Our helpline

Our friendly, confidential and independent helpline is available to anybody in Essex whether a parent, family member, carer, professional or other person interested in issues affecting children with disabilities and special needs.

You might be struggling, feeling overwhelmed, have recently received a diagnosis, or be unsure about what support is available for you. You may just need to talk to someone who understands the issues you face, who can give you some emotional support and point you in the right direction to get the help you need.

Our helpline can provide information, signposting to other organisations, advice and support.

Your call will help you to:

• Obtain the information you require.
• Give you advice about education and benefits.
• Refer you to expertise in that particular field, for example we can refer you onto one of our Family Support Advisors for more in-depth support.
• Put you in touch with a local or national support group or service appropriate to your needs.
• Give you information about upcoming events, including our own activity clubs

Preparing for your call

When you are ready to call us, it can be helpful before your call to:

• Make a note of the things you want to talk about.
• Have a pen and paper with you to write down anything important.
• If you can, try and find a quiet place to talk.

During your call, we will ask you some personal details which we will record on our database. Full details about how we use this information can be found in our Privacy Policy.

We are a small and busy team, but if you call our helpline we will get back to you as soon as we can. We aim to reply within 14 days.

You can also find a wealth of advice and resources on this website, so do take a look at our resources pages for further help and information.