SEND support groups and events
Introduction
Looking after a child with special educational needs and/or disabilities can feel lonely and isolating at times. You can often feel that you are going through a maze of special educational needs and health assessments.
Life at home can be very difficult but also rewarding. It can be really good to talk with other parents and get advice from those who have been, or are going through, similar situations.
Local SEND support organisations and groups
Local support organisations include:
- ASD Helping Hands (opens new window) - support for families who have a child with an Autistic spectrum disorder
- Autism Anglia
- Norfolk SENDIASS (SEND information, advice and support service)
- Norfolk SEN Network
- Nansa (the Norfolk and Norwich SEND Association) (opens new window)
- West Norfolk Autism Group
Support groups are ideal:
- To meet other parents and carers in a similar situation
- For friendship and opportunities to socialise
- To share information
Find other local support groups
Search the Norfolk Community Directory
Contact, the national SEND charity, can also signpost you to local groups.
National SEND support organisations and groups
National support organisations include:
- Autism Central
- Contact - for families with a child who is disabled
- Carers Trust - for parent carers
- Carers UK - for parent carers
- Down's Syndrome UK
- IASS Network - information, advice and support services
- IPSEA - independent parental special educational advice
- MENCAP - for families with a child who has learning disabilities
- Mind - mental health charity
- National Autistic Society
- Nip in the Bud - films and fact sheets about mental health and neurodiversity
- Royal Society for Blind Children (RSBC)
Support groups are ideal
- To meet other parents and carers in a similar situation
- For friendship and opportunities to socialise
- To share information
Find other national support organisations and groups
Search the Norfolk Community Directory
Contact, the national SEND charity, can also signpost you to national groups.
Making Sense of SEND
Making Sense of SEND are free events for parents/carers who have a child with SEND. They are also for professionals who work with them.
Each event has between 15-20 information stands. They'll give you the chance to:
- Visit information stands to learn about local services and support
- Listen to a talk on a specialist subject
- Ask questions
- Share ideas
Next events
Morning event
- Date: Wednesday 8 July 2026
- Time: 10am-12pm
- Place: The Discovery Centre, Kings Lynn
- Talk: A talk with be available at the event
Go to Eventbrite to book your place
Examples of services that attend Making Sense of SEND
We (SEND Local Offer) will be there alongside:
- Norfolk SENDIASS - gives SEND information, advice and support to children, young people, and parent/carers
- Dyslexia Outreach Service - provide services to all schools and key stages. They offer advice and support, teaching strategies and inset training, as well as workshops and courses for parent carers.
- Kids - offer 1-1 support for parents, coffee and connect groups, mini workshops along with the Healthy Parent Programme and Riding the Rapids.
- Healthy Child Service, Cambridgeshire Community Services. - delivering ,0-19 Norfolk Healthy Child Service, Norfolk & Waveney Children's Speech and Language Services, Norfolk & Waveney Mental Health Support Teams (MHST) in schools and Norfolk & Waveney Access to Mental Health Advice & Support.
- Healthcare Transition at NNUH- provide support to young people with complex health needs as they transition from paediatrics to adult services.
- TITAN travel training - help young people with SEND get skills for safe independent travel
- Early Childhood and Family Service (ECFS) - together with the Community and Partnerships teams can offer you extra support to meet the individual needs of your family.
- Family Information Service- FIS gives information about local services and support for children including funded early education and childcare, home learning and related services in Norfolk
- Short Breaks - Provides young people aged 5-17 years with an enjoyable break away from their parent carers, while giving their parent carers a break from their caring responsibilities.
- Healthwatch Norfolk - making sure NHS leaders and other decision-makers hear your voice
- D.R.A.G.O.N.s -young people with disabilities who help ensure opportunities in Norfolk are accessible and that young people enjoy their services
- Nansa - Nansa provides specialist support for children, young people, and adults with SEND, along with their families.
- Supported internships - Information about Supported Internships for young people thinking of or already within Post 16 education.
- Family Voice Norfolk - Norfolk's parent/carer forum who work with families and service providers. They help improve outcomes for children and young people living with SEND.
- SEND Participation Team - works with youth groups and schools to give children and young people with SEND opportunities to get involved in activities and have their experiences and views heard. Runs the Article 12 participation group.
- Family hubs - Our Start for Life and family hubs approach supports parents and carers of children and young people from conception until they are 19-years-old. Supporting families with young people who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, until they are 25-years-old.
- School and Community Team - work with children and young people, families, teachers, and services within Norfolk to ensure that support is provided for children with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND).
- NHS Talking Therapies - Talking Therapies across Norfolk, with a particular focus on supporting Carers and individuals experiencing low to moderate anxiety or depression.
- Help You Choose - Help you choose is Norfolk County Council's careers guidance website for young people in Norfolk. With lots of impartial careers information, advice, upcoming events and opportunities in learning and work, young people can research all their post-16 and post-18 options. They can also search and apply online to Norfolk's sixth forms, colleges and other post-16 providers as well as to some providers in Cambridgeshire and Suffolk.
- Direct Payment Support Service - Provide a support service including customer services, welcome, employment support and payroll services to those that have a direct payment through children's and young people's Short Breaks.
Future events
- Saturday 3 October 2026, 11.30am-1.30pm (Hellesdon Community Centre)
- Thursday 19 November 2026, 10am-12noon (The Charles Burrell Centre, Thetford)
- Wednesday 20 January 2026, 12-2pm (Sheringham Community Centre)
SEND support events for families
We share information about support events for parents and carers of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities on our social media channels.
Facebook www.facebook.com/sendnorfolk
Other events you might be interested in
- SENsational families support groups (opens new window)
- Norfolk Portage Service fortnightly parent/carer group
- Autism Central coaching, one-to-one peer support, and group learning events
Our calendar of SEND parent/carers support events in Norfolk
Facebook SEND support groups
Parent carers told us they found these online groups useful:
- Disability Network Norfolk Group
- Parents of children with Down's Syndrome
- Slice of Advice support network for parents carers of children with Autism
Parents also mentioned they found Facebook pages of groups and organisations a useful source of information.
These are some of the Facebook pages mentioned:
- Autism Anglia
- Norfolk SENDIASS
- Norfolk SEND Local Offer
- Newbold Hope supports families of violent children who also have an additional need.
Contact workshops and events for families
Contact is a charity for families with disabled children that provides support through information and advice, a listening ear and workshops and events.
Find out about the range of workshops, information sessions and online events on offer, where you can meet families like yours.
KIDS 'Nurturing Anchors' workshops, courses and drop-ins
KIDS 'Nurturing Anchors' workshops, courses and drop-ins are available for Royal Navy and Royal Marines families who have a child with SEND.
These sessions offer safe and supportive spaces for sharing experiences, as well as insights and opportunities to find new strategies to support the unique challenges that military children with SEND face.
