Support directory for families and children with additional needs in Leeds
Complex communication and autism specific
This information is intended to be a guide to services and activities provided by national and local organisations that you may wish to access now or in the future*
In addition, you may wish to discuss any concerns and the support available by speaking with:
- 0 to 19 public health integrated nursing service (family health visitor): Central SPA number 0113 843 5683
- Your GP, paediatrician, speech and language therapist, children’s centre worker, nursery or school.
Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust Integrated Children with Additional Needs (ICAN)
Our ICAN team at Leeds Community Healthcare have put together a series of videos which you may find helpful to watch. These are designed for families of children with complex communication needs or autism. Each video lasts between 20 minutes and 40 minutes and is best viewed on a laptop or smartphone. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on ‘video toolkit’ for the individual webcasts or click on or copy each link below.
- Developing communication: Interacting
- Developing communication: Use of visuals to support communication/interaction
- Developing communication: Expression
- Supporting your child with daily activities and sensory differences
- Supporting your child with behaviours that challenge
- Supporting your child with feeding
- Supporting your child with sleep
- Supporting your child with toileting
- Social and financial support for you and your family
Supporting resources
- This ‘speech and language therapy toolkit’ contains advice, activities, and general resources to help with the development of children and young people’s speech, language and communication skills.
- ICAN Speech and Language Therapy Service
- The ICAN Physiotherapy teams at Leeds Community Healthcare have information on their website to support your child with their movement which may be making their daily participation in activities difficult.
- The ICAN Occupational Therapy team at Leeds Community Healthcare have information on their website to support children and young people with disabilities to participate in everyday activities and situations at home, school and in the community.
- RHCG: Kids for families
This website offers information on the Sensory System and how differences can affect children and young people. Helping families support their babies, children and young people to live healthy lives and reach their full potential. KIDS for Families was created by health professionals from Specialist Children’s Services. It offers trusted advice and resources to support development from birth through the teenage years. You’ll also find guidance on where to get help and how to support your child at every stage. - Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust: Sensory processing difficulties
- Cerebra: A charity for children with neurological conditions, that offer useful guides, grants, sleep support, the Cerebra innovation problem solving project, book and toy library and legal advice service.
- Contact (Contact a Family): Supports families with the best possible guidance and information. They bring families together to support each other. As well as helping families to campaign, volunteer and fundraise to improve life for themselves and others. (f)
- Scope: Provide practical advice and emotional support whenever people need it most. They do this through the Scope helpline, their online community, a range of employment services, community engagement program and more. All their services are developed to achieve their strategy, Everyday Equality. (f)
- The Disabled Children’s Partnership: This is a major coalition of more than 80 organisations campaigning for improved health and social care for disabled children, young people, and their families.
- The Council for Disabled children: is the umbrella body for the disabled children’s sector bringing together professionals, practitioners and policymakers.
- Disability living Allowance: Helps with the extra costs of looking after a child with additional needs. Below is a link to a step-by-step guide to filling it in making it easier for you.
- Welfare Rights: Will provide free, confidential, impartial advice and support on a whole range of welfare benefits. They can also help to complete claim forms as well as offering guidance and support when making appeals. Call on 0113 3760452
- Carers Leeds is an independent charity that provides support, advice and information to unpaid carers aged 16 upwards which includes benefit support. Contact the Carers Leeds advice line on 0113 3804300 from Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm or email the advice line on advice@carersleeds.org.uk
- Community Hubs (previously One Stop Centres): Customer service officers can help with enquiries about council tax bills and benefits, housing tenancy issues, benefits for people on a low income, help for older people, disabled people, children, families and more.
- GOV.UK host a website for all parents looking for a school for their child, including those with additional needs.
- Inclusion Funding for SEND: Find out what funding schools and settings get to support children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
- Leeds City Council Local Offer: Ensures families can access clear information about all services for those aged 0 to 25 with SEN and disabilities, explains what families are entitled to and can expect from services, gathers feedback from people who use services and uses feedback to support service development.
- Leeds Special Educational Needs and Disability Information Advice Support Service (SENDIASS): Supports children and young people with special educational needs (SEND) and their parents and carers to help with any concerns or questions. The service is free, impartial and confidential through their website and online resources. They offer support with SEND legislation, including education health care needs assessments and plans, support in mainstream schools and specialist schools and can help with resolving disagreements.
They can also be contacted via their helpline on 0113 378 5020 from Monday to Friday, 10am to 3pm. Outside of these hours, you can leave a message using the 24-hour answerphone service. You can also get in touch with SENDIASS through the
Get in touch webpage - Portage: Are a home visiting educational and support service for young children (Under 3) with additional needs and their families. This service is available for children that meet their criteria. They are currently offering a mixture of home contacts, phone and video calls. They also use Facebook (Leeds Portage Service) to share information, resources, and ideas. They are providing daily challenges, as well as posting 2 to 3 video’s a week on themes.
Visit the Leeds Portage Service
They also have information on their YOUTUBE channel, this can be found by searching ‘The Leeds Portage Service’ on YouTube and families can subscribe free to the channel.
There are videos clips with lots of different play activities including sensory play and Makaton:
- Sense: Connect and Play is part of Sense’s Early Intervention and Play Service, supporting children aged 0 to 8 with disabilities and complex needs. We offer free play sessions during term time and engaging activities during school holidays. These sessions are designed to help families build connections while supporting children with their communication and interaction needs.
Current services:
- Sensory Stories
- Sensory Exploration
- Family days (school holidays)
- Toy and Tech loans
- Virtual offer
To access the service, families would need to register with us. They can do this via our enquiry page on our website Early intervention for disabled children. Families are contacted with a courtesy phone call, we share more about our service and answer any questions or queries they might have. Families are then added to our emailing list and will receive invitations to our events and booking links.
- ERIC a useful resource for understanding the toilet needs for your child and offers information on toilet training for all children including those with additional needs.
- Free dance and yoga classes: Synergy Dance Outreach have just launched a diverse programme of 174 online dance and yoga classes, including lessons for those with a disability including Autism and cerebral palsy, long term health conditions, visually impaired or blind, special needs, and older adults. It is in partnership with EMD UK and Sport England and the classes are free due to funding from The National Lottery, Tackling Inequalities Fund. The dance and yoga programmes are for all ages including seated ParaStars Dance™ and ParaStars Yoga®, audio yoga and dance and more, all via an easily accessible national online platform. The platform includes courses for children and teens, who may choose from a wide range of activities and courses to keep fit, social and active.
- Leeds City Council disability sport programme: Programme of the regular specific disability and inclusive sport opportunities that exist across Leeds. This covers children, young people and adults with any disability, and all ability levels.
- Leeds Mencap (The Vinery): A registered charity which aims to support children to have the best start in life. They run a range of services, clubs and activities for children and young people with a learning disability from age 0 to 18. They also have a monthly newsletter covering current topics. The Vinery Centre is owned and managed by Leeds Mencap and is a place where families can come together to enjoy activities and get the support they need, in a place that has inclusion and community at its heart. From a specialist playroom for children with learning disabilities to a thriving and busy community nursery, to sensory and soft playrooms.
Contact on 0113 2351331 or visit the Leeds Mencap website or
Leeds Mencap: Soft play and sensory roomsLeeds Mencap parent support groups: Offers a professional community and home-based service designed to meet the needs of families with multiple, complex needs. They work with families dealing with domestic violence, difficulties with parenting, problems engaging in education, financial hardship, housing, benefits and debt issues.
- Little Hiccups is a support group that has been set up by two mums who both have children with special needs. They offer an outreach programme, stay and play sessions and monthly family fun days.
- Max card: is the UK’s leading discount card for foster families and families of children with additional needs. Families can use their Max Card at venues across the UK to get free or discounted admission.
- SCOPE Leeds work with parents to provide information for parent and carers about Short break activities in Leeds for children with additional needs up to the age of 18.
Scope has developed a podcast relating to sleep advice and support:
Additional resources available to support:
- Scope UK: Advice and support
- SCOPE videos: Scope have recorded a series of videos and made these available on YouTube: Watch the supporting positive behaviour at home workshop video
- Sensory behaviours at home video
- Creating social stories video
- Short breaks: This directory lists in detail short breaks and fun activities currently available to children and young people aged 0 to 18 in Leeds.
- Family Fund is the UK’s largest charity providing grants for families raising disabled or seriously ill children and young people on low incomes. Continue to be open to new applications and providing essential grant support. Offering telephone support between 10am and 4pm on 01904 550055. Available to answer questions on social media or complete the Contact Us form online with your query and they’ll respond as soon as possible.
- Newlife charity: is for disabled children and their families and is running all its core care services to provide continued support, information, disability equipment, emergency loans and specialist toys.
- PhysCap: Yorkshire based charity run completely by volunteers who are dedicated to improving the quality of life for children with severe physical and mental disabilities within the Yorkshire area. PhysCap is dedicated to improving the quality of life for children suffering from severe physical disabilities, by purchasing specialised and therapeutic equipment.
For all these services and for general advice call: Freephone 0808 800 3333 from Monday to Saturday from 9am to 6pm and Sunday 10 to 6pm. The helpline can support and give advice on a variety of topics including benefits, finances, social care, work and employment courses, equipment and assistive technology, housing and home adaptations.
Special needs and parent support(SNAPS): Provide physiotherapist led hydrotherapy and rebound sessions, along with swimming, arts and crafts, soft toy play and a range of other fun activities, such as dance, sign and sing, boccia, storytelling and music therapy. (Please note Hydrotherapy and Swimming are only available at the Penny Field site). They currently operate out of two sites, Penny Field School and Broomfield School which are both Specialist Inclusive Learning Centres. SNAPS is open on Saturdays from 9:30am to 1:30pm with 20 minute ‘slots’ available for hydrotherapy, swimming or rebound therapy (there is a small cost for some sessions). The whole family can participate in activities in the hall and stay for as long as they like.
- Leeds Teaching Hospitals Learning Disability team is accessible from this link with details of how to contact them for pre- admission support.
- Changing Places: Toilet facilities for people with disabilities. They are fitted with specialist equipment including a hoist and adult-sized changing bench. Provide enough space for up to two carers to support someone with a disability.
- RADAR keys (National Key Scheme): Offers disabled people independent access to locked public toilets around the country. They cost £2 each available at One Stop Centre and Community Hubs.
- Public toilets and Changing Places
- Leeds Mental Well-being Service: support for parents with stress, low mood and emotional difficulties. You can self-refer at: Leeds Mental Wellbeing Service or call 0113 8434388
- Leeds Mindmate: This website has useful information and links re how to support under 5’s and above with their mental wellbeing including getting ready for school.
Leeds MindMate Single Point of Access (SPA) is there to identify support for children and young people in Leeds with their emotional wellbeing or mental health. It is for all children and young people who have a Leeds GP, of school age and under the age of 18. They work with a variety of services to find the right support.
- MindMate Neurodiversity Hub: A one-stop support resource for neurodivergent children, young people and their families and carers in Leeds.
- Leeds Domestic Violence Support works with women, men and families in Leeds and offer emergency accommodation, support, advice and advocacy. LDVS supports anyone experiencing domestic violence and abuse and actively encourages people from LGBT+ communities to access support.
For help and support: Call the 24-Hour Helpline on 0113 2460401 or online chat available Monday to Friday from 1pm to 3pm:
