Children’s Universal Support for Neurodiversity

Support in North East Essex for SEND children

This page is to signpost parents to all of the help and support that can be found in North East Essex for SEND children and young people between 5 and 18.

All of the services on this page are the ‘Universal’ SEND support which is available to any child, young person, or family. You can use them at any time regardless of whether your child’s referral has been accepted or not and regardless of whether they are diagnosed or not with Autism, ADHD, Dyspraxia, or a Learning Difficulty.

If your child has been accepted for assessment, are waiting or they are already diagnosed, you can also access the commissioned services in addition to the universal offers by visiting the Support for neuro-developmental disorders page on our website

HCRG ND Pathway Co-ordinators

This organisation is the first contact available to everyone, whether they have been diagnosed or accepted for assessment or not.

Neurodevelopmental Pathway – North East Essex – Essex Child and Family (Opens in a new window)

Have you found it difficult to navigate different services and access the right support for you and your child?

Have you been waiting for an assessment and do not know where to get support in the meantime?

NHS – Neurodevelopmental pathway – North East Essex

The Neurodevelopment Pathway Coordinator service provides telephone support to Children and Young People up to the age of 25 with a suspected or diagnosed Neurodevelopmental condition and their families.

The support from the team is focussed around understanding and supporting individual needs, providing consistent individualised information, resources, and support around Autism, ADHD, Sensory differences and support in education. The team can help in understanding and accessing other local commissioned SEND support services.

• HCRG offer support for families, children and young people up to the age of 25 living within North East Essex (Colchester and Tendring) living with neurodiversity
• Telephone based service that helps families understand their diagnosis or want to know what they can expect from an assessment or professional appointments. The team can provide information, refer and signpost to services that specifically meet an individual’s need.
• The service also accept referrals from education, GP and social care colleagues, in addition to families and young people directly.
• The coordinators are available Monday to Friday from 9:00am to 5:00pm (excluding public holidays)

Essex Local Offer Roadshows

These are excellent opportunities to go and speak in person to representatives from many different SEND North East Essex support groups. Your child does not need to be on a waiting list or have a diagnosis for you to come and get helpful advice.

Send – Essex local offer roadshow website (Opens in a new window)

The Essex SEND Local Offer

The Local Offer gives information about support available in Essex for children and young people aged between 0 to 25, with Special Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

You can use the Local Offer to:

• understand what to do if you are new to SEND
• browse for local support such as support groups, fun activities or specialist healthcare
• find out what to do in a complex situation, for example if you need to appeal a decision
• get advice for young adults with SEND, such as housing and employment support

Send Essex website (Opens in a new window)

The Padlet website

We recommend this site for understanding ADHD, Autism and other Neurodiverse conditions in Small Bites. It is like a ‘one-stop shop’ that offers a really comprehensive collection of psychoeducational resources about several neurodiverse conditions (ADHD, ASD, DCD, Tics and Tourette, Dyslexia etc) and associated difficulties (behaviour, sleep, mental health, sensory differences etc).

These resources can be downloaded or viewed online from single web links. These are user-friendly and include leaflets, guides, videos, apps, online courses, workshops and support groups.

View the resources on the Padlet website (Opens in a new window)

Essex Family Forum

Essex Family Forum website (Opens in a new window)

Supporting your Neurodiverse child – resource pack

Supporting Your Neurodiverse Child is a pack that is available to all parents and carers. The pack has information about Neurodiversity and the process of how it is diagnosed. There is information about support for your child at school, your child’s sensory needs and emotional regulation.

You can download the pack from the Essex Family Forum website, or you can make a request for a paper copy to be delivered to you via the above link.

Sensory awareness toolkit

Guidance to help education providers, SENCOs, parents and carers and others understand children’s sensory behaviours and how to support them.

Essex County Council SEND advice and guidance (Opens in a new window)

Talking to your child about Autism

If you or your child have recently been diagnosed with autism, you may be wondering how to talk about this with family and friends. Here are some tips and resources that can help you to start a conversation.

Autism Central – Talking about a diagnosis (Opens in a new window)

Guidance on SLEEP for Autistic children

In this guide we look at the reasons why autistic children can have difficulty sleeping and suggest what you can do to help.

The National Autistic Society guide for parents around sleep and autism:
The National Autistic Society guide for parents around sleep and autism (Opens in a new window)

Cerebra sleep advice service and sleep tips booklet
Cerebra- Sleep Advice Service and Sleep Tips booklet (Opens in a new window)

A sleep guide which provides detailed information on how you can tackle issues to improve your family’s sleep and advice on dealing with specific sleep problems.

Autism Anglia (East Anglia)

Supporting families with autistic children to navigate clinical and non-clinical services, including diagnosis, health, educational, social, and financial support.

Autism Anglia website (Opens in a new window)

EXTRA – Support for families (Tendring)

A rolling programme for parents/carers whose children are undertaking or waiting for counselling.

EXTRA aims to help parents/carers develop their skills to bring out the best in their children. The skills aim to reduce conflict in the home and improve family relationships. The skills will help to build confidence and emotional wellbeing to cope with future challenges. EXTRA offers a range of courses and workshops in SEND. This includes their SWAN (Support With Additional Needs) course and an ADHD workshop termly. All courses and workshops are free to attend.

EXTRA support for families website (Opens in a new window.)

SEND Information advice and support service (SEND IASS)

We provide free, confidential and impartial information, advice and support about Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) for children and young people (0-25), parents and carers.

Share your experiences via the online Graffiti Wall on the website.

SEND information advice and support service website (Opens in a new window)

Families in focus (Essex)

Providing advice, support, and information to families with SEND children on education, disability benefits and other areas of support.

Delivering weekend activity clubs in Colchester and Chelmsford for SEND children and their siblings.

Families in Focus website (Opens in a new window).

Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health Early Support in Colchester and Tendring

Southend, Essex and Thurrock Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (SET CAMHS)

Some children may experience co-existing mental health challenges such as anxiety, or low mood. Self-referrals can be made to SET CAMHS service via their website.

Southend, Essex and Thurrock (SET) CAMHS | NELFT NHS Foundation Trust (Opens in a new window)

Tendring Families First

A range of therapeutic and creative interventions for children aged 5-11 years to self-manage mental wellbeing.

Tendring Families First website (Opens in a new window).

Essex Wildlife Trust (North East Essex)

A Wild Wellbeing programme, with mental health support through positive wellbeing activities outdoors.

Essex Wildlife Trust website (Opens in a new window).

Home Start (Tendring)

Pop up groups to support vulnerable children 0-11 years and their parents.

Home Start website (Opens in a new window)

InterAct (North East Essex)

Early intervention and personalised support service for parents and carers of children and young people with any disability and/or additional needs.

InterAct website (Opens in a new window).

Kids Inspire (Colchester)

Talk Together provides tailored support from early intervention to complex and extremely complex needs for 0-18, up to 25 with SEND, and their families.

Kids Inspire website (Opens in a new window).