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What are Communication Impairments

Information for Adults

Information for Children

Glossary of Terms

Links to other Organisations

News and Events

Links to organisations dealing with communication impairments

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• ACE Centre
  Provides a focus for the use of technology with the communication and educational needs of young people with physical and communication difficulties, offering a wide variety of services including in-depth individual assessments, information, R&D, and specialist training for parents and professionals.
  
  
• Afasic
  Afasic is helping children and young people, their families and the professionals working with them. Afasic is a recognised training provider and offers a range of services that include a helpline, publications, support groups, and membership.
  
  
• Aid for Children with Tracheostomies
  ACT's intention is to complement rather than replace statutory provisions of the medical and community services, by providing the necessary encouragement, support and practical advice to families facing a trying time after their child has had a tracheostomy.
  
  

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• Alderwasley Hall School (part of the SENAD Group)
  Alderwasley Hall School provides specialist education for children and young people with speech and communication difficulties. It is currently the largest specialist school in the UK for children and young people aged 5 to 19 years either on a day or residential basis and are supported by over 50 Local Education Authorities.
  
  
• Aidis Trust
  Aidis works to improve the lives of people with disabilities through communication aids, computers, and special assistive technology such as larger keyboards, head pointers or specioalist software. Aidis gives advice, assessment, installation, and, perhaps most importantly, training and support to people with disabilities, both adults and children.
  
  
• ARCOS
  ARCOS is a national charity working with children and adults who have communication and eating (swallowing) difficulties, their families, carers and others involved. ARCOS provides information, advice, practical help, specialist therapy training and other services not readily available elsewhere.
  
  

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• Association of Speech and Language Therapists in Independent Practice
  The Association of Speech and Language Therapists in Independent Practice has two main functions: 1) to provide information on independent speech and language therapists throughout the United Kingdom and b) to support therapists in independent practice. A searchable database of private therapists can be found here on their website.
  
  
• British Aphasiology Society
  The British Aphasiology Society (BAS) is a national interest group formed to foster the development of the study of aphasia, through encouraging the dissemination of knowledge of aphasia and its treatment amongst all disciplines concerned with aphasia, promoting the application of a scientific approachand promoting the interests of dysphasic people by broadening the knowledge and understanding of dysphasia.
  
  
• British Dyslexia Association
  The BDA is the voice of dyslexic people. It aims to influence government and other institutions to promote a dyslexia friendly society. The BDA promotes early identification and support in schools to ensure opportunity to learn for dyslexic learners. It aims to represent the needs of dyslexic people on leaving school, in higher education and in work.
  
  

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• British Stammering Association
  The British Stammering Association offers support and information about all aspects of stammering, in children as well as adults, through its information service, and offers mutual support, membership activities and self-help.
  
  
• Children's Brain Injury Trust
  The Child Brain Injury Trust (CBIT) supports anyone in the United Kingdom affected by childhood acquired brain injury. The Trust provides information, support and training to families and professionals.
  
  
• CommunicAbility
  The Trust's aim is to help people with communication disabilities overcome their problems. It fulfils this objective by offering support, information and advice but, primarily, by giving small grants to enable disabled people to purchase communications equipment.
  
  

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• Communication Matters
  Communication Matters focuses on the needs of people with complex communication needs who may benefit from augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems to maximise their opportunities and enhance their life. AAC systems includes eye pointing, gesture, signing, using symbol/word boards, and electronic speech devices.
  
  
• Contact a Family
  Contact a Family is the only UK-wide charity providing advice, information and support to the parents of all disabled children - no matter what their health condition. They enable parents to get in contact with other families, both on a local and national basis.
  
  
• Council for Disabled Children
  A national forum for the discussion, development and dissemination of policy and practice issues for disabled children and young people and those with special educational needs
  
  

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• Cued Speech Association (UK)
  The Cued Speech Association UK is a charity which was established to promote, maintain and advance education in Cued Speech in the United Kingdom for use with and among deaf and hearing-impaired children and adults.
  
  
• Dominic Barker Trust
  The Dominic Barker Trust fund aims to:
  

• Fund research into stammering
• Raise awareness of the issues surrounding stammering
• Encourage understanding in those who meet people who stammer
• Devise better programmes to help overcome this disability
  
  

• Down's Syndrome Association
  The only organisation in this country focusing solely on all aspects of living successfully with Down’s syndrome. Provide information and support for people with Down’s syndrome, their families and carers, as well as being a resource for interested professionals, strive to improve knowledge of the condition, and champion the rights of people with Down’s syndrome.
  
  

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• Dyspraxia Foundation
  The Dyspraxia Foundation acts as a resource centre for those wishing to learn more about dyspraxia, its diagnosis and treatment. The Foundation has a national network of some 35 local groups offering support and a wide range of activities specific to the child with dyspraxia.
  
  
• Headway
  Headway's aims are to promote understanding of all aspects of head injury and to provide information, support and services to people who have suffered a head injury, their family and carers. Deals with enquiries connected to head injury and its aftermath, from brain injury survivors, their families, carers and friends, as well as from professionals and other interested parties.
  
  
• I CAN
  I CAN exists to help children with a communication disability communicate. I CAN provides a combination of specialist therapy and education for children with the most severe and complex disabilities, information for parents and training and advice for teachers and other professionals.
  
  

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• ICANHO
  Icanho's multi-disciplinary team offers a wide range of rehabilitation and support services. These include speech and language therapy, social work, physiotherapy, vocational rehabilitation, consultant neurology, occupational therapy and neuropsychology
  
  
• Liberator
  A specialist supplier of communication aids and other special needs equipment
  
  
• Makaton
  Makaton is a unique language programme offering a structured, multi-modal approach, using signs and symbols, for the teaching of communication, language and literacy skills for people with communication and learning difficulties.
  
  

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• MENCAP
  Mencap is the UK's leading learning disability charity working with people with a learning disability and their families and carers, with special services for housing, education, employment and leisure.
  
  
• Michael Palin Centre for Stammering Children [ARSC]
  ARSC, the Association for Research into Stammering in Children, is a charity which was set up to help and support the specialist speech and language therapy service which is offered at the Michael Palin Centre for Stammering Children in London.
  
  
• Motor Neurone Disease Association
  MNDA is the only national charity in England, Wales and Northern Ireland working to help people with MND secure the care and support they need, while also promoting research into causes, treatments and a cure. The Association offers a wide range of services to people affected by MND, including a telephone helpline.
  
  

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• Multiple Sclerosis Society
  The MS Society is the UK's largest charity for people affected by Multiple Sclerosis (MS) - about 85,000 people in the UK. Across the UK information and support is available to anyone affected by MS from our network of over 350 local branches.
  
  
• National Association of Deafened People
  The NADP provides information and support for deafened people who have lost all or most of their useful hearing, and for their families and friends, to help enable them to regain their independence and enjoy the best quality of life.
  
  
• National Association of Laryngectomee Clubs
  NALC has almost 100 clubs nationwide and offers a range of services to Laryngectomees and their families and carers. A major role of the clubs is to provide the sort of non-medical help and information that can only come from the experience of living with a laryngectomy.
  
  

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• The National Autistic Society
  The National Autistic Society exists to champion the rights and interests of all people with autism and to ensure that they and their families receive quality services appropriate to their need
  
  
• National Deaf Children's Society
  As the leading provider of impartial information and individual advocacy on every aspect of childhood deafness, NDCS can help with welfare rights and benefit claims, making education choices, advising on health and audiology and technology, or simply as someone to talk to.
  
  
• Parkinson's Disease Society
  Provides support, advice and information to people with Parkinson's, their carers, families and friends, and to health and social services professionals involved in management and care.
  

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• Royal Association in Aid of Deaf People
  The Royal Association for Deaf people (RAD) promotes the welfare and interests of Deaf people (i.e. deaf people whose first or preferred language is sign language). Founded in 1841, RAD is the oldest organisation in England for Deaf adults.
  
  
• Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
  The RCSLT represents speech and language therapists and support workers, promotes excellence in practice and influences health, education and social care policies.
  
  
• Royal National Institute of the Blind
  Offering information, support and advice to over two million people with sight problems. RNIB helps anyone with a sight problem – not just with Braille, Talking Books and computer training, but with practical solutions to everyday challenges.
  

• RNID
  Information and resources for deaf and hard of hearing people, their families, friends and employers, and professionals.
  
  
• Scope
  Information and advice for people affected by cerebral palsy, their family and carers.
  
  Sense
  Sense is the UK's leading organisation for children or adults who are deafblind or have associated disabilities.
  
  
  
• Signalong
  Signalong a sign-supporting system based on British Sign Language. It is designed to help children and adults with communication difficulties, mostly associated with learning disabilities.
  
  
  
• Speechmatters
  Speechmatters aims to represent the voice of aphasic people in Northern Ireland, through advice, befriending, advocacy, campaigns and training.
  
  

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• Speakability
  Speakability helps people with aphasia and their carers directly through an Information Service, a national network of support groups, and training courses and meetings. They support professionals working with people with aphasia through the Information Service, as well as training courses and an annual lecture series.
  
  
• Speakeasy [email address only]
  
  
• Speech, Language and Hearing Centre
  The Speech, Language and Hearing Centre at Christopher Place is for babies and children under 5 who have hearing impairment or delay in speech, language and communication. The Centre is the only one of its kind in the UK and is a registered charity. Its child-centred programme combines teaching with therapy using an interdisciplinary professional team. A close partnership with the whole family is central to the approach, as is liaison with professionals involved in the child's development.
  
  
• Symbol [email address only]
  
  

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