Supporting your Independence

We provide a range of information, advice and support services relating to all aspects of disability. Our quality advice and support is free*, confidential and impartial. We also work to support carers and those working within the health and social care system.

Click here to find out more: Independent Living – Disability North

*There is a charge for some of our Direct Payment/payroll Support Services

Our vital service is available at no cost to families. Rainbow Trust is a charity, relying almost entirely on voluntary donations and the generosity of the public to deliver support.

Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity supports families who have a child aged 0-18 years with a life-threatening or terminal illness.

We are a warm, caring and kind place because:

• We offer small group work and activities
• Parents/carers can discuss individual needs prior to visiting

The children and young people’s clinic cares for children and young people with a range of genital conditions. We also see children and young people with concerns about sexual abuse. 

Children and young people can be referred to our care by their GP or a doctor from another hospital. The Police or Children’s Services also refer children and young people to our service.

We are one of only two centres in the UK dedicated to treating children with immune system deficiencies.

Our pioneering new treatments enable children to lead normal, healthy lives free of all medication.

Part of the children’s immunology service, we are recognised as one of the leading clinical research units in Europe for children’s immunology and infectious diseases.

This includes Severe Combined Immune Deficiency Syndrome (SCIDS) and bone marrow transplants. 

The children and young people’s haematology and oncology service, cares for children and young people under the age of 21 who have cancer, leukaemia and other related diseases. 

Our department is one of the largest, most advanced in the UK, providing a comprehensive range of leading edge oncology services, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery.

We are the Regional Treatment Centre for all of the Northern region, treating patients from Teesside to Newcastle, and Northumberland to Cumbria.

Our children’s community nursing service provides specialist care for children and young people up to the age of 19 years.

We aim to help you and your child to lead a fulfilling everyday life. We work to keep hospital admissions to a minimum by providing modern nursing care and support for your child and family in your own home.

This can include:

The children’s dentistry team provide specialist oral healthcare for children from birth to sixteen years of age.

Children and young people need different approaches to improve their oral health: We

Newcastle’s children’s emergency department (A&E) is at the Royal Victoria Infirmary

We have a specially designed area for children and young people who need immediate care for every kind of injury and illness you can think of.

The children’s ear, nose and throat (ENT) service is for young patients, from newborn to 16 years old.

Conditions we treat

We provide services to treat common childhood ENT complaints such as:

• persistently runny or blocked noses
• breathing problems
• throat infections
• nasal speech
• snoring.

This might include procedures such as:

We are a registered charity set up in 1990 in Newcastle upon Tyne, at a time when the North East had the worst levels of child health in the country (Government report Health of the Nation 1990).

Our children’s gastroenterology and nutrition unit cares for children with disorders of the gut, liver and pancreas, as well as children with nutritional problems.

Based at the Great North Children’s Hospital, our team includes:

• expert consultants
• specialist dieticians
• paediatric pharmacists
• highly-trained paediatric nurses.

We provide a wide range of diagnostic and treatment services for children from across northern England.

CHIPS is a specialist service designed to provide expert palliative care support for babies, children and young people with serious and life-threatening conditions and their families.

The service works alongside the other clinical teams who are caring for them.

CHIPS is a regional service supporting babies, children and young people across the North East and north Cumbria.

Learning for Life is a registered charity and Northeast provider of education and social care services for children and adults aged 16 plus who have a diverse range of complex needs and disabilities. 

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.

The Lawnmowers is a theatre-arts company in Gateshead run by and for people with learning difficulties. Founded in 1986, it became an independent company in 2000 to promote community cohesion. The Lawnmowers has produced 14 full shows, hundreds of performances, workshops, films, TV appearances, and accessible information.

Our Tuesday Club is for young people with disabilities. They can stay active, make friends, and have fun. It helps them feel less alone and happier.

The club runs for two hours. There are sports and games for everyone. There is also a quiet area for relaxing.

A healthy tea is given at the club. This helps everyone stay healthy and feel good.

If interested email Hannah@smileforlife.org.uk 

Youth Link Newcastle is for young people living with a disability or additional needs. It matches young people to a peer mentor.  They can help with working towards a goal and overcoming challenges. 

The service is available to young people living in a Newcastle Postcode, aged from 11 to 18.

Some examples of how a peer mentor could help you include:

Specialist Rehabilitation Services

The Children’s Trust is the UK’s leading charity for children with brain injury and neurodisability. We deliver rehabilitation, education and community services through skilled teams who work with children and young people, and their families.

Designability is a national charity that enables disabled people to live with greater independence.

Introducing Wizzybug!

Wizzybug is a fun, innovative powered wheelchair provided FREE of charge to young children in the UK by Designability, a charity based in Bath.

Who is Wizzybug designed for?

Be kind to your mind

There are small things we can all do to help be kind to your mind, and these can make a big difference to how we feel.

Get expert advice and practical tips to help you look after your mental wellbeing and make them part of your daily routine.

Newcastle Vision Support, formerly Newcastle Society for Blind People, was first established in 1867 and has been supporting visually impaired and blind people in Newcastle for 150 years.

Click offers relationship support for help with building trust, parenting together or apart, support children with additional needs, sex and intimacy, recovering from lies, or cheating, break ups and much more.

Our relationships affect every aspect of our lives. To learn how to make yours work better, create a free account – share questions and stories with the community, try fun and helpful activities, or get private support from a Click listener.

This May Help, is a new national initiative providing mental health advice to parents and carers. This May Help is aimed at parents and carers who may have concerns about their child’s mental health and is part funded by the Quality Improvement Taskforce for Children and Young People’s Mental Health, Learning Disability and Autism Inpatient Services.

Newcastle Trampoline Park and Gym is located in the west end of Newcastle, providing excellent sport and leisure facilities for the local community.   As well as a great gym which features a great range of Technogym equipment, we have a separate women only gym and the studios offer a great choice of fitness classes including Group Cycling. With new Technogym bikes recently added come along and give them a try. For children the centre boasts one of the newest Soft Play structures in Newcastle.

In the heart of Byker, this is one of the newest gyms in Newcastle, the 70+ station gym features the latest Technogym equipment. We have recently extended our Strength area and added a range of Hammer Strength machines. We have a large studio offering an extensive fitness class programme including Group Cycle, Power Pump, Yoga and much more. We also have a virtual studio where you can enjoy hundreds of classes on demand. There's two great swimming pools. A 25m pool for casual and lane swimming and a teaching pool which is home to the Better Swim School.