Support Organisations: A to Z

We've put together an alphabetical list of support organisations, many of which we hope you will never need to use but in case you do...

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

• Dancing Eye Syndrome Support Trust
  Charity No 1060181 The trust offers telephone contact and a summer outing for families touched by Dancing Eye Syndrome.
  
• Day Care: BREAK
  BREAK provides residential and day care services for profoundly disabled children, adults and families with special needs.
  
• Deaf/Blind: DoH Deaf-Blind Website
  Information for deaf-blind children and adults.
  
• Deaf/Blind: SENSE
  Charity No 289868 Sense is the UK's leading organisation working for people with deafblindness and associated disabilities.
  
• Deaf: Birkdale School for Hearing Impaired Children
  Charity No 1003373 Merseyside school for young people.
  
• Deaf: British Deaf Association
  The largest national UK charity run by deaf people, for deaf people.
  
• Deaf: Hearing Concern 18-30 Plus
  Charity No 223322 Advice and information to young people and their families affected by hearing impairment.
  
• Deaf: National Deaf Children's Society
  Charity No 1016532 Advice and information on any aspect of childhood deafness and family support through a UK wide network of local groups.
  
• Deaf: Royal National Institute for the Deaf
  Charity No 207720. Working to ensure deafness and hearing loss are not barriers to opportunity and fulfilment.
  
• Deaf: Treacher Collins Family Support Group
  Charity No 1006300 Also covers First and Second Arch syndromes, Atresia of the Ear, and conditions combining conductive deafness with facial/head malformation.
  
• Deafness: Menière's Society
  Charity No 297246 Vertigo, tinnitus and deafness are symptoms of Ménière's disease.The society can help with information and support.
  
• deafPLUS
  Charity No 1073468 Founded upon the idea of self-help and committed to a policy of deaf/hearing integration.
  
• Degenerative Illness: Batten Disease Family Association
  Charity No 1084908 National network to support families, including mentor referral.
  
• Dementia: Alzheimer's Society
  Charity No 296645 The UK's leading care and research charity for people with all forms of dementia and their carers.
  
• Depression Alliance Online
  Depression Alliance is a UK charity offering help to people with depression, run by sufferers themselves.
  
• Depression: Anna Freud Centre
  UK charity, dedicated to improving the mental health of children locally, nationally and internationally.
  
• Depression: Association for Post-Natal Illness
  Support for mothers suffering from post-natal illness.
  
• Depression: British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy
  Useful FAQs and directory of UK counsellors in your area.
  
• Depression: Mind
  Charity No 219830 Promotes mental health throughout England and Wales, and works for a better life for everyone with experience of mental distress.
  
• Depression: NSF (Scotland)
  Charity No 13649 Support for people affected by mental illness including carers
  
• Depression: Obsessive Action
  The UK national organisation for people with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
  
• Depression: Obsessive-Compulsive Foundation (UK)
  International not-for-profit organization for people with OCD and related disorders, their families, friends, and professionals.
  
• Depression: Postnatal Depression Group
  Advises and supports women with post-natal depression and can put you in touch with local volunteers.
  
• Depression: Samaritans
  Confidential emotional support to anyone who is suicidal or despairing. Call 08457 90 90 90 (UK) or 1850 60 90 90 (Eire).
  
• Depression: Scottish Association for Mental Health
  Charity No SC008897 Offers a range of community based services throughout Scotland.
  
• Depression: Young Minds
  UK national charity committed to improving the mental health of all children and young people.
  
• Dept. of Health: Accidents
  Department of Health's pages on accidental injury,intended to act as a focal point for general information on this subject.
  
• Dept. of Health: Wired for Health
  Government health information website, primarily for teachers but full of useful info.
  
• Dept. of Transport: Road Safety
  Department for Transport - Road Safety
  
• Dept. of Transport: School Travel
  Department for Transport - School Travel
  
• Dept. of Work & Pensions: Benefits Agency
  The Benefits Agency (BA) website has merged with a new Department of Social Security (DSS) website.
  
• Dermatalogical Problems: Birthmark Support Group
  Charity No 1090952 Birthmark Support Groups offers help and information on vascular birthmarks.
  
• Dermatalogical Problems: Changing Faces
  Charity No 1011222 established in 1992. It provides information, support and advice to anyone with a disfigurement and their family.
  
• Dermatological Problems: Acne Support Group
  Providing support and advice for acne sufferers and relatives of sufferers.
  
• Dermatological Problems: Stop Spots
  Charity No 1026654, founded in 1992. The Group also supports those with Rosacea. It offers support to those affected and their families.
  
• Dermatological Problems: Vitiligo Society
  Charity No 1069607 Offers mutual support and understanding to affected persons.
  
• Developmental Delay: CHARGE
  Charity No 1042953, established in 1987. It offers support and advice to families of affected children and linking where possible.
  
• Developmental Disabilities: Autism Independent UK
  For increased awareness of autism, and information about diagnosis, assessment, education and treatment.
  
• Developmental Disabilities: Autismconnect
  Free, non-commercial service which aims to be the first port of call for anyone interested in finding up-to-date information about autism and related autistic spectrum disorders.
  
• DfES A-Level Guidelines
  Guidance for parents and students on the new advanced level qualifications that includes information on choosing a course, workload and examinations.
  
• DfES Childcare Link
  This site provides details of local childcare providers in England and Scotland as well as general information about childcare.
  
• DfES Choosing A School
  Arrangements for admissions are similar across the whole country, but they can differ quite a lot in some important points, including when and how you must apply for a school place.
  
• DfES Dads & Sons
  Aims to encourage Dads to get involved in their sons education.
  
• DfES Don't Suffer In Silence
  Packed with new ideas, practical techniques and the valuable experiences of those who have been bullied, or have even bullied others.
  
• Dfes Early Years
  Information on establishing and developing early years and childcare services & their implementation at local level by Early Years Development and Childcare Partnerships.
  
• DfES Higher Education
  Aims to provide information on a wide range of topics that students intending to enter higher education, their parents and advisers, will find useful in making effective decisions.
  
• DfES Learning & Skills
  Covers key providers such as further education and sixth form colleges, schools with sixth forms, local authority and adult education institutions and private and voluntary sector providers.
  
• DfES Need A Nanny?
  Employing a nanny is an important responsibility. Guidance and help is at hand.
  
• DfES Parents' Centre
  This site tells you about your child's education and how you can help.
  
• DfES Parents Online
  Lots of information and ideas to accompany the Parents Online internet initiative.
  
• DfES Performance Tables
  Find out the facts about your local schools.
  
• DfES Qualifications Info
  Information for parents, teachers, pupils, lecturers, students, employers and anyone with an interest in qualifications.
  
• DfES Reading
  A little reading goes a long way - helping with your children's reading.
  
• DfES Reading & Writing
  This website sets out some of the main things we know about how children learn to read and write & describes ways that reading and writing are taught in schools.
  
• DfES School Governors
  Information and discussion board for school governors.
  
• DfES Special Educational Needs
  Aims to provide a wide range of advice and materials for teachers, parents and others interested in or working with children with special educational needs.
  
• DfES Standards Site
  Suggestions on how to achieve effective partnership with parents and how best to manage and use your home-school agreement.
  
• DfES Student Support
  Information about the help that is available to students in England and Wales who want to go into Higher Education.
  
• Diabetes UK
  Charity No 215199 Confidential help and support service for people with diabetes, their carers and health care professionals.
  
• Diabetes: Nephrogenic Diabetes Insipidus/The Pituitary Foundation
  Charity No 1058968 The Pituitary Foundation offers help and and information on childhood diabetes and other endocrine disorders.
  
• Dialysis: British Kidney Patient Foundation
  Charity No 270288 This charity offers information on Nephronopthisis and other kidney diseases.
  
• Diet: Coeliac Society
  Charity No 1048167 Advice on coping with a special diet and has a network of regional support groups.
  
• Digestive Complaints: IBS Network
  Charity No 1057563 established in 1996. It offers support and education of those with IBS, their families and carers.
  
• Disabilities: British Council of Disabled People
  National umbrella organisation, democratically set up by disabled people themselves to represent their interests at the national level.
  
• Disabilities: AbilityNet
  Information and advice on any aspect of the use of a computer by someone with a disability.
  
• Disabilities: After 16 : what's new?
  Aimed at teenagers and young people in the UK who have an impairment or disability and are wondering what opportunities and services there should be when they leave school.
  
• Disabilities: AHEAD
  Independent voluntary organisation working to promote improved access for persons with disabilities to 3rd Level Education in Ireland.
  
• Disabilities: Care Choices Online
  Site contains a searchable database of care homes, details of which also appear in the printed 'Care Homes Directory'.
  
• Disabilities: Carers
  This web-site is part of making good the Government's commitment in 'Caring about Carers'.
  
• Disabilities: Carers UK
  Charity No 246329 Providing support for carers throughout the UK.
  
• Disabilities: Contact-a-Family
  Helping families who care for children with any disability or special need
  
• Disabilities: Council for Disabled Children
  Promotes collaborative work between organisations providing services and support for children with disabilities and special educational needs.
  
• Disabilities: DaRT Transport for the Disabled
  DaRT has been campaigning to make public transport accessible to disabled people since1991.
  
• Disabilities: Family Fund Trust
  The Family Fund Trust's aim is to ease the stress on families in the UK who care for severely disabled children under 16.
  
• Disabilities: Motability
  Motability is a national UK charity, which helps disabled people and their families to become more mobile.
  
• Disability Challengers
  Charity No 28549 Stimulating communication skills in children with physical disabilities or leaning problems.
  
• Disability Living Allowance: Benefits Agency
  The Benefits Agency (BA) website has merged with a new Department of Social Security (DSS) website.
  
• Disability Net
  Disability Net is an internet-based disability information and news services.
  
• Disability Rights Commission
  The Disability Rights Commission (DRC) is an independent body set up by the Government to help secure civil rights for disabled people.
  
• Discrimination: 1990 Trust
  UK race relations charity.
  
• Discrimination: Britkid
  Website about race, racism, and life - as seen through the eyes of the Britkids.
  
• Divorce/Separation: Relate
  Providing counselling, sex therapy, relationship education and training to support couple and family relationships throughout life.
  
• Divorced Parents: Gingerbread
  Support organisation for lone parent families in England and Wales. Advice Line 0800 018 4318 Open 10am - 4pm Monday - Friday
  
• Divorced parents: National Council for One Parent Families
  Promotes the welfare of lone parents and their children and aims to overcome the poverty, isolation and social exclusion which many may face.
  
• Divorced Parents: Parents At Work
  Parents At Work is a national charity committed to the welfare of children of working parents.
  
• Doh Adoption Site
  For anyone involved or interested in adoption. It relates to adoption in England but laws governing adoption in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are very similar.
  
• DoH Child Migrants
  Child migrants information.
  
• DoH Children's Trust
  Children's Trusts will enable local partners to jointly plan, commission, finance and deliver services for children.
  
• DoH Community Equipment Services
  General background on community equipment services.
  
• DoH Deaf-Blind Website
  Information for deaf-blind children and adults.
  
• Downloads: Adobe Acrobat PDF
  Free download
  
• Down Syndrome Educational Trust
  UK-based charity that works to advance the development and education of individuals with Down syndrome worldwide.
  
• Down's Syndrome Association
  Charity No 265812 Supporting parents and carers of people with Down's Syndrome and improve the lives of people with the condition.
  
• Down's Syndrome Scotland
  Charity No SC011012 Support and counselling for parents through individual members and local groups, especially in the early days.
  
• Drinking: Al-Anon
  Family groups providing support for anyone whose life is, or has been, affected by someone else’s drinking.
  
• Drinking: Alcohol Concern
  National agency on alcohol misuse.
  
• Drinking: Alcohol Problems Advisory Service
  Working to reduce the harm alcohol causes to individuals, families and the communities they live in.
  
• Drinking: Alcoholics Anonymous
  Fellowship of men and women who have lost the ability to control their drinking, offering help and support.
  
• Drop-In Centres: Cardinal Hume Centre
  Charity No 1090836 Housing and counselling for 16-25 year olds and drop in centres for mothers with young children.
  
• Drug Abuse: Drugscope
  The UK's leading centre of expertise on drugs, aiming to inform policy development and reduce drug-related risk.
  
• Drug Abuse: European Association for the Treatment of Addiction (UK)
  The European Association for the Treatment of Addiction (UK) is an independent charity, which aims to help ensure that people who are dependent on drugs or alcohol get timely access to the treatment they need.
  
• Drug Abuse: Trashed
  Drug information: about, origins, effects, the law, composition, emergency and risks (NHS Promotion site).
  
• DSS: Benefits Agency
  The Benefits Agency (BA) website has merged with a new Department of Social Security (DSS) website.
  
• Dyslexia in Scotland
  Charity No SC000951 Advice, information and support to dyslexic people, their families, and professionals with an interest in dyslexia.
  
• Dyslexia Institute
  Charity No 268502. It offers assessments to identify dyslexia in children and adults and specialised multisensory teaching for all ages.
  
• Dyslexia: British Dyslexia Association
  Charity No 289243. Advice, information and help. Working to raise awareness and understanding of dyslexia.
  
• Dyspraxia Foundation
  Charity No 1058352 Offering support and information to dyspraxia sufferers and their families.
  
• Dystonia Society
  Charity No 1062595 This trust offers contact between affected individuals through local self help groups and area contacts in the UK and RoI.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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