Diagnosis Support and Helpline Service

The Diagnosis Support & Helpline Service offers one to one support, signposting and information to families who have recently received a diagnosis for their child/young person or are awaiting an assessment.

This service can support parent/carers in a variety of ways:

• A pre-booked telephone consultation
• Ring our Helpline
• E-mail conversation
• Face to face meetings

We aim to help parent/carers on a 1:1 personal level by:

• Offering understanding and support at an emotional and often frustrating time
• Reducing parental loneliness and self-blame
• Building up the self-esteem of the parent/carer by offering knowledge, useful tips and strategies to manage behaviour
• Signposting families to other local and national services
• Offering several ways of contacting the service when convenient for the parent/carer (phone, text, email, Social Media)

We hope that this support will enable you to begin to adjust to the news of the diagnosis or to help you through the assessment process and to lessen the feelings of isolation and anxiety that many parent/carers have at this time.

Parent/Carers of children with additional or special needs often find it very difficult to attend courses due to lack of time, support or childcare, so the Diagnosis Support and Helpline service appeals to them, as they can contact us when and how they find it easiest or most convenient.

For parent/carers waiting to get an assessment or have recently had a diagnosis for their child/young person of Autism or ADHD, we also offer Pre and Post Assessment workshops which will provide you with a greater understanding of Autism or ADHD. Please see details of these workshops below.

Pre- and Post-Assessment Workshops - ADHD

A series of three linked pre- and post-assessment workshops for parent/carers of children and young people who are waiting for an assessment for ADHD, or who have recently been diagnosed with ADHD

Pre- and Post-Assessment Workshops - Autism

A series of three linked pre- and post-assessment workshops for parent/carers of children and young people who are waiting for an assessment for Autism, or who have recently been diagnosed with Autism

For more information please visit:

Diagnosis Support & Helpline Service

Parenting Special Children