Support for neurodivergent young people 18-25 years
When young people have needs related to neurodiversity they may require support from a range of services. The information below sets out the range of support available in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin.
Where a support offer is not available in both council areas this is indicated with either Shropshire or Telford in brackets after the organisation name.
Scroll down to find more information about each organisation and links to their websites.
Shropshire - A4U run the Shropshire Autism Hub and provides services for autistic adults over 18 in Shropshire. They offer focussed small group work, peer support, user led activities, life skills and career support. They are also the first point of contact for individuals who are concerned that they may be autistic and seeking an assessment or needing general support. Shropshire Autism Hub – A4U
Telford – the Adult Autism Hub aims to enable individuals (adults and children) to better understand their autistic identity. This can include an individual seeking an assessment or needing general support. Or it can include support for parents or providing support groups and workshops. Their staff have received specialist training in autism and Autism West Midlands provide an autism specialist staff member who is based in the Hub, delivering training and support sessions.
Social care covers a range of services that help people with day-to-day living. For young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), including autistic and neurodiverse children, this starts with an assessment of their needs then the provision of appropriate support.
Shropshire and Telford councils have their own social care teams and different ways to access them.
Adult social care for young people with SEND | Shropshire Council
Adult Social Care Learning Disability and Autism Team | Live Well Telford
Aurum is a registered charity that is led by autistic women and specialist autism professionals. They provide specialist support services for autistic women and girls, to empower them to achieve their full potential, running girls and adults groups. This includes mentoring, counselling, on line and social groups.
The Autism Forensic Liaison Team help people with Autism who have been in contact with the police. They help you:
- Think about your Autism, about your offences and if they might be linked.
- Make a plan to keep yourself and other people safe.
- Feel confident about how you can avoid offending.
- Get in touch with the right services to make sure you have the right support.
https://www.telfordautismhub.org.uk/our-autism-forensic-liaison-team
The publication of the Autism Strategy provides views and opinions on how to shape local services, what is needed to become more autism friendly and to ensure a safer community for autistic people in the local borough. The Autism Strategy also highlights the importance of partnership working, in particular, the work that continues with our engagement partners CVS and the Telford Autism Hub and The Autism Partnership Board.
Autism West Midlands offer a regional helpline, free webinars and downloadable resources. This is available to anyone in the West Midlands. Your child does not need an autism diagnosis to access these offers. They also offer an Outreach Service for young adults across Shropshire and Telford. Autism West Midlands | Supporting the Autistic Community
In Telford, Autism West Midlands have an autism specialist staff member based in the Telford Autism Hub. They support and empower families and children and young people, give practical advice, emotional support and signpost and refer on to other services where appropriate. Shropshire and Telford Community Hub | Autism West Midlands
The Keyworker Service is for children and young people (0-25) with high support needs. They need to have a diagnosis of learning disability and/or autism and be at a high risk of going into a residential placement or into hospital due to mental health conditions or distressed behaviours.
Keyworkers support children and their families to ensure the right support is in place and to enable the child/young person to stay at home if possible. They
- work closely with children, young people and their families
- take the time to get to know them and understand both the child’s and family’s needs
- advocate and ensure their voices are heard, understood and respected
- ensure the child and their family have the right support from services at the right time.
Keyworkers are practitioners who are experienced in supporting children and young people who are autistic or have learning disabilities and have received specialist training Keyworker Service - NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin (shropshiretelfordandwrekin.nhs.uk)
Carers support services provide information, advice and support to unpaid family carers who look after a relative or friend who is 18 years plus.
Shropshire Carers is a dedicated carer support team within Shropshire Council Shropshire Carers Support Team | Shropshire Council
The Telford All Age Carers Centre is project of Telford & Wrekin CVS Telford & Wrekin All Age Carers Centre (telfordcarers.org.uk)
Challenging Perceptions is a user led organisation run by volunteers. Their services are available to residents of Telford and Wrekin, you can contact them direct via their website.
They aim to empower young adults to address mental health issues and wellbeing. To do so they enable members of their communities to come together and support each other to grow in confidence and engage in opportunities. They help to reduce stigma and discrimination by providing information, advice and support and promoting understanding and awareness of mental health and wellbeing that young people face.
Challenging Perceptions | Telford, UK | Challenging Perceptions (cptelford.co.uk)
Citizens Advice offers confidential advice online, over the phone, and in person, for free. They advise on any issue, including benefits, debt, employment, consumer and housing. There are separate organisations for Shropshire and Telford.
The purpose of the Community Learning Disability team (CLDT) is to provide services which are person-centred, responsive to the holistic needs of the service user and to work closely with partners to promote health and wellbeing. The teams provide episodes of care to address specific issues related to the health of the individual.
Community Learning Disability teams are multi-disciplinary and consist of nurses, psychiatrists, psychologists, health facilitators, acute liaison nurses, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists and physiotherapists. There are also assistant practitioners in Shropshire.
Learning Disabilities :: Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (mpft.nhs.uk)
Telford and Wrekin Council for Voluntary Service is a local charity that works to support and collaborate with communities in Telford and Wrekin and Shropshire for the benefit of all who live and work there. They provide friendly confidential information via face to face meetings, email, out in community places, by phones and at our offices at Hazledine House, Central Square, Town Centre, Telford, TF3 4JL.
Wellbeing Independence Partnership | Telford CVS (telfordandwrekincvs.org.uk)
This 24/7 Helpline offers a listening ear, advice, support and signposting for adults, children and their carers and operates 24 hours a day, and 7 days a week. Children and young people or their parent / carer can contact the helpline if there are concerns about mental health and wellbeing.
You can contact them by calling 0808 196 4501
Urgent Help :: Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (mpft.nhs.uk)
The Dynamic Support Register (DSR) is a register of autistic people and those with a learning disability who are at risk of going into a residential placement or into hospital due to mental health conditions or distressed behaviours. It enables all agencies and services involved in commissioning and delivering their care and support to provide the type of support the person needs to stay well at home. Your lead professional can refer or you can refer yourself. Dynamic Support Register - NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin (shropshiretelfordandwrekin.nhs.uk)
East offer employment support for people with learning difficulties, physical disabilities, mental health conditions and complex needs.
EAST Education Employment Advisory Support Team | Live Well Telford
Enable have highly experienced employment officers to support and advise people with disabilities or mental health needs to find work suited to their interests and skills.
Home - Enable. Supported Employment Services (enableservices.co.uk)
FutureFocus is an impartial, free, Careers Guidance support service for young people living in Telford aged between 16 – 19 or up to 25 years with additional needs. They provide impartial information, advice and guidance on careers and future planning. They can also help you when things get in the way of your learning or future plans and look at support services with you that might also be able to help. Your FutureFocus Adviser will help you into and during your education, employment or training.
Click this link for contact details of GP Practices in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin.
Healthwatch Shropshire is your local health and social care champion. From Whitchurch to Ludlow and everywhere in between, they make sure NHS leaders and other decision makers hear your voice and use your feedback to improve care. If you feel lost and don’t know where to turn, Healthwatch is there for you. In times of worry or stress, they provide confidential support and free information to help you understand your options and get the help you need.
The Hive’s Wellbeing Projects provide a safe path to personal and community growth. They use inspiring, inclusive, creative experiences to transform lives, engaging professional musicians and artists to help those in our communities who face challenges in their lives. Their project participants include: care experienced young people, adult carers, young adults in touch with mental health services, siblings of young oncology patients, autistic young adults, young people with special educational needs, young people living in poverty and young adults living in supported housing. Their projects are also designed to respond to the needs of our local communities and implement targeted work with older people, as well as inter-generational projects.
A purpose-built environment has enabled the centre to provide a ‘showhome’ with built in features to both physically and digitally promote independent living and to reduce costs of care and support needs using modern technology and Assistive Equipment solutions. On-site TEC (Technology Enabled Care), Sensory & Visual Impairment for further information visit Sensory & Assistive Technology Team and Occupational Therapy equipment enables people to ‘try before they buy’ to find the solutions they need to maintain independence in their own homes. It is a physical space and digital platform for all who wish to support vulnerable people and an aging population living within Telford and Wrekin. Offering both preventative and responsive support to individuals to enable them and their families and their family carers to live well and safe in their community. People are able to receive support around daily living and it offers wide ranging information, advice and signposting to address the needs of residents which enables individuals and their family to make decisions to enhance life choices.
The Intensive Support Team (IST) provides a service to a small group of adults and people . Team members are clinicians experienced in behaviour support.
The IST works to prevent placement breakdown for young people. It provides support, which is proactive and preventative rather than reactive and is based on a Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) approach. They aim to address the reason for behaviours that challenge in the setting in which they are occurring.
Learning Disabilities :: Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (mpft.nhs.uk)
Jobcentre Plus provides resources to enable job-searchers to find work, through Jobpoints (touch-screen computer terminals), Jobseeker Direct (telephone service) and the Jobcentre Plus website. They offer information about training opportunities for the chronically unemployed. They administer claims for benefits such as Income Support, Incapacity Benefit, and Jobseeker's Allowance (currently being phased out in favour of Universal Credit).
Shrewsbury JobCentre Plus and Jobs in Shrewsbury (jobcentreguide.co.uk)
Telford JobCentre Plus and Jobs in Telford (jobcentreguide.co.uk)
Kooth is a free, safe and anonymous website for young people living in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin aged 11-25. You don’t need to be referred or have an appointment. It provides an anonymous 24-hour online service, 365 days per year, offering peer support, self-help and trained and qualified counsellors available to talk to online at particular times. For more information
BeeU :: Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (mpft.nhs.uk)
Landau is a supported employment and training charity that delivers a range of programmes to help people gain employment. It provides routes to employment, access to learning, social enterprise help and support for personal growth. They have extensive experience working with learners with Education Health and Care Plans. Their programmes are developed so young people have full lives with choices about their future and control of their support.
Landau | Supported Employment & Education Charity | Helping You To Get Into Work or Training
My Options offer flexible and personalised care and support services to promote independence, welling and community involvement. They do this by working closely with individuals, parents and carers, commissioners and Local Authorities. They enable people to live life the way they choose, give choice and improve quality of life.
PACC is Shropshire’s Parent Carer Forum. It is an independence parent carer led organisation. It supports the SEND Community within the Shropshire Council area, aiming to help make Shropshire a great place for SEND families to thrive and have the same opportunities as everyone else.
They focus on three key work areas: Influence and Change; Information Provision; and Community Support.
They provide a variety of support offers:
· Preparation for Adulthood Navigators
· Buddies and Buddies Jnr Community Groups
· Activity Coordination
· Learning and Information Sessions
Their commitment to their community is to empower Parent Carers to influence change in local systems and services by sharing their experiences, to inform families to support them to make aspirational decisions for their children, and to create a supportive community within which SEND families can thrive.
About us (paccshropshire.org.uk)
The PACC Preparing for Adulthood (PFA) Navigators are available to help SEND families understand what options are available for young people with SEND on their Preparation for Adulthood journey - where to access provisions and support.
This includes providing information and guidance about:
- Post 16 education options (including Supported Internships)
- Managing finances and benefits
- Working towards employment and volunteering opportunities
- Mental Capacity and parent carer’s role in decision making
- Social Care and PFA - opportunities to experience time away from family environment and support
- The importance of friendships and peer relationships; being part of the community
- Staying healthy; Annual Health Checks, screening, activity levels and healthy eating
- Support planning and thinking ahead
- Support and self-care for parent carers
- Who can help when things become difficult?
Preparation for Adulthood (PFA) Navigators (paccshropshire.org.uk)
PODS Charity in Telford and Wrekin, incorporates the Parent Carer Forum which involves and represents families of children with a disability or additional need.
PODS Charity Preparing for Adulthood Navigator Service offers support with:
- Navigating local service provision and activities
- Employment, learning and higher education
- Good health
- Friendships, relationships and community inclusion
- Independent living/housing options
- Life skills
PODS Preparing for Adulthood Navigator Service - PODS (podstelford.org)
Preparing for adulthood means preparing for higher education and/ or employment and exploring these options. Preparing for independent living, so that young people have choice, control and freedom over their lives, the support they have, their accommodation and living arrangements. Preparing for participating in society, this includes having friends, supportive relationships and participating and contributing to the local community. Preparing to be as healthy as possible in their adult lives.
Contact a PFA SEND officer:
SEND Officer - Jamie Goodall-Barber Tel: 01952 380603
SEND Officer - Vicki Abbott Tel: 01952 380864
SEND Coordinator - Natalie Hesbrook Tel: 01952 388682
PODS Charity in Telford and Wrekin, incorporates the Parent Carer Forum which involves and represents families of children with a disability or additional need.
PODS Charity wider service offer includes:
- Parent Carer groups, workshops, training, engagement events
- Challenges at Home support sessions for supporting behaviour, anxiety etc (pre-autism diagnosis).
- Befriending Scheme
- Family based activities, Holiday Clubs, After School Clubs
- Peer Befriending Service
- Perinatal and 0-2years early years offer
- A Preparing for Adulthood Navigator who works with young people and their parent carers to prepare for life as an adult.
PODS is a parent carer/peer led charity with staff and volunteers who have the relevant ‘real life’ experience to support families who have a child with a disability or additional need (aged 0 – 25)
The Samaritans offer their service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and a Samaritan can be contacted by phone, email, post and in person in a branch. Samaritans is a charity providing support for those who are having suicidal thoughts.
Telephone number: 116 123
Telford Samaritans | Telford, Wellington and the surrounding villages
SENDIASS (called IASS in Shropshire) offers parents and young people advice and support on any concerns they might have around special educational needs and /or disability (SEND) and explains options, rights and responsibilities. There are separate organisations for Shropshire and Telford, both have lots of information on their websites and you can contact them direct.
SENDIASS support enables parents and young people to take an informed and effective part in making decisions about the child's education. Staff undertake extensive legal training in SEND to ensure they have a good knowledge of all the relevant legislation and guidance.
Shropshire MHS was established in 1974 as a mental health charity, and provides a diverse range of quality services across the county for the one in four people and their families acknowledged to be affected by mental or emotional distress.
They help to bridge the gap between illness and full independence for service users. Some people need support in many areas of their lives, others in just a few, some for long periods of time, others for only a short while. Respect for users, with justice and equality of access to services are part of their vision that everyone has the right to live equally with others and to enjoy a good quality of life. They try to enable service users to play the fullest possible part in the communities in which they live. They work in partnership with clients to ensure their right to make choices is preserved. They are also striving to reduce the debilitation, alienation, stigma and social isolation experienced by vulnerable people living in rural areas.
Shropshire Mental Health Support | Mental Health Shrewsbury & Telford (shropshiremhs.com)
Shropshire Youth Support Trust (SYST) is a registered Charity that provides a wide range of support for young people aged between 16 – 30 years who are not in education, employment, or training.
They support and empower youth across Telford & Wrekin, Shropshire and the West Midlands to identify their unique strengths and passions, whilst giving them the tools to sustain emotional and financial independence.
Taking Part is an overarching organisation who provides advice, information, advocacy and guidance to people with health and care needs throughout Shropshire including Telford and Wrekin. The core aims of Taking Part are to promote choice, increase independence and inclusion and uphold
Telford Mind works to promote recovery, aiming to provide high quality services for people who are experiencing mental health issues or emotional distress. It also offers support to people undertaking caring roles.
Telford Mind works to promote independence and inclusion. It challenges stigma. It promotes self-confidence and self-reliance, and designs and delivers appropriate services and activities through service user participation in development, delivery and governance.
Inspire2Thrive Telford allows our members to make use of each other’s specialist expertise, experience and knowledge, sharing resources in an open and transparent manner to ensure we provide the best possible service to local people across the whole of Telford & Wrekin. ThriveTelford was established in 2013 to ensure there is a co-ordinated local response to the needs of vulnerable people in Telford. The founder members of ThriveTelford – Stay, Bromford, Maninplace, Wellington YMCA and The Salvation Army Kip Project came together out of a shared ethos and belief that with the right support, everybody has the potential to “Thrive”.
More information about local services that support young people with special educational needs or disabilities can be found on the Local Offer website for your area.