Local Offer - Advice & Support
Find out which organisations can give you independent help.
- I think my child needs additional help in school, what do I do next?
- How do I get my child on the pathway to diagnosis?
Benefits and Allowances
Active Independence
Information, advice, advocacy and training to disabled people, families and carers to promote independent living. We help people to navigate through the health and social care systems plus specialist disability benefit support to tribunal level. We have an active PA register and support families through the whole recruitment and selection process. PAs have access to a confidential PA support service. Free interactive online courses. Self referral process.
T: 07917 607730E: Info@activeindependence.org
W: Active Independence
- AI Complaints Procedure
- Download (75KB)
DIAL Doncaster
DIAL Doncaster offers free welfare benefits advice and supports people with appeals and tribunals. The service can include benefit checks, form filling, reviews and tribunal representation. The primary focus of this service is to support those with multi-faced and complex needs who do not have the ability themselves, or support networks in place.
T: 01302 327800
E: advice@dialdoncaster.co.uk
W: DIAL Doncaster
- DIAL Complaints Procedure
- Download (75KB)
Direct Payments
Direct Payments can be used for a number of things - but are usually used to employ a Personal Assistant (PA) to work directly with your disabled child or young person. The money is paid at a set hourly rate (from which you will be responsible for ensuring tax, insurance and national insurances are paid). Direct Payments can be used to give you a Short Break from your caring responsibilities for your child. Doncaster Council's Children's Commissioning Team facilitate Direct Payments, for further information contact the team.
For new Direct payment queries email - CWB@doncaster.gov.uk
For existing Direct Payment queries contact -
T: 01302 73845/ 736963
E: Amy.Bartlett@doncaster.gov.uk
For support regarding HR matters please contact Payroll Masters directly
T: 0800 073 0039
Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA)
As a higher education student living in England, you can apply for a Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) if you have a:
- Disability
- Long-term health condition
- Mental health condition
- Specific learning difficulty like dyslexia
The support you get depends on your individual needs and not on income. Please see the following link for more information:
Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children may help with the extra costs of looking after a child who:
- is under 16
- has difficulties walking or needs much more looking after than a child of the same age who does not have a disability
They will need to meet all the eligibility requirements.
The DLA rate is between £23.20 and £148.85 a week and depends on the level of help the child needs.
Local services who can support you with a DLA application
Disagreeing with a decision
If you disagree with a decision, e.g. the amount of money your child is entitled to, or if your application has been declined, you can can challenge this decision (this is called asking for a mandatory reconsideration). You can find out more about this on the Contact website.
Young people and adults aged 16+
DLA is ending for people who were born after 8 April 1948 and are 16 or over. You'll continue to get DLA until the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) writes to you to:
- tell you when it will end
- invite you to apply for PIP
Use the PIP checker linked below to find out if and when you’ll be asked to claim.
Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
If you’re ill or disabled, Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) offers you:
- financial support if you’re unable to work
- personalised help so that you can work if you’re able to
You can apply for ESA if you’re employed, self-employed or unemployed.
For further information, eligibility, and how to claim please see the link below:
Housing Benefit
For more information, please see link below:
Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) can help you with some of the extra costs if you have a long term ill-health or disability.
You could get between £23.20 and £148.85 a week if you’re aged 16 or over. The amount you get depends on how your condition affects you, not the condition itself.
Local services who can support you with a PIP application
Disagreeing with a decision
If you disagree with a decision, e.g. the amount of money you/your child is entitled to, or if your application has been declined, you can can challenge this decision (this is called asking for a mandatory reconsideration). You can find out more about this on the Contact website.
Personal Budgets
Personal Budgets are the way of delivering social care to people in Doncaster. They are designed to help you take control of your own social care budget, manage your support and choose the services that suit you best. It puts you at the centre of the planning process as you are best placed to understand your own needs.
If you have been assessed as being eligible for care services from Doncaster Council, you will be told exactly how much money you have to spend on your eligible care and support needs. This amount of money is known as your ‘Personal Budget’.
For more information, please click on the link below.
Personal Budgets
Carers, Family and Friends
A carer is anyone, including children and adults who looks after a family member, partner or friend who needs help because of their illness, frailty, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction and cannot cope without their support. The care they give is unpaid. – NHS. Below, you can find services which offer information and support to carers, family and friends.
Cerebra
Families where a child has a brain condition face challenges every day. Just to learn, play, make friends, enjoy and experience the world can feel difficult, even impossible. But we don’t believe there is any challenge that can’t be overcome.
Our Vision is that every family that includes a child with a brain condition will have the chance to discover a better life together.
Our Mission is to listen to families that include children with brain conditions. We use what they tell us to inspire the best research and innovation. Then we help them put the knowledge into practice so they can discover a better life together.
Who we help:
We use ‘brain condition’ to describe any disorder or disability that affects the brain, including those caused by illness, genetics or traumatic injury. Brain conditions include (but are not limited to) autism, ADHD, Down’s syndrome, learning disabilities, cerebral palsy, epilepsy and developmental delay. We help children aged 16 or under.
Visit the Cerebra website for more information
Choices4Doncaster
If you are a carer for someone close to you, and would benefit from a couple of hours' break each week to get stuff done or just to have a rest, why not give Safe & Sound a try?
We are running 10 weeks of FREE taster sessions from early February to give you the opportunity to try it and find out more.
Each Tuesday afternoon from 2pm, we will have a designated area at Sainsbury's Cafe in the Edenthorpe store. Our friendly team will be there to welcome your loved ones, look after them, and provide activities.
They will be able to enjoy a cuppa and something to eat in a safe environment, giving you the freedom to do your grocery shopping or any other tasks you need to get done.
Click the following link and complete the form to register your interest, or simply send us a Facebook message.
www.choices4doncaster.co.uk/safe
Doncaster Carers Service
Doncaster Carers Service Carers Moving Forward are funded by and working with Doncaster Council to provide information and support to adult carers living in Doncaster. This service also runs the Carers Emergency Contact Scheme. This service is for Adults Only (18+) – both Carer and Cared for. For more information please see contact details below:
T: 01302 812827
W: www.doncastercarersservice.org.uk
- Doncaster Carers Emergency Contact Scheme
- Download (60KB)
Achievements & Newsletters
- Doncaster Carers Achievements
- Download (543KB)
- CEC 2
- Download (578KB)
- Carers Former Carers Social Groups
- Download (510KB - PDF)
Doncaster Partnership for Carers (Doncaster Carers Centre)
Campaigning – We work with and help facilitate Doncaster Carers Forum (the campaigning voice for all adult carers), Doncaster Parent Carers Forum (the raising awareness forum for all parents of children with SEND - Special Educational Needs and /or Disability) and the Ladder Group (the campaigning group for young people with SEND) all these groups meet at the Carers Centre.
T: 01302 637566
E: dpfc@doncastercarers.org.uk
W: www.doncastercarers.org.uk
- Carers Support Poster
- Download (244KB)
- Carers Therapies Poster
- Download (364KB)
- Carers Wellbeing Sessions
- Download (482KB)
Caudwell Children
Minton Hollins Building
Shelton Old Road
Stoke-on-Trent
ST4 7RY
DIAL Doncaster
- DIAL Complaints Procedure
- Download (75KB)
Doncaster Deaf Children's Society
Doncaster Deaf Children's Society affiliated to NDCS in December 2014. It is run by parents and carers of deaf children, working together with local health and educational professionals.
All of the local groups registered to NDCS are very different. Most get together regularly and organise occasional activities for deaf children and their parents.
T: 0207 014 5919E: doncaster@ndcsgroup.org.uk
W: Doncaster Deaf Children's Society
Doncaster Parent's Voice (DPV)
Doncaster Parents Voice (DPVoice) are an independent group of parents and carers of children and young people (0-25) with disabilities and/or special educational needs (SEND). Our aim is for all children, young people and their families living with disabilities/additional needs in Doncaster to have the same opportunities, hopes and aspirations as other families in Education, Health, Social Care and leisure. We are run by a steering group of parent carers with a vested interest in shaping services fit for purpose for children and young people and their families living with disabilities and/or SEND. To achieve this we have parents representatives working with the local education, health and social care commissioners and service providers.
We also carry out various activities:
- A parent carers drop in / pamper session at Doncaster Carers Centre on the fourth Friday of the month (apart from school holidays), 10.00am to 12.30pm,
- Family night out session on the first Tuesday of the month at Diamond, 35-46 Wood St, Doncaster, DN1 3LH from 6.00pm to 8.30pm in partnership with the LADDER Group.
- We are the Doncaster Suppliers for the MAX CARD - Discount Entry Card
- We hold information sessions, events, training, activity sessions and pamper days for families throughout the year. Please see our Facebook page and Events section for the latest details
- We engage with other local parent carer support groups
We provide information for parents on a range of issues including education, health and social care services either over the phone or face to face If you would like to learn more about Doncaster Parents Forum or you are a parent/carer of a child with an additional need looking for information or support then please do not hesitate to contact us, either by telephone, e-mail or Facebook.
Tel: 01302637566
Text: 07917690590
Email: dpvoice@doncastercarers.org.uk
Web: www.doncasterparentsvoice.co.uk
- Doncaster Parents Voice Presentation
- Download (1.19MB - PPTX)
- DPV Introdution Sept 2018
- Download (90KB - DOCX)
LADDER Group - Learning about Disability, Differences, Equalities and Rights
We are a group of young people aged under 25yrs with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and long term health conditions, passionate about making a difference and getting our voices heard.
We need you to join us and be the voice of under 25yrs with:
- Autism
- Learning impairment
- Mental health issues
- Physical disabilities
- Sensory impairment
- and any long term health condition
YOUR SPACE
This is the Social Arm of The LADDER Group in partnership with DPVoice and DICE Doncaster.
Monthly sessions include
- Karaoke
- Quiz
- Games
- Music
- Dancing
Read the LADDER Group Report Jan to Sept 2018.
For more information
Call: 01302 637566
Mob: 07917 690590
Email: DPVoice@doncastercarers.org.uk
Scope - Navigate
The Navigate Service is designed for parents who have a child on the pathway to diagnosis, or who have a child diagnosed with a disability or impairment within the last 12 months.
Navigate will offer parents six weeks of phone based and online mentoring designed to provide emotional and practical support at the start of their journey as a parent to a disabled child. Parents will be allocated a personal adviser who they will speak with on a weekly basis; the service is entirely parent-led, and parents will choose the focus of the support. However, we are not able to advise or assist on benefit claims or specific condition management.
Parents will need to self-refer into the service and can access more information and our online referral form here: www.scope.org.uk/navigate or call us on 0808 801 0510.
- Navigate - 1
- Download (30KB - PDF)
- Navigate - 2
- Download (79KB - PDF)
- Navigate - 3
- Download (89KB - PDF)
Sibs
W: Sibs / Young Sibs
South Yorkshire for Inclusive Living
We have a variety of services for disabled people and those living with long term conditions. Services include:
- Physiotherapy
- Occupational therapy
- Information
- Support at appointments
- Help to increase confidence and reduce social isolation
T: 01302 892949
E: enquiries@sycil.org
W: www.sycil.org
- SYCIL Referral Form
- Download (55KB)
- Additional Information - SYCIL
- Download (66KB)
- Referral Pathway- SYCIL
- Download (59KB)
SENDIAS Service
The best results can be achieved if parents, carers, teachers and others involved with you or your child work together to make a difference to your child's education and the lives of young people. We work with agencies and professionals to give parents/carers and young people the information you need to achieve the best possible future for you or your children. We support you by enabling you to have a voice.
W: SENDIAS
T: 01302 736920
Grants, Disability Aids & Equipment
Caudwell Children
Caudwell Children provide family support services, equipment, treatment and therapies for disabled children and their families across the UK. We also run our Enable Sport programme for talented disabled athletes and our Destination Dreams holiday for children fighting life threatening conditions.
T: 0845 300 1348
For more information, please visit www.caudwellchildren.com
DIAL Doncaster
Short-term Wheelchair Hire Service available
- Sale of Radar Keys, Car Stickers and Blue Badge Holders
- We also offer a wide range of information which includes fact sheets that cover a variety of topics including – Car Adaptations, Disabled Facilities Grant, Equipment Hire, Home Alarm Systems, Wheelchair Supply as well as many others.
T: 01302 327800
E: advice@dialdoncaster.co.uk
For more information, please visit www.dialdoncaster.co.uk
Doncaster Community Equipment Service - NRS
Doncaster Community Equipment Service is an integrated community equipment service commissioned by NHS Doncaster CCG and Doncaster Council to provide health and social care related equipment; such as walking aids, toilet raises, commodes etc. Assessments will be undertaken by an Authorised Prescriber who will usually be an Occupational Therapist, Physiotherapist or Nurse.
T: 0300 1000 243
E: enquiries@doncaster.nrs-uk.net
Advice and Support for Adults
We provide support for:
- older people
- people with disabilities
- people with mental health problems
- people with learning difficulties
- people who misuse drugs or alcohol
- young offenders
- vulnerable people and those who may be being abused
E: adultcontactteam@doncaster.gov.uk
For more information, please visit the link below:
Care and support to help you live independently
Frenchgate Disabled Toilet
Frenchgate now provide a fully accessible changing / toileting /feeding area in the Frenchgate Centre above the standard of a Changing Places facility.
This is available for all children with disabilities who have personal care needs and also any disabled adults who require the same facilities. It includes ;
- Changing bench
- Height adjustable wash basin
- Fold down rail
- Privacy screen
- Wash / dry toilet facility and H system track hoist
Disabled Facilities Grant
If you’re disabled and need to make changes to your home, you could get a grant from your local council to help with the costs. The changes can include:
- widening doors and installing ramps
- improving access to rooms and facilities - eg by installing a stair lift or a downstairs bathroom
- providing a heating system suitable for your needs
- adapting heating or lighting controls to make them easier to use
To request an assessment for an adult or child call the number or visit the link for further information below:
T: 01302 737391
Family Fund
Family Fund is the UK’s largest charity providing grants for families on low incomes raising disabled or seriously ill children and young people. Last year, we provided 88,407 grants and services worth over £33 million to families across the UK.
We believe that all families raising disabled or seriously ill children and young people should have the same choices, quality of life, opportunities and aspirations as other families. Beginning with those on low incomes, and considering all conditions against our own eligibility criteria (based on the social model of disability),we aim to make a difference to outcomes for disabled or seriously ill children and young people and the lives of the families raising them across the UK.
We support this aim by providing grants for essential items such as kitchen appliances, sensory toys, family breaks, bedding, tablets/computers, furniture and clothing. It can be a struggle financially, emotionally and physically for families raising a disabled or seriously ill child, and these grants help break down many of the barriers families face, improving their quality of life and easing the additional daily pressures.
We also provide a range of programmes and services, as well as information and advice to families that apply to us, in order to help them access more of the support that may be of help to them in raising their child or young person.
Find out more at www.familyfund.org.uk, call us on 01904 550055, email us at info@familyfund.org.uk or join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
Watch our animated videos on how to apply and should I apply? for a snapshot of what we need from the application form and our criteria.
South Yorkshire for Inclusive Living
We have a variety of services for disabled people and those living with long term conditions. Services include:
- Physiotherapy
- Occupational therapy
- Information
- Support at appointments
- Help to increase confidence and reduce social isolation
T: 01302 892949
- Education Support Services
- Online Protection and Cyber Bullying
- Short Breaks
- Doncaster Youth Council
- Early Help
- Glossary Of Terms
- Download (217KB - )
- DfE - Children and Young Peoples Guide to SEND Code of Practice
- Download (4.86MB - PDF)
- MAX CARD - Discount Entry Card
- Download (299KB - PDF)