(LONDON) por Paula Tooths
*** I wrote this post a year or so ago with the lovely A+ Uk (Autism Plus UK) Team. After so many requests, here it is again! x Paz
Hi there everyone!
Greetings from our team!
Being a mummy to autistic children isn’t that easy, but there are people out there ready to help!
Our beautiful friend Julie made a list of a few charities that actually offers help – not just psychological, but some of them offers help with furniture, toys, tablets,holidays etc, etc, etc…. So, we know that so many parents needed to stop to work because autism brings us double work, tidying up the house, financial situation and trying to help attend the needs, exactly because we know how difficult the finances became, we are sharing this list.
Please, note that we are not linked to those charities and each of them has their rules what differs to each other. So, we really advise that you visit one by one and go for the ones that attend your needs.
The list below only covers ~UK~ but we will try soon to collect more information for other countries as well.
Family Funds – It is governed regulated, and the queue is a bit large. But don’t give up, they actually help giving away Argos/ Homebase and Euronics vouchers, driving classes and much more. http://www.familyfund.org.uk/
Dreams Come True – They count with a brilliant team. From toys to dream holidays. The child parent must to fill up the form, letting they know what is the child dream and they will put the heart out to help make the dream true. http://dreamscometrue.uk.com/
Follow your Dreams – This charity has a beautiful support. On the very first contact, they send a dreams catcher craft kit, so you can play with your little ones. They are a quite fast and I saw before they offer Tv’s, Fancy video games and big garden toys, like playgrounds and trampolines. http://followyourdreams.org.uk/
Believing in Magic – This people rock! They provide magical moments! http://www.believeinmagic.co.uk/
Dial a Dream – Past dreams have included trips to America, EuroDisney, meeting a sport hero and favourite musician, toys and much more. http://www.dial-a-dream.co.uk/
Dream Flights – This charity organizes beautifully trips to Dreamed locations as Florida for example for disable children, without their parents. http://www.dreamflight.org/PRD/
Dream Makers – They provides funds for trips, equipments, therapies, wheelchairs and outdoor areas for disable children homes. http://dreammakerschildrenscharity.com/
The Dream Team – Past dreams have included a day with Ant and Dec, an afternoon with famous WWE wrestlers, special car seating and computer equipments. http://www.thedreamteamcharity.co.uk/
Hopes and Dreams – Holidays, meeting Celebrities, helicopter rides, toys… you name it. The Child will be asked to name 3 dreams in order of preference and they will make the best to attend. http://hopesdreams.org/index.htm
Make a Wish Foundation – This charity attends kids between 3 and 17 years old and soon as they receive the forms they will contact the child consultant in order to check the disability eligibility. Days out, holidays, meetings with your heroes and celebrities. http://www.make-a-wish.org.uk/
Promise Dreams – as they say: ”make a promise, delivery a dream”. Excellent team, who will offer a fundraising for part or full amount of the dream. http://promisedreams.co.uk/
Rays of Sunshine – The majority of the offer comes in form of holidays (domestic and international). The trips are made by groups of children with similar disabilities. Often we see the England football squad wearing their tshirt. https://www.raysofsunshine.org.uk/
Round Table Children’s Wishes – Supported by the Round Table team, the offers are different to attend every child needs. Ipads, computer equipments, holidays, swimming with the dolphins and much more. http://www.rtcw.org/index.html
Starlight – It is a very well organized foundation that helps lots of kids with different disabilities. Past wishes includes meeting with Prince Willian, Flying day, Theather day, Grand Prix. http://www.starlight.org.uk/
When you Wish Upon a Star – The most beautiful trips to Lapland including acommodation. Every year, they chart 4 airplanes and take 400 kids to bright their Xmas. But is much more there from trips to Spain, Florida/US and meetings with celebrities. http://www.whenyouwishuponastar.org.uk/
Buttercup Children’s Trust – Usually, they prone to attend kids in terminal illness, but they try to help all disabilities. http://www.buttercupchildrenstrust.org.uk/index.html
The Buttle Trust – This Charity does not help disable children and their families, but different than the most, they also help families in crises or in need. They count with innumerous projects and a special educational division. http://www.buttleuk.org/
The Dream Factory – This charity from Essex has a massive list of different choices of dreams to kids with difficulties or life limitations. http://www.yourdreamfactory.org/index.html
Dream4u – Its a Scotish organization that always try to help firstly the local children (Scotland and borders) but it doesnt mean that they won’t help other Children. They try the best they can to stretch their arms and be able to ‘cuddle’ all the nation. They love football matches! http://www.dreamz4u.org/
Able Kidz – This charity works very hard to improve education and independence for the small one with disabilities and learning difficulties. http://www.ablekidz.com/
Action for Kids – This foundation is very special as they help the little ones, but the young adults as well up 26 years old. They also offer full support. http://actionforkids.org/
Boparan – as their logo ”Helping little stars shine bright”, they help the parents to improve the life of children with disabilities. http://www.theboparancharitabletrust.com/
Caudwell – The team will make a triage and help children with disabilities and chronic illness up 19 years old with mobility equipments, therapies, etc. But note that they just will be able to help with the parents together have gross income not superior to £45K/ year. http://www.caudwellchildren.com/
Cerebra – Your child must to be aged 16 years or under who have brain injury, neurological disorders, mental disabilities or developmental problems; and must be higher disability allowance. http://www.cerebra.org.uk/English/Pages/home.aspx
Child Brain Injury Trust – This cozy charity, provide small grants limited for £100 per child. http://childbraininjurytrust.org.uk/
Children Today – The applicant must be under 25 years of age. They are specialized in medical equipments, communication aids, educational toys and trikes. http://www.childrentoday.org.uk/
Children Heart – This charity provides lots of information and support to the little ones and their families who suffers from heart conditions. http://www.chfed.org.uk/
Children Hope Foundation – They raise founds to grant medical equipments, toys and short holidays for children with eligible disabilities. http://www.childrenshopefoundation.org.uk/
CHIPS – Founded by gaming industry, helping kids with short life spam, offering super powerful wheelchairs and other equipments. http://www.chipscharity.org/
Daytrippers – The team will offer help to children with disabilities, chronical illness and limiting conditions. Lots of different day trips, but adults/ parents and sibling will need to pay for their trips. http://daytrippers.org.uk/
Elifar – Offering a very large of equipments to improve the disable kids lives; also now they have specialized holidays, communication aids and sensory equipment. http://www.elifarfoundation.org.uk/
Fashion and Textile – Helps vulnerable and disable kids to develop talents. http://www.ftct.org.uk/grants/
Hope 4 Kidz – Provide support, trips to theme parks, toys & playground, sensory equipments and other contributions to vulnerable and disable children. http://www.hope4kidz.org.uk/
Douglas – Helps with clothes, medical, bedding, toys, equipments physical disable children. http://www.douglashay.org.uk (Attends Scotland Only)
Kids Direct – This charity offers short breaks to disable children and young people under 25. http://www.directshortbreaks.org.uk/
Kids Out – Offers help to disable children, giving away short breaks. Past experiences includes sea-side and theme parks. The priority is vulnerable and kids and needs or the ones in rural isolation. http://kidsout.org.uk/
Lifeline for Kids – Provides support to purchase communication aids, wheelchairs and specialised computer equipments, for kids from 0 to 18 years. http://www.lifeline4kids.org/
Little Princess – The charity helps both boys and girls, who suffers hair loss and alopecia, providing wigs and support. https://www.facebook.com/groups/39836095625/
The Matthew – This trust provides help to children under 8 years of age who suffer with mental disabilities or injuries. They offer chothes, equipments and breaks. http://matthewtrust.org/
Me & Dee – Offering to disable kids grants up £100 for anything from a gift to a trip. http://www.meanddee.co.uk/
Merlins Magic Wand – All the requests are considered, but usually they provide trips to Legoland, other british parks and a day out to Madame Tussards to disable children. http://merlinsmagicwand.org/
New Life – Basically all the funds will be used to buy therapy equipments, communication aids, and medical items to disable children under 19 years. http://newlifecharity.co.uk/
Nihal – This foundation is specialized in helping children under 18 with cerebral palsy. Funds up £1000 are provided to help with equipments, communication aids and other services/ therapies not covered by NHS. http://www.nihalarmstrongtrust.org.uk/
REACT – This charity helps kids with disabilities and their families with medical equipments, households and hospital expenses. Lately, they included in the list funeral and memorial expenses, and holidays to one of their mobile homes in the UK. The form must be endorsed by a doctor or social worker. http://www.reactcharity.org/index.php
Roald Dahl – It supports children with serious, rare blood, epilepsy, brain injuries and conditions. The total benefits income of the children family must be equal or inferior to £22K/ year. http://www.roalddahl.com/charity
Smile for Life – Helping children under 18 years with illness, disabilities, behavioral/ psychological difficulties; also disadvantaged through poverty. They are able to offer equipments, wheelchairs, soft pays, therapies and other special activities/ events. This charity really make a difference! http://www.smileforlife.org.uk/
TACT – Financial and special support to young actors with disabilities and special needs/ and actors children. The past grants include schools/ education, uniforms, music lessons, trips and other therapies. http://www.tactactors.org/index.html
Variety Club – The funds raised provides manual, electric and sportive wheelchairs; buggies, trikes and bikes, supporting disadvantaged and disable children under 19 years of age. https://www.variety.org.uk/
Well Child – They are well known in decorating children rooms and creating out doors nice playgrounds for disable children, or the little ones with terminal illness or limiting life. All the workers are volunteers. https://www.wellchild.org.uk/
Whizz Kidz – They provide mobility equipment to children with disabilities under 18 years. http://www.whizz-kidz.org.uk/
ACT – The grants generally fall into the following areas: building (funding modifications such as stair lifts, bathroom adaptations and vehicle adaptations), equipment (provision of specialised wheelchairs, other mobility aids and equipment including medical equipment to assist independent living) and financial assistance towards the cost of respite breaks. They will not make grants which would replace statutory funding and/or which would pay for work that has already taken place or equipment already purchased or on order. http://www.theactfoundation.co.uk/index.php
Family Action – The charity has small grants available for medical treatment, services, facilities or equipment (including communication aids) for those who are sick or physically disabled. http://www.family-action.org.uk/
Independence at Home – Provide grants for people with a disability or long-term illness towards the cost of adaptations, equipment or other things to help you to manage at home. The grant must go towards an item to assist a child to live at home. Independence at home cannot provide grants when the item may be provided through public funds. http://www.independenceathome.org.uk/
Joseph Patrick – The trust provides financial support towards specialist equipment to help promote mobility and independence for people with muscular dystrophy, or a related muscle disease. Powered wheelchairs, adapted computers and electric beds are included. The grants cover pieces of equipment that the health and social services do not provide, but which are still vital for maintaining independence and quality of life. http://www.muscular-dystrophy.org/how_we_help_you/equipment_grants
Strongbones – They have funds available to donate towards arthritis, scoliosis, brittle bone disease and all other conditions of the bone to children under 18. They provide grants for medical equipment, computers/software, toys, sensory equipment, short breaks away, days out and proven household bills. Grants are normally £ 250 per child, but this figure is open to discussion depending on the child’s circumstances. http://www.strongbones.org.uk/
The Three Guineas – ( from local charities which run play schemes and activity programmes over the summer school holiday) Applications are invited from: autism-specific play and activity schemes & play and activity schemes which include children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). In this case the application must be for the specific costs of enabling children with an ASD to take part in the scheme. Grants are available as follows: up to £5,000 for general running costs & up to £10,000 specifically towards the costs of including children with complex needs. www.sfct.org.uk
Applications are considered for capital and revenue costs for specific projects and general running/core funding. The charity normally only funds one-off grants (from £250 upwards) but new projects may be funded for two or three years.
– See more at: http://www.disability-grants.org/grants-for-learning-difficulties.html#sthash.XfCgoXfN.dpuf
The Baily Thomas – This Charitable Fund provides funding for voluntary organisations working with children or adults with severe learning difficulties (including Autism). Applications are considered for capital and revenue costs for specific projects and general running/core funding. The charity normally only funds one-off grants (from £250 upwards) but new projects may be funded for two or three years. Work that falls within the Fund’s policy includes: Capital building for residential, nursing, respite care and schools; Employment schemes; Play schemes/therapy; Day and social activities; Support for families and community schemes; Independent living schemes; Swimming and hydro-therapy pools; Snoezelen rooms. http://www.bailythomas.org.uk/
The Forbes – This Foundation makes grants to individuals and organisations who support people with learning difficulties. It mainly supports small and medium sized organisations for capital expenditure and some revenue expenditure. Grants are usually under £5,000. Revenue grants are limited to holidays for learning disabled adults and the costs of training towards employment. Applications can be made three times a year to the Secretary of the Trustees and should arrive by the last day of February, June and October. http://www.theforbescharitablefoundation.org/homepage/
If you have information of one or more charities that are not in this list, please send us the details and we will be happy to add to help many other families 🙂
