Neurodiversity - supporting needs
Please select the types of support you are looking for, using the tick boxes below, and we will show you the information and resources relevant to you.
General support
Ambitious About Autism
The sooner an autistic child's needs are understood, the sooner support can be put in place to enable them to thrive. This toolkit contains information for parents and carers to help make sure this happens.
General support
Disability Advice and Welfare Network (DAWN)
The passport supports the autistic individual by informing what reasonable adjustments are required to help with communication
Sleep
National Sleep Helpline
A free helpline staffed by experienced sleep practitioners, many with experience and training in neurodiversity and sensory processing issues.
Mental health
Visyon
Visyon is a charity that supports the mental health of children, young people and their families.
General support
Space4Autism
Offers support for parents, children, young people and adults - all age groups of people with Autism and ADHD, as well as parent carers.
General support
Cheshire East Parent Carer Forum
Parent Carer Members will benefit from advice, training and the ability to ask questions of other carers and professionals, as well as attending events and getting involved in co-producing local services.
General support
Cheshire East Local Offer
The Cheshire East Local Offer includes information about the support and provision for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and/or disabilities (SEND) from birth to 25 years old
General support
Cheshire East Autism Team
The CEAT are a small school-focused team of teaching and support staff with considerable experience and qualifications in the field of autism
General support
ADHD Foundation
The ADHD Foundation Neurodiversity Charity - an integrated health and education service. Supports parents and carers so they can understand and meet the needs of their child.
Toileting
ERIC
ERIC is the national charity dedicated to improving children’s bowel and bladder health. Our mission is to reduce the impact of continence problems on children and their families.
General support
Cheshire East SEND Inclusion Toolkit
Provides information on appropriate steps and strategies to support children and young people with different types and levels of need . It also provides clear information about when a request for an Education, Health and Care needs assessment,or specialist services, may be required.
Youth support group
Cheshire East Youth Support Service
For young people aged 13 -19 yrs (up to 25yrs with SEND). Offer open access, targeted Youth Work, Outdoor Education, focused support for Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET), support to young people who have an Education Health Care plan, and transitional planning and preparing for adulthood.
General support
Cheshire East Family Hubs
Supporting children age 0-25 with SEND and their families
General support
Cheshire East Information Advice and Support (CEIAS)
Free confidential support and information to children and young people with SEND, their parents and or their carers. They aim to ensure that you feel more informed and are able to be fully involved in decisions relating to special educational needs provision.
General support
Health Visiting Service
Health Visitors are specialists in child health and development who work at community, family and individual levels to promote and improve the health and well-being of pre-school children and their families. Often a good place to start at the start of a potential neurodiversity diagnosis journey
General support
CANDDID
CANDDID, Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (CWP) and the ADHD Foundation have produced a series of informational videos 'Understanding and Managing ADHD'
Mental health
Just Drop In
Just Drop In supports children and young people age 11-25 who are finding life hard. They offer a range of support services including a popular sleep course
General support
Ruby's
Children and families centre that provides support to families of children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
Sensory
SPOTSS (Sensory Processing Occupational Therapy Team Support Service)
Sensory Occupational Therapy is provided by a new team known as SPOTSS who deliver a tiered service to support Autistic children or those with Autistic features who have sensory processing needs within their settings.
SPOTSS (Sensory Processing Occupational Therapy Team Support Service)
General support
Autism Inclusive
Support autistic adults and children, those with ADHD or any other neuro diversity, as well as their families and carers. Diagnosed or suspected, all are welcome
Sensory
SPOTSS (Sensory Processing Occupational Therapy Team Support Service)
Video of information on sensory portraits, sensory regulation and sensory preferences
SPOTSS (Sensory Processing Occupational Therapy Team Support Service)
General support
ADHD and You
Information for adults and young people with ADHD, parents, and carers of those living with ADHD and those educating children or young people with ADHD.
General support
Devon NHS Trust
A range of apps to help people with ADHD. Time management is a recurrent issue and there are apps that help to organise time, block distractions for a set time, track how much time is being spent on an activity and assist in managing procrastination.
General support
CHADD
American organisation with lots of resources to support young people and adults with ADHD
Mental health
The Free Mindfulness Project
Online mindfulness and meditation include enhanced attention control, memory, emotional regulation, coping with stress, and relationships with others; all of which can be areas of challenge for young people living with ADHD.
General support
National Autistic Society
Helping the 700,000 autistic people in the UK and their families. Be it running specialist schools, campaigning for improved rights or training companies on being more autism-friendly, they are dedicated to transforming lives and changing attitudes.
General support
National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTI)
A social change organisation working to support people at risk of exclusion, due to age or disability.
Challenging behaviour
PDA Society
Support for Autistic people with a demand avoidant profile
General support
The Together Trust
Care for and champion the rights, needs and ambitions of care-experienced children and people with disabilities, autism and mental health differences.
General support
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
The Parent/Carers Zone contains lots of useful resources and links. These resources will give you the tools to teach your child new life skills like toileting, dressing and organising their school bag.
Challenging behaviour
Newbold Hope
Supporting parents and practitioners to reduce violent, difficult and dangerous behaviour in children and young people with a disability and/or an additional need.
General support
IPSEA
Leading charity in the field of SEND law in England, providing free and independent legal advice and support to families of children and young people with SEND.
General support
Attention Deficit Disorder Information and Support Service
Useful website to access information and resources. It has a very useful download for parents who are struggling to manage their child’s ADHD sleep. Regular quality sleep can lead to vast improvement in the symptoms of ADHD.
General support
NHS dyspraxia information
Developmental co-ordination disorder (DCD), also known as dyspraxia, is a condition affecting physical co-ordination. It causes a child to perform less well than expected in daily activities for their age, and appear to move clumsily.
Speech, language and communication
Afasic
Afasic supports and provides information for families with children and young adults who have Speech Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) with a focus on Developmental Language Disorder (DLD).
Speech, language and communication
Speech and Language UK
Help to give children and young people the communication skills they need so they aren’t left behind, waiting to be understood
General support
BBC Tiny Happy People
Early Years information on child development for families
Speech, language and communication
National Literary Trust Words for Life
Helping children develop literacy skills to succeed in life
General support
NHS Start for Life
Ideas, easy tips and activities for early years development.
Speech, language and communication
Makaton
Makaton symbols and signs can be used either as a main method of communication or as a way to support speech.
Speech, language and communication
Apraxia Kids
Support for childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) which is a motor speech disorder that makes it difficult for children to speak
Speech, language and communication
I CAN
Children's communication charity. Their misson is that no child should be left out or left behind because of a difficulty speaking or understanding.
Speech, language and communication
Michael Palin Centre for Stammering
Empowering children, young people and adults who stammer to be confident communicators
Speech, language and communication
The Fluency Trust
Aims to help people who stammer communicate confidently. Building awareness of stammering and through our residential courses we aim to give young people who stammer a safe space to explore stammering and find what works for them.
Speech, language and communication
Selective Mutism Information and Research Association
Aims to give those with Selective Mutism, their parents and professionals an opportunity to feel less isolated and share ideas with others who have experienced similar problems in either home, school or treatment situations.
Speech, language and communication
DLD and Me
A website for kids and teenagers to learn about Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) and to share how they've told others.
Mental health
MindEd for Families
A free learning resource about the mental health of children, young people and older adults.
Mental health
Young Minds
Information about anxiety, the different types of anxiety disorder, and what help is available.
General support
Autism Essentials
This is a free, self-paced course that provides a solid understanding of Autism in a way that is neuro-affirming.
General support
The Pathway 2 Success
Information about the importance of Executive Functioning Skills
Sensory
NHS Humber Teaching NHS Trust - sensory processing
Sensory processing information and strategies to reduce the impact difficulties can have on children and young people’s daily lives
General support
Learn Play Thrive
A twice-monthly podcast exploring research, amplifying autistic voices, and changing the way we think about autism
Speech, language and communication
Carol Gray
Social Stories are a social learning tool that supports the safe and meaningful exchange of information between parents, professionals, and people with autism of all ages.
Speech, language and communication
Leeds Mencap - communication aids
Now and Next Boards and visual timetables are communication aids which helps give structure to a person's time
General support
National Autistic Society - dealing with change
Information about supporting autistic people with change as many can find this difficult
Speech, language and communication
National Autistic Society - communication
Advice about supporting autistic people with various communication techniques
General support
The Curly Hair Project
The Curly Hair Project (CHP) is an award-winning organisation founded by autistic author and entrepreneur Alis Rowe. CHP resources are used by individuals, families and professionals worldwide
Youth support group
Spectrum Gaming
A gaming community for autistic young people (aged 10-17)
General support
ADHD Foundation - school
Video - young people talking about neurodivergence and school
General support
ADHD Foundation - homework
Video - young people talking about neurodivergence and homework
General support
ADHD Foundation - hobbies
Video - young people talking about neurodivergence and hobbies
General support
ADHD Foundation - friendships
Video - young people talking about neurodivergence and friendships
General support
ADHD Foundation - staying safe online
Video - young people talking about neurodivergence and staying safe online
General support
ADHD Foundation - knowing your neurotype
Video - young people talking about knowing your neurotype
Mental health
ADHD Foundation - parents and carers supporting emotions
Video for Parents and Carers on supporting their child or young person with their big emotions.
General support
ADHD Foundation - parents and carers supporting friendships
Video for Parents and Carers on supporting their child or young person with neurodivergence and friendships
General support
ADHD Foundation - parents and carers supporting homework
Video for Parents and Carers on supporting their child or young person with neurodivergence and their homework
General support
ADHD Foundation - parents and carers supporting routines
Video for Parents and Carers on supporting their child or young person with neurodivergence and using routines
Sleep
ADHD Foundation - parents and carers supporting routines
Video for Parents and Carers on supporting their child or young person with neurodivergence and using routines
General support
ADHD Foundation - ADHD medication
Video for Parents and Carers on understanding ADHD medication
General support
ADHD Foundation - the ADHD diagnostic journey
Video for Parents and Carers on explaining the ADHD diagnostic journey for your child or young person
General support
ADHD Foundation - learning difficulties
Video for Parents and Carers on supporting their neurodivergent child or young person with severe learning difficulties.
Sleep
Koala North West
Supporting parents of a child between 2 and 11 years, where the child has difficulty settling at night, frequently wakes throughout the night or wakes early to start the day.
Mental health
Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Trust - mental health support
For age 4+. Information on how to look after your mental health, how to access help and support, and details of support services.
General support
Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
The Community Paediatric Team (also known as the Neurodevelopmental Team) is made up of Community Paediatricians and Neurodevelopmental Specialist Nurses, supported by administrative and clinical support staff.
General support
East Cheshire NHS Trust - pre school development clinic
0-4 pre-school development clinic provides a holistic developmental assessment prior to an autism-specific assessment if appropriate
Mental health
Affinity Hub
Emotional support for parent carers of disabled children and adults
General support
SEND Training and Inclusion
SEND Training and Inclusion for Children and Young People, Parents/Carers, Health and Social Care.
Use the filters above to search again or:
We recommend the following support organisations locally and nationally:
Contact - UK Charity that supports families caring for children with additional needs
National Autistic Society – UK Charity supporting autistic people and their families
Cheshire East Live Well – Local information about the support and provision for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and/or disabilities (SEND)
Cheshire East Parent Carer Forum – Local support organisation run by parent carers for other parent carers
Further support
Further support can also be found using the links below:
- Considerations before diagnostic assessment
- Current referral processes
- Jargon buster
- Right to choose - referral for autism assessment
- Right to choose - referral for ADHD assessment
- Personal passports and working alongside practitioners
- Social stories
If you have any feedback on this page please contact enquiries@cheshireandmerseyside.nhs.uk.
The views and opinions expressed in any external resources, websites, or references suggested within this material do not necessarily reflect the views, policies, or position of the National Health Service (NHS). These resources are provided for informational purposes only, and their inclusion does not imply endorsement or approval by the NHS. While every effort is made to recommend high-quality and reliable resources, the NHS is not responsible for the content or advice provided by external organisations. It remains the responsibility of parents, carers, and practitioners to assess the relevance and appropriateness of the information for their individual circumstances.