The Newcastle Community Team for Learning Disabilities is based at Benton House in Newcastle.

The Adult team provides specialist assessment and treatment to people aged 18 years and over with a learning disability and additional health needs, where the person’s needs are complex and require an integrated approach to care and treatment that cannot be met through mainstream services.

Meet and Connect gives you a chance to learn. Previous sessions have looked at: 

• Digital skills

• Mental health

• Racism 

We also have picnics together when the weather is nice. 

Want to find out when the next Meet and Connect sessions are? Then look through our monthly Groups Newsletters posted on our Skills for People Facebook Page.

Outreach clinic to provide people with a learning disability who have offended or show offending type behaviour(s), and those involved in caring for them the opportunity to seek advice and support on managing day to day forensic issues.

Areas covered: Cumbria, Sunderland and Newcastle

How to get referred:

Referrals must be made through local community nursing teams for each locality.

Come along to our friendly interest and social group. It is for people aged 18+ with learning disabilities or autism. We enjoy doing things such as:

• singing karaoke

• bingo and games

• playing pool

• visiting museums

• and more!

Want to find out where we'll be going and what we'll be doing? Then look for our monthly Groups Newsletters posted on our Skills for People Facebook Page.

Sunday 17th August 2025 

Join us for a disco and food! For adults (18+) with learning disabilities and/or autism. 

Let us know you are coming by calling 0191 281 8737 or emailing information@skillsforpeople.org.uk.

You can also walk with us from Central Station to The Globe. Just let us know. 

Come along for a free lunch and chat with others. We offer a selection of sarnies, crisps, fruit and biscuits.

Food served from 12pm. 

For people aged 18+ with learning disabilities or autism. 

Want to find out our next date? Then look for our monthly Groups Newsletters posted on our Skills for People Facebook Page.

If interested in joining us, please call 0191 281 8737 or email information@skillsforpeople.org.uk. 

The FAB (Fantastic and Brilliant) Group is a group of young people aged 11 to 25 who have SEND. 

Every month, the FAB Group come together to make friends and share experiences.

Learn more on our website: https://children-ne.org.uk/fab-group/ 

We believe in the importance of a support network of people who understand.

Step inside an old arcade machine with Player 1 and Player 2, as the audience becomes part of the action in this interactive sensory theatre show from Interplay Theatre Trust.

Featuring 8-bit music and video-game inspired lighting, this multi-sensory experience for young people aged 5+ with learning disabilities, PMLD and/or autism and their families and carers puts the audience at the controls!

Sat 27 Sep, 11.30am & 1.30pm

Tickets from £12

Help and Connect is a service offered by Skills for People.

If you live in Newcastle upon Tyne and are aged 16 or over, our Help and Connect team can help you to get your support right and to make the most of what’s going on in your area.

What does Help and Connect offer?

Our team will help you make the most of the information we have. You can find out about:

The Hub offers places to disabled and autistic adults, including school/college leavers. Sessions are led by experienced support workers and professional artists.  

Explore drawing and painting, sculpture, textiles, media, printmaking, drama and movement. Activities are designed to develop personal creativity and improve art and craft skills. There is also focus on collaboration, communication and wellbeing.

This is a warm, caring and kind place to be because:

Does your child have a special educational need or disability?

Come to our support group. It’s a friendly place for parents and carers to chat and get advice.

• Get advice from professionals.

• Talk to other parents and carers.

• Share ideas.

This group meets on the first Monday of every month. 

No need to book - just turn up.

These football sessions are for children and young people with special needs. They help you learn football, get fit, and feel good. The sessions are friendly and supportive, so everyone can join in and have fun.

There are many types of football sessions in Newcastle. They are for people with different needs like:

Contact is the UK charity for families with disabled children. They support families, bring families together and help families take action for others. They give support through:

Dimensions helps people with learning disabilities, autism, and complex needs live fulfilling lives in their communities. They offer personalized support to give individuals more voice, choice, and control. With 7,000 staff, Dimensions works with families and those they support to improve services. Their goal is to empower people to lead happy, ordinary lives.

Through our person-centred approach we support:

Disabled Children’s Register

By law we are required to keep a Disabled Children’s Register. We use it to help us improve services now and in the future.

By being on the register you will be kept informed of what services are available and how you can get involved if you want to.  Joining the register is voluntary but if you register your child we will:

Liberdade provide performing arts and health and well-being courses for adults with learning disabilities and autism. Activities are run from Gosforth Civic Theatre

Our arts and health activities can be part of a study programme for post-16 SEN students. They can also be an alternative to social and further education for students leaving college.

Family Advice and Support Team at Skills for People

Services Offered:

This is a FREE service for parents/carers of children going through the diagnostic process or with a diagnosis of autism.

These groups give support, advice and information on services available to families. Trained autism practitioners will run sessions that aim to:

TimbaDash Theatre presents 'Timba Time!' at the Alan Shearer Activity Centre.

On the 3rd Sunday of every month we have Timba-Time, a sensory storytelling play space for people with learning disabilities and their families.

It is essential that you ring 0191 267 8118 to book your place. You must be a member at the Alan Shearer Centre to book, but please know that it is free to join.

A course to help parents/carers manage the behaviour of people with learning disabilities and/or autism. It will help you understand their behaviour and ways to support them.

Find out more about Positive Behaviour Support here: Positive Behavioural Support

For more information about this course, call 0191 281 8737 or email information@skillsforpeople.org.uk. 

These sessions are open to families with a pre-school aged (0-5) disabled child.

The children can access all our normal facilities including the:

• soft play

• sensory room

• trampoline hall

• outdoor play garden for free play

11.30am – 12 noon Music and Movement

12.30 – 1.30pm Messy Play

Our Early Years Lead Leanne Johnson-Read is available to chat with parents.

Children must be supervised at all times.

£4 per child (babies under 1 year old are free).

Comets is a pan-disability football programme for disabled boys and girls aged between 5 and 11. Players with a broad range of impairments and health conditions can play together.

Comets is all about playfulness, friendships and having fun. More than anything, Comets is football that breaks the old rules and replaces them with a brand new one: JUST BE YOU.

The sessions are ran by lots of brilliant and enthusiastic coaches, the kids love it every week.

If interested in attending, please contact Mandy on 07583052726.

SEN sessions at the Owl Tree Community Nest. Children can run, climb, and explore in the larger hall with a soft play area.  They can also use the sensory room. Included is a reserved table in the main café for families with SEN children. For children aged 0-5, but older children are welcome.

Every other Friday: 1:30pm - 5:00pm

Every other Monday: 10:30am - 2:30pm

No need to book in advance. You can arrive and leave anytime between the times shown.