Afasic is a national charity supporting parents/carers of children and young people with speech, language and communication needs. Michaela Dominey is the Area Coordinator for HGampshire and is involved on setting up support structures for parents and carers locally and would love to hear from you about the kind of support you feel would help. Please join her Facebook group to share your thoughts and ideas.

Links to Benefits and Work website which gives free ESA, PIP and DLA Updates.

Fereinsteins Ltd. Provide birthday sessions that are tailor made to the individuals needs and cater for all levels of ability and ages. Party activities include Ball games, playing percussion instruments, singing songs, parachute games, action/sound stories.

Click on the PDF below for details

Blue Apple Theatre is a highly ambitious theatre company which brings all the benefits of taking part in theatre to adult performers with learning disabilities, and enables them to present high quality productions to the widest possible audiences.

Brockenhurst College runs courses for adults with learning differences and/or disabilities which are provided in a wide range of locations across the Forest and surrounding areas, including many residential and day care setting and in our dedicated house. Courses cover a wide range of topics and skills, including art and crafts, fitness, cookery, computers, music, confidence building, dance and drama, communication and living skills. There are also vocational (full-time) programmes available teaching you skills to gain employment and work towards independent living. All programmes are accessible to adults with a disability. Classes can also be tailor-made to suit individual or group needs. For more information see contacts below.

Caring for Carers in Hampshire. Hampshire Carers Together offer a free confidential contact point providing information, support, signposting and an independent listening service for carers.

The changing places campaign supported by Royal Mencap to have accessible changing areas for people with a disability. Locally the following places now have a changing place:

• Fareham Leisure Centre: Changing facility - hoist access to both pools as well
• Aqua Dome Basingstoke: Changing facility with hoist and bed
• Andover Leisure Centre: Changing bed and hoist available but not in the same room as the toilet
• Applemoore, New Forest: Shower, table and hoist available but in separate room to toilet

Potential future development sites:

• Totton Leisure Centre
• Runways End, new outdoors centre being developed in Aldershot
• Andover Mencap Wellington Centre

Gun Wharf Quays in Portsmouth, Southampton Quays swimming pool, Basingstoke Discovery Centre, Alton, Car Park and Marwell Zoo all have changing places.

View the official Changing Places Campaign Website: www.changing-places.org

Clos-o-mat are the company sponsoring the Changing Place Campaign and have provided some of these facilities. Have a look at their website and link below for more information:

• Website: www.clos-o-mat.com

Click on link to Royal Mencap's website for information on the Changing Places Campaign:

Royal Mencap Changing Places Campaign

Community Action Hampshire is independent county wise support body for the not for profit sector in Hampshire for Learning Disabilities.

Helps Adults with a Learning Disability to Speak out. An independent organisation committee to the highest standards of advocacy practice on behalf of people with a learning disability. A confidential, non judgmental approach to the service.

The purpose of the site is ultimately to provide the UK with a huge Counselling support network, enabling those in distress to find a Counsellor close to them and appropriate for their needs. This is a free, confidential service that will hopefully encourage those in distress to seek help. The website also contains a number of sections on emotional disorders (types of distress section) and provides some useful statistics. Every Counsellor on the site who has submitted their profile has either sent a copy of their qualifications and insurance cover to us, or is registered with a professional body online with recognised codes of ethics and practice, this way we can be assured of their professionalism.

Provides detailed information about access to all kinds of places including cinemas, hotels, hospitals, colleges, sports grounds, restaurants, council offices, parks and tourist attractions. To contact DisabledGo:

Are you involved with young people with learning disabilities/difficulties? Behavioural issues, ADHD, Aspergers Syndrome or an Austistic Spectrum disorder? Perhaps a lack of social skills, an eating disorder, low self esteem or difficulties with numeracy and literacy? The therapeutic activities with the horses are providing beneficial for these young people with dramatic improvements and self awareness, confidence, communication, literacy and numeracy skills and behavioural issues.

This is a web site that lists diabled access anywhere and in any country. A "Tripadvisor" for disabled people and their friends is available.

Offer an excellent education service to young people and adults with a learning disability who are unable to access mainstream courses. All courses are taught by qualified teachers, working on communication, sensory awareness, body awareness, music and birthday parties.

Click on pages for information on courses and events:

The Forest Arts Centre in New Milton has lots of courses and groups catering for children and adults with a learning disability, such as Scarf Drama, Brockenhurst College Drama and Curious Arts.

H.C.C. can help give information advice on housing, grants and benefit's for people with a learning disability. Have a look at their website for more information.

Please find information attached about the Short breaks programme (previously known as Aiming High for Disabled Children) and the new Gateway Card for children and young people with disabilities and/or additional needs.

Short breaks are available to children and young people who:

• Have a disability and/or additional needs and may require support to participate in leisure and recreation activities
• Are between 0 and 19 years old
• Live in Hampshire and/or attend a school in Hampshire (excluding Portsmouth, Southampton and the Isle of Wight as they have similar schemes).

The programme has been designed on the basis of feedback from parents, carers and young people on the previous Aiming High for Disabled Children programme. New for this year is the "Gateway Card" which is free and will help give families access to the activities, play schemes and buddy schemes available through the short breaks programme.

The Short Breaks leaflet sets out the programme available and the various ways families can access a short break. For more information see www.hants.gov.uk/shortbreaks

The Gateway Card leaflet explains about the card and contains a registration form which can be printed off and returned by freepost. Alternatively, families can apply online at www.hants.gov.uk/gatewaycard

The Community Buddies leaflet outlines the new buddying scheme available to children and young people aged 7 - 19.

Please encourage the families you are working with to be among the first to receive and benefit from the Gateway Card by applying for this straight away at www.hants.gov.uk/gatewaycard or by returning the form via FREEPOST.

If you have any queries about the Short Breaks programme or wish to request printed copies of the leaflets please contact the short breaks team on email [email protected] or by phone 01962 846399.

Hampshire Learning Disability Partnership Board has an informative website, click on the link below for more details.

Also linked through Department of Work and Pensions, help with support in returning to work and gaining supported and permitted work whilst claiming benefits. See their website for more information.

Bond Holidays we provide specialist accommodation, transportation and equipment for the disabled visitor. We are committed to raising the general public's awareness of the difficulties on a day-to-day basis. Throughout the years we tirelessly campaign throughout the country in order to highlight our mission, which is to provide affordable, comfortable, quality holidays for people living with disability

Pelhams Park Leisure Centre in Kinson, Bournemouth runs accessible pool sessions for a variety of groups and people with a disability. They have a hoist, graduated steps into the pool and run some hydro-active sessions in the teaching pool. There are accessible changing rooms and the centre is registered under the Changing Places website. www.changing-places.org

The Littledown Leisure Centre has an accessible pool with hoist and graduated steps in to the training pool along with disabled changing area and toilet.

The Life Coach Directory was set up to increase awareness of coaching and enables visitors to find the most suitable qualified coach for their needs. Coaching is a process of guiding a person from where they are to where they want to be. All listed coaches have provided qualifications, insurance cover or proof of membership with a professional body. Visit their web site for further details.

The Autism Hampshire Outreach Department successfully launched the Local Autism Directoty in November 2013. It is a free online directory which enbles people with autism to have access to information on a range of support and areas of interest relevant to them and their families, carers and professionals who work along side them. With over 300 entries about local services, the Local Autism Directory aims to provide a range of daytime opportunities which will promote active citizenship and inclusion, linking people with autism with opportunities in their local communties. In addition, the directory will link to research findings, autism specific information and local news.

Minstead Trust offers support to adults with a Learning Disability both as a day service and residential to help students integrate and learn independent living skills who can then live alone or in support living.

The national Motability Scheme is available to anyone claiming the higher rate for mobility of The Disability Living Allowance. You can for go your mobility component and have a fully adapted vehicle or scooter.

The National Careers Service provides access to independent, professional advice on careers, skills and the labour market. They provide information and advice on:

• career development - job profiles, local labour market information
• assessing your skills using Skills Health Check tools
• improving skills - how to find and access learning
• job readiness - CV's, interview skills and tips on job search
• funding and entitlement - entitlement to and sources of funding
• specialist support - information and referral to specialist organisations and agencies e.g. financial advice, higher education advice, housing advice, childcare support, redundancy support, benefits rights and entitlements

Your face-to-face advice session will provide the following service:

• agreement on your career and skills needs
• initial actions suggested for your career and skills goals
• a personal skills action plan
• referral and access to other services as required

Providing free, impartial, confidential disability related information, advice and guidance for everyone throughout the New Forest Area.

N.F.D.C can help with housing for adults with a learning disability in partnership with the Supporting People Program, for more information please visit their website or call the housing helpdesk on the number below.

The Princess Royal Trust was set up as a registered charity in 1991 and aims to provide carers with support and to be recognised, valued and able to maximize their quality of life.

First Opportunities Group opened in 1974. It is run by a committee and caters for children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. It operates from a room at Ashley Junior School and serves the west area of the New Forest.

Oak Lodge School at Dibden Purlieu, Hants caters for children with Special Needs and has lots of great facilities.

Social services can help with benefits and housing and carer support for children and adults with a learning disability.

Please read this informative report from South Central Strategic Health Authority who have undertaken this report into improving hospital care for people with learning disabilities. Any feedback or questions please contact:

Speaking Space is a day service for adults with a learning disability or autism that focuses on developing independence through using a total communication approach - using signing, symbols, photographs and speech to support and develop communication throughout the day service. Our aim is to help people become more independent within their community.

The Stables at Bisterne in Ringwood help support people with a learning disability to lead ordinary lives with some extraordinary moments. They provide Day Services, Domiciliary Support and Residential Services providing support for Independent Living Skills.

Planning a journey or trip? For yourself or for someone else? Then why not click on the link below if you haven't already heard of Travel Line.

Wheelchair Accessible Taxi Service, Lady Driver, Ample Luggage Space for Airports. Holds one wheelchair and two passengers. Based in New Milton, covering the New Forest Area and Airports. For bookings and information call 0771 890 7898

The following website is for people with learning disabilities, family careers, learning disability partnership boards, regional programme boards, self-advocacy groups, front line professionals, managers and anyone who works with, or comes into contact with, people with learning disabilities. It is a great resource and definitely worth looking at-