confidential information, advice and support about special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) for children, young people aged up to 25 years, and their families.
They have a telephone helpline open from Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm on 03000 41 3000.
The video below provides an introduction to IASK.
Kent PACT (Parents and Carers Together) is a forum for parents and carers of children and young people who have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Kent.
Small Steps is an ADHD and autism support service for families in Medway who have children that are pre or post assessment. It helps families to access support and information on coping strategies, reduce social isolation and increase their knowledge about their child’s condition.
Medway Parents and Carers Forum is an independent parent-led charity. The charity works with local services to improve outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs, disabilities (SEND) and that of their families. They work alongside Medway Council and NHS Kent and Medway to make sure children and young people have the best chance in life the support and services they need. They also offer a parent support service that can offer advice and guidance, or simply be a listening ear.
Medway Council’s Child Health Team have created a YouTube channel for parents and carers in Medway that contains pre-recorded webinars on a range of topics including supporting your child with emotion regulation and managing anger.
There are SEND activities and drop-in support sessions held across Medway.
Autism & ADHD Parent Support UK supports parents and carers of autistic and ADHD children, of all ages, across the UK. They provide online support nationwide and in-person services in Kent.
SNAAP (the special needs advisory and activities project) informs, encourages and supports parents and carers, enabling them to provide the best possible help to their children via a range of services in Canterbury, Whitstable, Herne Bay and throughout Kent. They focus on the whole family and not just on the child with disabilities.
Square Pegs Arts offers accessible opportunities to take part, perform, learn, enjoy and work in theatre, music and the arts. They empower learning disabled, autistic and neurodivergent people of all ages across Kent and Medway to shine in their own way.
Autism specific support
Autism South East is a family-run and autistic-led organisation, helping and supporting autistic adults and children and their families throughout the South East. ASE aims to provide monthly support groups or autism cafes across the north Kent area and beyond to give people an opportunity to talk and find out more.
Kent Autistic Trust supports people who have significant developmental and communication needs within various community settings including registered homes, specialist and intensive supported living, community day resource centres, family support service and support groups.
The Dartford and Gravesham branch of the National Autistic Society has a Facebook page for local information, a closed Facebook group for peer-to-peer support and signposting via email. It is aimed at children, young people, and parents and carers.
The Dover, Deal and Shepway branch of the National Autistic Society has a Facebook page for sharing local resources and information. It is aimed at parents and carers of children and young people with autism.
The Thanet branch of the National Autistic Society has a Facebook page for sharing local resources and information. It is aimed at children, young people, and parents and carers.
ADHD specific support
ADHD Sheppey provides a hub for understanding, support and celebration. There is a Facebook page for their parent and child support group.
Unstoppable Girls runs ADHD support groups for girls aged 13 to 25 years in Maidstone and Ashford.
An ADHD support group is held in West Faversham Community Centre. It offers support for parents and carers while young people with ADHD are given the opportunity to participate in activities such as a climbing wall, fitness classes, cooking, arts and crafts.
Cogs is a mental health app designed for, and by, neurodivergent people. It helps people to build lasting self-care habits and manage overwhelming emotions. Following feedback, NHS Kent and Medway is now offering six months’ free access to Cogs to people aged 16 or over.
Anyone can try the app for a week, free of charge. Cogs does not involve talking to another person so you can access the help you need, when you need it, at any hour of the day or night. The app provides you with:
-
tools and techniques to help you regulate your emotions, energy and focus
-
strategies to improve your mental wellbeing
-
learning resources to better understand ADHD and neurodiversity
Sarah, a user of the Cogs app, said: "Until I started using the app to draw pictures of how I felt I had not even realised I was a visual learner. I have avoided anything to do with writing my entire life which I now realise was because of processing difficulties and bullying by teachers and students at school.
“Every morning I now wake up and draw how I feel, then title it. I’ve just gone through a massive emotional shift regarding family issues and looking back over the last five days I can now see how I have managed to process it. It has given me the ability to visualise emotions and so recognise them.
“Had I been able to use this tool as a child I might not be in the mess I’m in. This app has truly changed my life and enabled me to start seeing my emotions for the first time in my life.”
It is important that your child or young person with special needs feels safe. They should also feel happy and respected by others, whether they are at school, at work, or seeing a health professional.
Kent County Council has a guide to your rights for you and your family.