The Lighthouse: resources for parents and carers

Essex Family Forum - Supporting your neurodiverse child: this pack is available to download, or you can request a hard copy: https://essexfamilyforum.org/resources/nd-pack

Essex Local Offer: the Local Offer provides information, advice and guidance on local services and support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) aged 0-25 and their families. https://send.essex.gov.uk/

Essex SENDIASS: SENDIASS (SEND Information, Advice and Support Service) offer free, confidential and impartial information, advice and support service on issues related to Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND). This includes information and processes related to health and social care. https://www.essexsendiass.co.uk/

Parent Carer Forums (Essex Family Forum): Parent Carer Forums are groups run by parents and carers of children from a local area in England. Their aim is to make sure that services in their area meet the needs of local disabled children and their families. https://essexfamilyforum.org/

Local Support Groups and Charities

Little Heroes: https://littleheroesasd.co.uk/

SEND the Right Message Charity (STRM): https://strmsupport.co.uk/

SAFE (Supporting Asperger Families in Essex): https://safeessex.org.uk/

SNAP Charity: https://www.snapcharity.org/

The MegaCentre Rayleigh: http://www.megacentrerayleigh.co.uk/

Mental Health and Wellbeing

Southend, Essex and Thurrock Children's and Adolescent's Mental Health Service (SET CAMHS) (Previously known as EWMHs) https://www.nelft.nhs.uk/set-camhs

Websites

ADDitude magazine - Inside the ADHD mind: www.additudemag.com

NHS: Living with ADHD: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd/living-with/

The National Attention Deficit Disorder Information and Support Service (ADDISS): http://www.addiss.co.uk/

Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD) https://chadd.org/about/

ADHD Kids http://adhdkids.org.uk/

Black Girl Lost Keys: Black Neurodivergent Resources https://blackgirllostkeys.com/

The ADHD Foundation https://www.adhdfoundation.org.uk/

Young Minds - ADHD and mental health: https://www.youngminds.org.uk/young-person/mental-health-conditions/adhd-and-mental-health

PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance) - PDA Society https://www.pdasociety.org.uk/

Mencap: provides support for people who have a learning disability https://www.mencap.org.uk/about-us/what-we-do

The Incredible Five Point Scale: can be  useful for talking about and managing emotions. www.5pointscale.com

The Challenging Behaviour Foundation: https://www.challengingbehaviour.org.uk/

Books

Smart but Scattered Teens: The "Executive Skills" Program for Helping Teens Reach Their Potential - Richard Guare and Peg Dawson - Book on how to teach your teenager the skills needed for success in school and beyond

All Dogs Have ADHD - Kathy Hoopmann - This book takes an inspiring and affectionate look at Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Women With ADHD: A Life-Changing Guide to Overcome the Hidden Struggles of Living with ADHD - Roberta Sanders - includes debunked myths and 15 effective tips to positively transform your live.

My Doctor Says I Have ADHD: A Child's Journey - Dr C.R. Yemula - An interesting and informative story format, for children aged 6 to 12 years.

The Abilities in Me - Gemma Keir and various. A series of picture books focussing on children with a variety of needs: ASD, sensory processing disorder, ADHD, speech delay, Down Syndrome, cerebral palsy, tube feeding and more.

Websites

NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) tics guidelines: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng127/chapter/recommendationsfor-children-aged-under-16#tics-and-involuntary-movements-in-children

NHS: Tourette's syndrome https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/tourettes-syndrome/

Tourette's Action: https://www.tourettes-action.org.uk/ - with a section specifically put together for young people: https://www.tourettes-action.org.uk/78-young-people.html and a comprehensive guide to Tourette's for young people https://www.tourettes-action.org.uk/storage/downloads/1487860486_TS--the-simple-truth---A-guide-to-TS-for-children-and-young-people.pdf. They also have a 'video wall' - a collection of videos made by children and young people with Tourette's syndrome: https://www.tourettes-action.org.uk/23-your-ts-videos.html 

Tourette Association of America: https://tourette.org/ - with dedicated sections on children (aged 0-12): https://tourette.org/about-tourette/overview/living-tourette-syndrome/children-with-tourette-0-12/ and teens (aged 13-17): https://tourette.org/about-tourette/overview/living-tourette-syndrome/teens-13-17/, plus resources for parents: https://tourette.org/resources/overview/tools-for-parents/

Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children: https://www.gosh.nhs.uk/conditions-and-treatments/conditions-we-treat/tourette-syndrome

Mencap: provides support for people who have a learning disability https://www.mencap.org.uk/about-us/what-we-do

The Incredible Five Point Scale: can be  useful for talking about and managing emotions. www.5pointscale.com

The Challenging Behaviour Foundation: https://www.challengingbehaviour.org.uk/

Books

Piper Saves a Pigeon - Shannon Kernaghan (ages 6+)

Why do you do that? - Uttom Chowdhury and Mary Robertson (ages 8-16)

Nix your Tics!  Eliminate Unwanted Tic Symptoms: A How-to Guide for Young People - Dylan McKinley (ages 10+)

Tic Talk: Living with Tourette Syndrome: A 9-Year-Old Boy's Story in His Own Words - Dylan Peters (all ages)

The Tourette's Survival Kit: Tools for Young Adults with Tics - Tara Murphy and Damon Millar (teens)

Can I Tell You About Tourette Syndrome? - Mal Leicester - ideal for people aged 7 and upwards, as well as parents, friends, teachers and other professionals working with children with Tourette's syndrome. 

Websites

Cerebra Charity https://www.youtube.com/user/cerebracharity/featured

Down's Heart Group https://dhg.org.uk/

Down’s syndrome Association https://www.downs-syndrome.org.uk/

Dyspraxia Foundation https://dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk/helpline/

Movement Matters www.movementmattersuk.org