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
SENsational families - for families with a child with SEND
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:

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)
SWAN UK (Syndromes Without a Name) - for families with a child with a rare genetic condition

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 event

Theme: My learning and development
Date: Wednesday 19 March 2025
Time: 10am-12pm
Place: Knight's Hill Hotel, King's Lynn
Talk(s): What is SEN Support and Update from ASD Helping Hands

Go to Eventbrite to book your free place

Services attending this event

We (SEND Local Offer) will be there alongside:

Norfolk SEND information advice and support service (SEND IASS): give SEND information, advice and support to children, young people, and parent/carers
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.
Healthwatch Norfolk: making sure NHS leaders and other decision-makers hear your voice
Family Information Service: gives information about local services and support for children including funded early education and childcare, home learning and related services in Norfolk
Vision Norfolk: support to vision impaired children and young adults aged 0-25 years, and their families through information, advice and guidance
ASD Helping Hands: offers guidance, practical advice and support to people affected by autism and those who support them
DRAGONS: young people with disabilities who help ensure opportunities in Norfolk are accessible and that young people enjoy their services
Norfolk and Waveney children and young person's health services: children's health information and advice and the delivery of speech and language services
Family hubs Norfolk: support for parents and carers of children and young people from birth to 19 (or 25 with SEND)
Action for Children: provides a range of services supporting families, including early years and family support
Family Action: provides support and advice, resources and signposting to parents/carers of children awaiting assessment of a neurodevelopmental different or recently diagnosed
Community Dental Services CiC: specialist dental care services for people with learning disabilities, mental health difficulties and severe anxiety, covering Norfolk and Waveney
Direct Payment Support Service: provides information, advice and guidance, help with finding a personal assistant carer, employment support, personal assistant carer training and payment services
Young Carers Matter Norfolk: provide support to young carers to enable them to flourish
Dyslexia Outreach Service: provides a traded service to all schools and workshops for parents / carers to help them support their child's learning
School and community teams: advice and support for education settings and families to ensure children's needs are met at SEN Support within mainstream places of learning
Supported internships: often the first step into the world of work for a young person with an EHCP. Supported internships help bolster skills, and help young people to secure permanent, paid jobs
West Norfolk Autism Group: provides support and guidance to individuals of all ages whose lives are affected by autism.
Learning disability health checks: helping young people with a learning disability aged 14 or over get a yearly health check 
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.
Anglian Water practical support: learn about the support offered to people with sight, hearing, mobility or health needs or with a baby under 12 months old.

Future events

Wednesday 19 March 2025, 10am-12pm (Knight's Hill Hotel, King's Lynn)
Thursday 22 May 2025, 10am-12pm (Fakenham Community Centre, Fakenham)
Friday 27 June 2025, 10am-12pm and 1-3pm (County Hall, Norwich)
Thursday 18 September 2025, 10am-12pm (Charles Burrell Centre, Thetford)
Tuesday 25 November 2025, 10am-12pm (Great Yarmouth Town Hall)
Wednesday 21 January 2026, 1-3pm (Sheringham Community Centre)
March 2026 is to be confirmed (TBC)
May 2026 is TBC
July 2026 is TBC

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

X www.x.com/send_offer

Making Sense of SEND events

Other events you might be interested in

Facebook SEND support groups

In Spring 2021, we spoke to parent carers to find out where they found useful information and guidance to support them.

Many parent carers mentioned they were members of Facebook groups. They found these online groups useful to speak to other parent carers virtually who are in similar situations.

These are some of the Facebook groups mentioned:

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.

Find Contact workshops and events