Help, Support & Advice
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Themed & Specialist Support
Advocacy Services
- Halton Speak Out are a self-advocacy group helping people to speak up for themselves, feel confident, to say what they want and to make changes in their lives.
- Contact – North West provide a freephone helpline, information and advice to families caring for children and young people with disabilities or additional needs
- Halton Healthwatch Advocacy Hub can help people Tel: 0151 347 8183.
- Advocacy First support people (adults) living in the community
- NYAS – National Youth Advocacy Service provides independent support, advice and information to children and young people so their views and wishes are heard, their rights respected and assisted to give feedback or make a complaint.
Autism/Sensory
Halton All-Age Autism Strategy 2018
The Isabella Trust aims to help improve the quality of life of children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder and Sensory Processing Difficulties by supporting their Families and Carers
Cheshire Autism Practical Support CHAPS support families with What is Autism Spectrum Condition? or Asperger’s Syndrome (diagnosed or not) Contact [email protected] or if you require details of current activities contact Ruth Bradford on 0844 850 8607
- Attention Card
- Parents meetings
- Children’s activities Please note these are only open to CHAPS members
- Adult services
- Halton Parents Group
Emergency Food and Support to People Experiencing Crisis
Valid Food Voucher must be presented from Widnes Foodbank
- Foodbank – Runcorn for Runcorn residents
- Foodbank – Widnes for Widnes residents
Empowering Changes - Bringing Back Balance
Changes – Bringing Back Balance offers support to people who are experiencing crisis in their lives and want to make lasting, positive change to stop crisis from happening again. We support our clients with:
- Welfare and Debt advice
- Solutions to housing problems
- Ways to improve Health and Wellbeing
- Self-confidence and Self Esteem
- Social Isolation
- Programmes to help people achieve their goals
- Self awareness and coaching
Our aim is to help resolve any immediate crisis, but then work with people to build their knowledge, skills, coping strategies and resilience so they can take control of their lives.
Changes is open to residents in Liverpool, Halton and Knowsley, and we work with key partners in the 3 boroughs to deliver resilience programmes and to help build confidence, self esteem, friendships and peer support.
Family Focused or Specialist Support
Afasic support parents and represent children and young people with speech, language and communication needs, provide a free Helpline, email support, factsheets and access to local networks Tel: 01928 791476
After Adoption Yorkshire – counselling, advice, support and information to adopted people, birth parents and birth relatives
Child Bereavement UK – based in Runcorn, providing support and information to bereaved children, young people (aged 0-25) and their families within Halton, St Helens and surrounding areas Bereavement Services Leaflet including Referral Process
Deafness Support Network – support deaf children 0–18 years/families with hearing loss – I’m Hear Leaflet and Referral Form
Dyspraxia Foundation provide information for parents and professionals including a helpline
Family Focused Support -Young Addaction Halton confidential service for those experiencing the effects of another family members’ substance misuse or mental health
Halton Young Addaction provide support for young people aged 10-19 years (25 for those with SEND) around reducing harm, Sexual Health Advice, Needle Exchange and Alcohol Awareness
Halton Young Addaction – advice, support or treatment around risk taking behaviour for children and young people 0-19 years and up to 25 for young people with additional needs – registered with a Halton doctor (GP)
Halton Integrated Recovery Service provides open access support to adults with issues around substance misuse (drugs and alcohol) including family and carer support if they are affected by substance use
HELPS – subsidised home safety equipment for parents, carers and grandparents of children under 5 years old registered with a Halton Children’s Centres Tel: 0151 511 8409 or 0151 424 4686 or contact Carolyn McAuley
Halton Adults with Learning Disability Support (HALDS)
Halton Carers Centre – information, activities and support – Information Book – Hospital Liaison Service Leaflet – Young Carers
Halton Disability Partnership – Support and advice about living with a disability – by disabled people for disabled people
Halton Speak Out works with young people and adults with a learning disability to support their choice and control over their lives
Housing Solutions —– Shelter ——– Nightstop Communities North West (homelessness support)
SPARC (Supporting People Achieving Real Choice) support people with Learning Disabilities/family carers
The Buzz for children (8 to 11 years old)
The Buzz for young people (12 to 18 years old)
Triple P: Positive Parenting Programme (help with your child’s behaviour or learn new parenting skills) -Referral by a professional – Self-referrals not accepted
Working Families – Information for parents of disabled children
Halton SENDIASS
A statutory service providing independent, impartial advice, guidance and support to children, young people and their parents around matters relating to special educational needs and/or disabilities; including matters relating to health and social care
What is SENDIASS-How can it help explained?
- Information, Advice and Support
- Advice around preparing for meetings – Information Leaflet
- Young Person Leaflet
Easy Read Guides
Information, Advice & Support
Children’s Centres – children and family services, activities etc
Citizen Advice Bureau – wide range of support
Disabled Living Newsletter – latest information
Family Information Service Tel: 0151 511 7375 email: [email protected] or visit Facebook www.facebook.com/haltonfis
Halton Borough Council – Contact Us – information e.g. Halton Direct Link addresses/opening hours, Contact Centre
Halton Carers Centre – Family Support provide support for families
The Communication Trust offer website links to a list of national organisations
Money Matters
Benefits/Allowances/Grants
- Benefits and Welfare Advice
- Carers Allowance
- Family Fund (UK’s largest charity) – grants to families raising disabled or seriously ill children/young people for help with essential items e.g. white goods, clothing, computers/tablets, sensory equipment and short breaks – Family Fund Leaflet ’17
- Free School Meals
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Easy Read Guide – What it is and How to claim it
- PIP Mythbuster and Toolkit
- Universal Credit overview
- Young Carers Break – local grants
Guides
- Children’s Savings and Bank Accounts – some local branches provide support in setting these up including parental controls
- Entitled To – are you missing out on benefits? DWP Entitled To Information Leaflet
- From Child to Adult – Guide to Disability and Family Finances
- Welfare Rights Fact Sheet
Information, Advice & Support
- Citizens Advice Bureau
- Christians Against Poverty
- Halton Credit Union if you live or work in Halton you are eligible to apply to become a member
- In Control
- Money Advice Service
- Runcorn Debt Centre free help to people in debt – check to see if you live in a postcode supported area
Complaints - Factsheets
These are most commonly made on behalf of a child or young person by their parent, carer or a representative. However, children and young people can make comments and complaints in their own right.
Further information, advice or support is available through Halton SENDIASS for free confidential and impartial support 0151 511 7733 [email protected]
Staying Safe….
At Home, In the Community or Online
Are you worried about a friend, family member or 18-25 year old being hurt?
Children’s Social Care – ring for help and advise
Tel: 0151 907 8305 (Mon-Thurs 9am-5pm, Fri 9am-4.30pm)
Tel: 0345 050 0148 (during out of hours and at weekends)
Adult Social Care – ring for help and advise if you are worried about an 18-25 year old
Tel: 0151 907 8306 (24 hours a day)
Hate Crime, Anti-Bullying & Prejudiced Incidents
Got Your Back Halton
Got Your Back Poster
Self-Referrals – If you are aged 18 or under and you or one of your friends have been a victim of crime in Halton, we are here to help
Professionals/Agency Referrals – you would need parental or guardian permission to pass the young person’s details on to the service
Freephone 0800 6406466, Text GYBMentor to 82228, Email [email protected]
GYB website provides all social media contact details for the service
Hate Crime
- Halton Hate Crime Resources Factsheet 27.7.17 – Reporting, Raising Awareness, Victim Support & School Resources/Support
- Hate Crime Reporting
- Hate Crime information and advice
- Safe in Town Scheme – Look out for the sticker in shop windows if you feel afraid out in Halton
Anti-Bullying
- Childline is a private and confidential service for children and young people up to the age of 19
- Speak Up Not Down gives a voice for disabled young people in Halton with both learning and physical needs
- Anti-Bullying information – National Network of Parent Carer Forums
- Safe in Town Scheme – Look out for the sticker in shop windows if you feel afraid out in Halton
- What is Bullying?
Anti-Bulling Video’s
Prejudiced Incidents
Scams and Cold Calling Alerts and Advice
- Halton Trading Standards
- iCAN is a free email alert service which you can sign up for through Trading Standards to warn about scams by email, cold callers and doorstep callers
- No Cold Callers – Window Card and Letterbox Sticker you can print off for your home, or printed copies are available at Halton Direct Links
- Telephone and Mail Prompt Card you can print off and keep by the phone as a handy reminder on how to protect yourself against scammers, or printed copies available at Halton Direct Links
Streetwise Team
Using the Internet Safely, Staying Safe, Sexual Exploitation
- CEOP Reporting Centre for staying safe
- Child Exploitation and Online Protection
- Digital Parenting Guide
- Get Safe Online
- Guide to Keeping Safe Online
- Grooming – signs to spot it happening
- Internet Matters
- Internet Safety for Teens
- Keeping Kids Safe Online – O2/NSPCC
- Online Safety Resource Guide
- PACE – Parents Against Child Sexual Exploitation and Parent’s Guide
- Sexting
- Thinkuknow – CEOP’s
- Underwear Rule
- What’s the Problem? For young people in trouble due to inappropriate or illegal online behaviour
Get Involved
Bright Sparks supports young people to be involved in decision making in Halton. We help young people with disabilities to have a say in the services provided for them
The Forum aims to be a voice to inform service providers of the needs of disabled children and their families.
It will facilitate two-way communication between parent, carers, families and services used by children and young people with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) in Halton. The forum will work to provide feedback on services, offer constructive challenge to current services, input into decision making and planning for future service provision.
The forum believes that by working co-operatively with local service providers parents and carers can contribute to improvements in the services delivered for children and young people with SEND by:
- Through regular communication with parent and carers, ensuring they are able to decide whether to be involved in a piece of work/consultation;
- Ensuring a diverse forum membership and representation of diverse views from SEND children, young people and parent/carers from all backgrounds and sectors of the community;
- Promoting a reputation and image of the Halton SEND Carer’s Forum which reflects its aims and values.
For more information see Halton SEND Carer’s Forum website
Forum Facebook page
Meeting Details available on the Local Offer Events section.
Halton Youth Cabinet was established to represent the voices of young people, we are supported by Halton Borough Council to act in a youth voice capacity across Runcorn & Widnes with the main aim of improving Halton.
We are part of Halton Children’s Trust, which is a collection of key partners throughout the borough who help and support us with our work.
For more information about to get involved in our projects see our website Halton Youth Cabinet