We understand that sometimes people feel more comfortable accessing services which specialise in supporting those from particular communities, cultures, or require certain adjustments in order to support their own personal needs.
Please don’t feel limited by the services listed below, and if you feel that you cannot find a support service that is applicable to you- either disclose using the Report with Details tool, and the Report and Support team will be happy to search for additional services.
Internal Support Services
- Disability Services: are part of Wellbeing Support Services at The Bedford College Group. We encourage existing students and applicants to declare any disability or learning difference and contact us in advance to discuss their support requirements to enable us to make reasonable adjustments for the duration of their studies.
External Support Services
General Support
- Action on Hearing Loss: is the largest charity representing the 11 million deaf and hard of hearing people in the UK. As a membership charity, they aim to achieve a radically better quality of life for deaf and hard of hearing people.
- Activity Alliance: working to make active lives possible with a vision that disabled people are active for life.
- ADDISS – The National Attention Deficit Disorder Information & Support Service: people friendly information and resources to anyone who needs assistance.
- Arc UK: a membership organisation, which supports providers of services to people with a learning disability to promote real change.
- Change: a human rights organisation led by people with learning disabilities. They deliver training & produce accessible books, booklets, Picture Bank CD-ROMs & individual pictures.
- Disability Rights UK: is the leading charity of its kind in the UK, run by and for people with experience of disability or health conditions.
- Living Autism: information, advice, resources, on all issues relating to autism.
- Mencap: specialising in helping those with learning disability to lead fulfilling lives.
- National Autistic Society: offers an employment and training service for people with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who wish to work. Their aim is that people with an ASD should have the same training and employment opportunities as non-disabled people.
- Respond: helps children and adults with learning disabilities who have experienced abuse or trauma, as well as those who have abused others, through psychotherapy, advocacy and other support.
- Royal National Institute of the Blind: offers practical support and advice to anyone with a sight problem.
- Scope: A charity concerned with achieving equality for those with disabilities, particularly those affected by cerebral palsy.
- SignHealth the Deaf Health Charity: SignHealth aims to give Deaf people easier access to healthcare and information, as well as providing services which are not provided elsewhere.
- The Judith Trust: a trust that runs campaigns and supports research concerning those with both a mental illness and learning disability.
Domestic Abuse, Sexual Violence and Sexuality
- Deaf Hope (from SignHealth): Deaf Hope provides practical and emotional support to deaf women who are experiencing, or are survivors of, domestic abuse.
Funding
- Benefit Enquiry Line: information relating to benefits for people with disabilities.
Parents and Carers
- AFASIC: a parent-led organisation to help children and young people with speech and language impairments and their families including a helpline, publications, support groups, online message boards.
- EarlyBird (under five years), EarlyBird Plus (ages four-nine), Healthy Minds and Teen Life (ages 10 to 16): are support programmes for parents and carers, offering advice and guidance on strategies and approaches to working with young autistic children. Both programmes work on understanding autism, building confidence to encourage interaction and communication, and understanding and supporting behaviour.
- McIntyre Care: is a national charity providing education, care and support to both children and adults with learning disabilities.
The Bedford College Group is not responsible for the content of external sites.
If you believe that any of these support services should not be promoted or you have a suggestion for an additional support service, please let us know by emailing safe@bedford.ac.uk
