Navigating the wide range of support services available for your child can feel overwhelming, but knowing what’s out there can make a big difference. Many organisations and community services offer specialist advice, practical help, and emotional support for both children and families. This section outlines key services and support organisations that may be helpful.

Please note that these are run by third-party organisations and we do not monitor their content and  are not responsible for the advice and guidance that is given.

Local offers

All councils publish a local offer outlining the support and services available for children and young people aged 0 to 25 with special educational needs or disabilities, as well as their families. On these sites you will find information on education, health, social care, training, employment, and independent living and other support services in your local area.        

Parent Carer Forums

Parent Carer Forums are parent-led, independent groups that give families of children and young people with SEND a voice in shaping local services, while also offering information, advice, and support. They provide a welcoming space for parents and carers to connect, share experiences, and ensure services in the area meet the needs of their children.

Other parent peer support

Learning Disability Network London run a Family Support Service that provides support for parents and carers of children or adults with disabilities or learning disability. They run free support sessions on a variety of topics including positive psychology, positive parenting techniques, behaviour, fraud awareness, yoga and emotional regulation. They also operate a grant scheme, The Alice Gestetner fund, which makes small grants on a regular basis to families and people with learning disabilities. The grant can be used for essential items such as beds, refrigerators and washing machines. It can also be used for contributions towards holidays and electronics.

They organise the Early Bird Parent training, developed by the National Autistic Society. It is a six week course designed to support parents after their child receives an autism diagnosis. They also offer one to one parent support sessions for families living in Westminster or Kensington & Chelsea. 

Midaye supports migrant communities living in West London who do not speak English as a first language. They run weekly Special Needs Parents’ Empowerment groups in both Arabic and Somali. They also provide advice, information, case management, counselling and other support groups for parents, children and young people, parent and carer champions and health advocacy. 

Family Hubs

Family Hubs are local centres that provide joined-up support for families, from pregnancy through to 19  (or 25 if they have special educational needs or disabilities). They bring together a range of services—such as health, parenting, mental health, and financial advice—under one roof, offering accessible and tailored help based on community needs. Find out about services and activities at your nearest Family Hub or Children’s Centre by clicking on the links below.

Ordinarily Available Provision

Ordinarily Available Provision (OAP) refers to the support and resources that mainstream schools, early years settings, and post-16 settings are expected to provide for all learners, including those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), using their own funding and resources.

Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster have co-produced a SEND Ordinarily Available Provision document with parents, carers, teachers, SENCOs, and other stakeholders to help schools reflect on and improve inclusive provision for all children and young people, including those with SEND. It sets clear expectations for inclusion, promotes consistency across the local area, and emphasises respecting families’ rights, responsibilities, and cultural contexts.

Hammersmith and Fulham has also produced a guide on Ordinary Available Provision which explains the support available for children and young people with SEND who do not have an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan in early years settings, schools, and colleges. It aims to promote inclusive practices so children with SEND can attend their local setting or school in line with their and their families’ wishes.

Other local services

The Bi-borough Short Breaks Parenting Programme offers a wide range of parenting support groups and training for parent/carers in Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster.

The Bi-Borough Inclusion Service offers specialist educational support for children and young people aged 0–25 with a wide range of SEND needs, working collaboratively with families, schools, and other professionals. The service includes the Autism Advisory Team, Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) Advisory Teachers, SEN Occupational Therapists, and the Sensory Support Teams. A training programme for parents is offered across the year consisting of in-person and online events.

The Bi-borough Autism Advisory Service is part of the Bi-borough Inclusion Service and supports children and young people with a diagnosis of autism in educational settings across Westminster and Kensington & Chelsea, including state-maintained and some independent nurseries and schools. The team provides tailored advice and support to schools and parents to help children with autism to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally in mainstream settings.

The Inclusion and Specialist Intervention Outreach Service (INSPIRE) offers specialist interventions, assessments, and tailored support for children and young people with SEND in Hammersmith and Fulham—particularly those with hearing or visual impairments, autism, dyslexia, or significant developmental delays—working closely with families from early identification through their education. The team also provides customised training for professionals and parents, collaborates with health and social care services, and advises on specialist equipment to foster independence and improve outcomes.

Woodfield Road Clinical Psychology Team have collated information for families of school-age children who are awaiting assessment / have been assessed at the Woodfield Road Child Development Service. The guide lists many resources that are available across Kensington & Chelsea provided by health, education, social care and the voluntary sector.

Ambitious about Autism has developed a Parent toolkit  which contains a wealth of straightforward information in one place to guide parents and carers through their child’s journey in the early years. From the autism assessment process to the first day of school, this toolkit is packed with practical tips and checklists to support parents during the earliest years of their child’s life. It also provides signposts to sources of support or additional information.

Cerebra supports parents and carers of children with brain conditions by providing up-to-date guides, factsheets, and resources covering physical, social, and legal issues. Their services include a Sleep Advice Service, a book and toy library, and the Cerebra Innovation Centre, which creates practical solutions to everyday challenges. They also run LEaP, an innovative problem-solving project that works alongside their Legal Advice Service to help families navigate complex issues.

Challenging Behaviour Foundation provide information to help understand challenging behaviour and guidance on positive behaviour support. Their Family Support Workers offer individual support and information over the phone and by email and they run workshops for parents.

Contact provide information, advice and support to families of children with disabilities. Contact also have an online shop, Fledglings, selling adaptive clothing and tools and sensory aids.  Contact, together with Autism Central’s London Autism Hub have created a free telephone support service,

Contact and Autism Central 1-2-1 Telephone Support Line.  You can request a 30 minute call with someone who has lived experience of autism who will listen, provide guidance and share resources. No diagnosis is needed and it is open to anyone supporting an autistic person in London. They also offer the Listening Ear service where parents can book a 1-1 telephone call if they are in need of emotional support. The service is run by parent advisors who are all- Listening Ear team are all parents of children and young people with disabilities. 

Down’s Syndrome Association provide information, support and training to individuals with Down's syndrome, their friends, family and carers and the professionals who work with them. They have an online helpline for people who have Down’s Syndrome and their families and also run a Workfit programme to support people who have Down’s Syndrome into work opportunities.

Family Fund provides grants to low-income families for essential items such as appliances, clothing, furniture, and play equipment. It also offers guidance and workshops to support families with budgeting, mental health, wellbeing, and digital skills.

Mencap is a learning disability charity that works to improve the lives of people with a learning disability and their families. They offer a range of support services, information, and advice. They also run a local group in Hammersmith and Fulham.

Meru is a charity that creates unique, assistive products for disabled children and young people. MERU offer a switch toy adaptation service where families can send in one interactive toy at a time to be adapted for use with switches. This service is offered free across the UK, with a flat rate £10 charge made to cover return postage costs.

National Autistic Society provide advice and guidance to autistic people and their families. They run the a series of parent support programmes including:  EarlyBird (under 6 years), EarlyBird Plus (ages five to ten years) and Teen Life (ages 10 to 16 years) that aim to empower parents to develop their understanding of autism and to explore a range of supportive approaches for a wide variety of situations and experiences. They also have free resources for autistic young people such as videos, guides, and personal stories to help understand autism.

Scope provide information and support to disabled people and their families online and via a helpline on a range of topics including benefits, finance, social care, work, equipment and assistive technology, housing and home adaptations.  

Whizzkidz creates opportunities for young wheelchair users to get the equipment, skills, and confidence to go further through supporting the provision of wheelchairs and other related equipment, running wheelchair skills courses and organising social events for children and young people who use wheelchairs.

OT Mom Learning Activities
OT advice / resources on fine motor, gross motor, visual perception and coordination skills for parents to use at home

My OT and Me
Series of videos demonstrating sensory and gross motor activities as well as breaking down daily tasks

The OT Toolbox 
Blogs and free (and paid) resources and ideas across all OT related topics
Toolboxes for OTs / teachers and parents 
https://www.theottoolbox.com/

Therapy Fun Zone 
Blogs and free (and paid) resources and ideas across all OT related topics
Also suitable for teachers and other professionals working with children.