Useful links
Here are some links to organisations that, in addition to Meningitis Research Foundation's helpline (Freefone 080 8800 3344 UK, 1800 41 33 44 Republic of Ireland), may be able to provide you with help and support relating to bereavement or the after effects associated with meningitis and septicaemia.
ACLD (Association for Children and Adults with Learning Disabilities)
www.iol.ie/~acld/
Parent organisation for 20 branches set up by groups of parents of children with Specific Learning Disabilities in the Republic of Ireland.
Afasic
www.afasic.org.uk
Provides help and support to children, young people and families affected by speech and communication impairment. UK wide.
Arthritis Care
www.arthritiscare.org.uk
Information and support for people with arthritis, their families, friends, carers and health professionals. UK wide.
Arthritis Ireland
www.arthritisireland.ie
Information, enabling and empowering people with arthritis and those who care for them.
Aware
www.aware.ie
Helping people to defeat depression in the Republic of Ireland
ASBAH (Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus)
www.asbah.org
Information and a range of support services for people with hydrocephalus and their carers. Covers England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Brainwave
www.epilepsy.ie
improving the quality of life of people with epilepsy in the Republic of Ireland.
British Deaf Association
www.britishdeafassociation.org.uk
Offers access to health advice and counselling for people who are hard of hearing or profoundly deaf. UK wide.
bibic
www.bibic.org.uk
bibic is a national charity working to help maximise the potential of children with conditions affecting behaviour, sensory processing, communication, social, motor and learning abilities
British Tinnitus Association
www.tinnitus.org.uk
Information for people with tinnitus, their families, and details of self-help groups. UK wide.
Capability Scotland
www.capability-scotland.org.uk
Providers of services to people of all ages with disabilities in Scotland
Carers Association
www.carersireland.com
Republic of Ireland's national voluntary organisation for and of family carers in the home.
Carers UK
www.carersonline.org.uk
Confidential advice to family members and friends looking after someone with a disability or illness. Provides information on all aspects of caring including benefits, services and local contacts for carers. UK wide.
Cerebral Palsy Helpline
www.scope.org.uk
For people with cerebral palsy, their families and carers. Offers information, support and can also offer a telephone interpreting service to people whose preferred language is not English. Part of Scope. UK wide.
Changing Faces
www.changingfaces.org.uk
Offers advice and support to people living with facial and other disfigurements. UK wide.
Child Bereavement Charity
www.childbereavement.org.uk
A UK charity that provides information for bereaved children and families.
Child Brain Injury Trust
www.cbituk.org
Offers a support network across the UK, provides advice and information for families of children with an acquired brain injury.
Childhood Bereavement Network
www.childhoodbereavementnetwork.org.uk
Access to information, guidance and support services to bereaved children, young people, their families and other caregivers in the UK.
Child Death Helpline
www.childdeathhelpline.org.uk
For anyone affected by the death of a child of any age, under any circumstances, however long ago.
Contact a Family
www.cafamily.org.uk
Provides support for families who care for disabled children, including those with rare disorders. UK wide.
Cruse Bereavement Care
www.crusebereavementcare.org.uk
Cruse Bereavement Care provides bereavement support to those bereaved.
Deaf Education through Listening and Talking (DELTA)
www.deafeducation.org.uk
Nationwide group of young deaf adults, families and teachers of deaf children providing support and advice for parents to help their children listen and talk.
Department for Education and Skills
www.dfes.gov.uk/sen
This website provides a wide range of special education needs advice and material for teachers, parents and others working with children. England only.
Depatment of Social and Family Affairs
www.welfare.ie
Information on social welfare services in the Republic of Ireland
Depression Alliance
www.depressionalliance.org
Offering information and support for people affected by depression and their carers. UK wide.
Disability Alliance – Rights Advice Line
www.disabilityalliance.org
Website for people with disabilities and their families, offering advice on welfare benefits. UK wide.
Disability Living Foundation Helpline
www.dlf.org.uk
For people with disabilities and their carers, offering advice and information on all aspects of equipment for daily living. This organisation also has a display centre of disability equipment. UK wide.
Disability Unit of the Department of Work and Pensions
www.disability.gov.uk
Provides information for people with disabilities on their civil rights and benefit entitlement. UK wide.
Encephalitis Ireland
www.encephalitiesireland.ie
Support to help improve the quality of life of those directly and indirectly affected encephalities in the Republic of Ireland.
Encephalitis Society
www.encephalitis.info
Support and information for people affected by encephalitis, their families, friends and health professionals. UK wide.
Enuresis Resource and Information Centre (ERIC)
www.eric.org.uk
Information and support for children and young people with bed-wetting, daytime wetting or soiling problems. UK wide.
Epilepsy Action
www.epilepsy.org.uk
Offers advice and information for people with epilepsy, their family, doctors and other health professionals. UK wide.
Epilepsy Scotland
www.epilepsyscotland.org.uk
Meeting the needs of people with epilepsy in Scotland
Family Fund
www.familyfund.org.uk
Provides grants and information for families who care for severely disabled children under the age of 16. UK wide.
Group B Strep Support
www.gbss.org.uk
Offers information and support to families affected by Group B Streptococcal disease. UK wide.
Headway
www.headway.ie
Irish national association for acquired brain injury.
Hearing Concern
www.hearingconcern.org.uk
Information and advice for the deaf or hard of hearing, their families, friends and health professionals. UK wide.
Hemihelp
www.hemihelp.org.uk
Information and support to families with a child with hemiplegia. UK wide.
Irish Deaf Society
www.deaf.ie
The Irish Deaf Society is the national representative organisation of deaf and hard of hearing people, serving the interest and welfare of the deaf community.
Irish Wheelchair Association
www.iwa.ie
Providing a wide range of services in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
Limbless Association
www.limbless-association.org
Information, advice and support for people of all ages who are without one or more limbs. UK wide.
National Association for Deaf People
www.nadi.ie
NAD has a national network of resource centres providing a range of accessible Services to deaf and hard of hearing people and their families. Republic of Ireland.
National Deaf Children's Society
www.ndcs.org.uk
For parents of deaf children and young deaf people. Provides information on all aspects of childhood deafness. Offers advice on benefits, educational issues, equipment and technology, hearing aids, hearing tests etc. UK wide.
National Society for Epilepsy
www.epilepsynse.org.uk
Emotional support and information for people with epilepsy, their families, carers and health professionals. Can provide written information resources from the Information and Education Department. UK wide.
Pain Association of Scotland
www.painassociation.com
Operates a network of self-management training groups, education and peer support for people with any chronic painful condition. Scotland only.
Pain Society
www.britishpainsociety.org
Publishes booklets intended to help sufferers of chronic pain, how to help and treatment at pain management clinics.
Rathbone Special Education Advice
www.rathboneuk.org
Provides advice and support to parents of children with special educational needs. UK wide.
Reach
www.reach.org.uk
Provides support and advice for children with hand or arm deficiencies, and their parents. UK wide.
REMAP
www.remap.org.uk
Retired engineers use their expertise to make one off technical aids, free of charge, to help disabled people of all ages. UK wide.
RNIB Helpline
www.rnib.org.uk
Information, support and advice for anyone with a serious sight problem. UK wide.
RNID Tinnitus Helpline
www.rnid.org.uk
Information for people with tinnitus, their families and friends. Information on tinnitus clinics and self-help groups. UK wide.
RNID Information Line
www.rnid.org.uk
Information service for deaf and hard of hearing people, their carers, families and professionals. UK wide.
Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
www.rcslt.org
For information on how to contact a local speech therapist.
SANELINE
www.sane.org.uk
Information and support for people with mental ill health, their families, carers, friends and professionals. UK wide.
SNAP Cymru
www.snapcymru.org
Information and support to families of children who have special educational needs. Wales only.
Steps
www.steps-charity.org.uk
For people with a lower limb condition. UK wide.
The Children’s Trust at Tadworth Court
www.thechildrenstrust.org.uk
Offers appropriate care, treatment, education and rehabilitation to children with exceptional needs and profound disabilities and gives support to their families. UK wide.
The Compassionate Friends
www.tcf.org.uk
Provides support and advice to parents and their families after the death of their son or daughter at any age from any cause
The Ear Foundation
www.earfoundation.org.uk
Provides advice and support for deaf children and teenagers with cochlear implants, their parents, carers and local professionals. Bridges the gap between the work of the specialist clinic and the child's community, where the implant will be used in everyday communications. UK wide.
The Elizabeth Foundation
www.elizabeth-foundation.org
Offers parent centered services and courses for babies and young children with hearing loss and provides families with support, education and encouragement. UK wide.
The Murray Foundation
www.murray-foundation.org.uk
Information and advice for those affected by limb loss or absence.
Winston's Wish
www.winstonswish.org.uk
Winston's Wish offers a range of services to bereaved children, young people and their families.
YoungMinds
www.youngminds.org.uk
YoungMinds' parent's information service provides information and advice for any adult with concerns about the mental health of a child or young person. UK wide.
Page last updated 23.06.08