Education and employment

ACE (Advisory Centre for Education) - Tel: 020 7704 3370 (Admin only) Advice Line: 0808 800 5793 Exclusion Line: 0808 800 0327 Email: enquiries@ace-ed.org.uk Website: www.ace-ed.org.uk Gives independent advice on education. Extremely helpful regarding parents’ rights and current legislation. Publishes good booklets, particularly on the Statementing process.

Ace Centre Advisory Trust (Aiding Communication in Education) - Tel: 01865 759800 Email: info@ace-centre.org.uk Website: www.ace-centre.org.uk Assessment, advice and information for young people in education who have communication difficulties. Good leaflets.

CSIE (Centre for Studies in Integration in Education) - Tel: 0117 328 4007 Email: admin@csie.org.uk Website: www.csie.org.uk Works towards inclusion in education. Free advice service on all aspects of legislation and practice relating to ending segregation.

Department for Children, Schools and Families - Tel: 0870 000 22 88 Website: www.education.gov.uk/

Employment Opportunities for People with Disabilities - Email: info@eopps.org Website: www.opportunities.org.uk Part of national employment charity, Shaw Trust, dedicated to creating routes into employment for people with disabilities. Regional centres offer practical help with training and advice on searches, CVs, application forms and interviews.

IPSEA (Independent Panel for Special Education Advice) Tel/Fax (Admin): 01394 380 518 Advice Line: 0800 018 4016 Tribunal appeals: 01394 384711 Website: www.ipsea.org.uk Charity offering independent advice for parents on the Special Educational Needs of their children. Its services include support and representation in appeals to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal.

National Parent Partnership Services - Website: www.parentpartnership.org.uk Local services that offer information, advice and support for parents/carers of children and young people with SEN, and can put parents in touch with other local organisations. PPS’s also have a role in making sure that parent’s views are heard and understood and that these views inform local policy and practice. Some parent partnerships are based in the voluntary sector, although most are based in their LA or Children’s Trust. However all parent partnerships are at ‘arm’s length’ from the LA, and are able to provide impartial advice and support to parents. A link on the home page leads to information on services around the UK.

NASEN (National Association for Special Educational Needs) - Tel: 01827 311500 Email: welcome@nasen.org.uk Website: www.nasen.org.uk Promotes development of children with special educational needs; good publications. Branches throughout UK.

National Union of Students - Website: http://www.nus.org.uk/ Most student unions in universities and colleges have a welfare department or welfare officer who can give advice about benefits and provide help with calculations.

Network ‘81 - Helpline: 0845 077 4055 (Mon-Fri 10-1) Email: network81@btconnect.com Website: www.network81.co.uk Umbrella organisation with over 60 affiliated groups who support parents of children with special needs.

The PACE Centre - Tel: 01296 392923 Email: info@thepacecentre.org Website: www.thepacecentre.org Organisation offering Conductive Education programmes which incorporate all daily living activities and address the needs of the whole child.

Papworth Trust - Tel: 01480 357200 Email: employment@papworth.org.uk rehabilitation@papworth.org.uk housing@papworth.org.uk Website: www.papworth.org.uk The trust provides support and advice for disabled people mainly in the East of England. Services focus on employment, vocational rehabilitation, housing, personal support and learning for life and work.

Parents For Inclusion - Tel: 020 7738 3888 Helpline: 0800 652 3145 Email: info@parentsforinclusion.org Website: www.parentsforinclusion.org Registered charity set up by parents to help parents so that disabled children can learn, make friends and have a voice in ordinary schools and throughout life.

Parents Centre - Website: www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/index.htm Information and support for parents on how to help with your child’s learning, including advice on choosing a school and finding childcare. Good section under Education and Learning on special needs and disability.

Positive about Disability scheme Website: www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/Employmentsupport/LookingForWork/DG_... This is a register of employers who welcome applications from disabled people and are positive about their abilities. For example, they promise to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for a job vacancy and to take action to promote disability awareness in all their employees. Registered employers, who include all government departments and many local authorities, display the scheme’s ‘Two Ticks’ symbol on their application forms. Your local Jobcentre Plus will have lists of local employers who are part of the scheme.

Rathbone - Tel: 0800 731 5321 Website: www.rathboneuk.org A UK-wide voluntary youth sector organisation providing opportunities for young people to re-engage with learning, discovering their ability to succeed and achieving progression to further education, training and employment

Scope - Website: www.scope.org.uk/work/employment Scope service to help disabled people into work

Skill - Tel: 020 7450 0620 Helpline: 0800 328 5050 Email: info@skill.org.uk Website: www.skill.org.uk National Bureau for students with disabilities promoting opportunities for young people and adults with any kind of impairment in post-16 education, training and employment. A range of information booklets and publications are available in different formats.

Treloar's School and College - Tel: 01420 526526 Website: www.treloar.org.uk Provides education, therapy, care and independence training for young people with disabilities aged 9-16+.

A Transition guide for all services Website: www.transitionnetwork.org.uk or www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/ Written for professionals but useful if you can wade through it.

Scotland has its own education system which differs in many respects from the rest of the UK. Here are two useful addresses:

Enquire - Helpline: 0845 123 2303 Email: info@enquire.org.uk Website: www.enquire.org.uk Scottish advice service for additional support for learning. Publishes downloadable parents’ guide to ASL and various useful factsheets.

Learning and Teaching Scotland Tel: 08700 100 297 Email: enquiries@LTScotland.org.uk Website: www.ltscotland.org.uk Government funded organisation for curriculum development in Scotland. LTS provides advice, support, resources and staff development to the education community. Includes parentzone.