Family Fund supports families living across the UK who are who are raising a disabled or seriously ill child or young person up to the age of 17. Our support is focused on those on low incomes with a child/children who have a high level of additional support needs.

At Family Fund, we believe that all families raising disabled or seriously ill children and young people should have the same choices, quality of life, opportunities and aspirations as other families.

Children Today helps provide specialised equipment for children and young people with disabilities throughout the UK. The aim is to ensure that every disabled child and young person fulfils their potential and leads an active childhood.

We believe the provision of specialised equipment has a direct and immediate impact on a child’s quality of life and independence, and is vital in helping them to overcome obstacles and achieve their potential. Equipment can include wheelchairs, walking frames, tricycles and other mobility aids along with multi-sensory equipment.

The Access Fund is a grant to help disabled children and young people to participate in activities in their local community.  This can be any daytime, evening or weekend activity that the child or young person enjoys whilst their parent/carer has a break from caring.   The Access Fund seeks to support children and young people to take part in inclusive activities alongside their non- disabled peers.

Max Card is issued by North East Local Authority specialist teams to children in care, and children and young people with additional needs.

Max Card offers these children and their families or carers free or discounted entry into many museums, galleries and heritage attractions across the North East.

Just show your Max Card at the entrance and you will get in for free or at the Max Card discounted rate – see the venues page for a full list of venues offering discounts.

Residents of Karbon Housing can get specialist advice on welfare benefits, money advice, home energy or help finding work or training. Whether one off advice or the help of a dedicated caseworker is needed, Karbon’s dedicated team of expert advisers can help.

To self refer, you can email moneymatters@karbonhomes.co.uk, fill in a quick online form https://www.karbonhomes.co.uk/customer-area/my-money or phone 0808 164 0111 

Rays of Sunshine Children's Charity exists to grant the wishes of children who are living with serious or life-threatening illnesses between the ages of 3-18 who live in the United Kingdom.

Our dedicated wish team responds to all wish applications within two weeks. We do not operate a waiting list, but give every wish our immediate attention.

With your help they and their families can experience the joy and excitement of doing something they've only ever dreamt of before.

Help us turn wishes into happy memories.

Disability North is a registered charity (no. 514733) promoting inclusion, independence and choice for disabled people and their families by providing information, advice and support on any aspect of disability. Services are also provided for students or professionals working in the statutory, voluntary and the public sector.

Thomas Bewick School is a special school within Prosper Learning Trust in Newcastle upon Tyne. It is for children and young people between three and nineteen years with autistic spectrum conditions. All pupils have a Statement of Special Educational Needs/ Education Health and Care Plan or are in the assessment process. They have a range of learning difficulties; some will require a high level of adult support to access the curriculum, whilst others achieve close to age-related expectations in some areas.

Hadrian is a school for primary aged children with a wide range of additional needs including complex, profound and multiple learning disabilities, severe and moderate learning difficulties, speech and language needs, physical, perceptual and sensory needs. We help all our children overcome their personal difficulties through highly trained and expert specialist teaching, through our amazing therapeutic curriculum and resources and our partnership work with parents/carers and health professionals.

Fortune College, part of The Fortune Centre Of Riding Therapy, is a specialist college for young people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities aged 16-25. The college’s Further Education Through Horsemanship (FETH) Course offers an educational residential/day programme, working with horses, that prepares young people with learning disabilities to live as independently as possible and participate in their local community.

Treloar School and College offers physically disabled children and young people a specialist environment where education and learning take place alongside therapy and care.  Treloar’s offers day and residential placements, aged 2 to 25 years.  Each student is supported by a multi-disciplinary team of professionals on-site.

The Mulberry Bush School is an acclaimed therapeutic residential special school for children with severe social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. These are children who have suffered early trauma, neglect and abuse and their behaviours are often very high risk, chaotic, aggressive and/or sexualised.

Based in Stockton, Sunderland and Newcastle, the College provides day and residential education for young people between the ages of 16 and 25 years with an autism spectrum condition (ASC). Students come from across the country to access this specialist provision that enables them to achieve their personal ambitions.

The majority of our students have additional and complex needs including learning disabilities, ADHD, mental health conditions, behaviours that challenge and sensory issues.

Newcastle Bridges School is a multi-site alternative provision academy within Prosper Learning Trust which provides education to pupils from ages 2-19. NBS predominantly serves children in the city of Newcastle but also those children and young people referred into hospital or mental health provisions from regional and national services, and some young people from outside of the authority. The school provides excellent educational opportunities to pupils whose education has been interrupted by mental or physical ill-health, school phobia.

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. 

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.