Survival Strategies

Finding out that your child has special needs can be very painful. Years may have gone by but many parents still relive and remember everything that happened to them at that time. And as their children grow up parent carers face extra challenges that can make life that much more of a struggle. One thing that can really help is talking to other people who understand what you're going through. In Support from other parents we tell you about parent-led support groups that take place locally. These include parent groups for particular medical conditions and for particular sectors of the community. Support from professionals gives details of the local and national organisations that you may be able to turn to for support, information or counselling. Finally, we offer our own Top Tips for maintaining your sanity and getting what you think is best for your child.

Sometimes all you need is a break. Find out more about short break services or respite care in our Help with daily life section. We also give you information about holidays and fun things to do for families of children with special needs in our Leisure section.