Local support and help

The Parent Carer Forum York is an independent charity made up of parents and carers of children or young people with additional needs or disabilities (0-25) who live in York. We are a voluntary organisation. 

Decision makers within Health, Education and Social Care work with us to ensure that provision and services are informed by our expertise and lived experience. 

In order to ensure we are representing York Parent Carer voice correctly we: 

• Organise and attend social events 
• Offer a community of peer support 
• Share information and signpost services 
• Work closely with professionals within York 

The York SEND Local Offer website provides information about the available support for parent carers, professionals as well as children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in York. 

If the child or young person does not have SEND but you feel they need support in some part of their development, the information on this website can help.

SEND Central is York’s Family Hub that specialises in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). This is a hub where families can seek advice and information about what’s available in York when they have children and young people who have additional needs, any age from 0 to 25. 

SEND Central provides an essential breathing space for children, young people, and their families. A warm, welcoming, and supportive environment where families can go for information, advice, and support on all aspects of SEND and where they can find out more about the Local Offer in York. 

This is a place where families can meet multiple professionals and agencies all under one roof, meet other parents and carers of children and young people with SEND and where they and their child can access a range of information about events and activities. 

York SENDIASS (Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support Service) can help you understand support in educational settings and advise on a range of issues, your rights and the law, writing and seeking an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or solving disagreements and helping when things go wrong. 

The Raise York website is designed to support parents, carers, children, young people and anyone who works with children, young people and families.

Local Area Coordinators work with individuals and families of all ages and abilities. They take time to get to know you, your family, friends, carers and your community, so they can help you to build a strong support network. 

Local Area Coordinators help you stay safe, well, independent and connected to your local community by: 

• helping raise awareness of available resources 
• providing links to local services 
• supporting people with a wide range of issues 
• developing resilience and social inclusion in communities 

Orca House is a community base service in York for children and young people. 

(Many people refer to it as York CAMHS) 

Services offered include: 

• Community child and adolescent mental health services in York 
• Community child and adolescent mental health services single point of access service for York 
• Community eating disorders service for children and young people in York