Growing Together FAQs

Our practical and accessible resource sessions focus on some of the key difficulties that families may face when raising a child with a disability and/ or autism. They aim to offer practical support and bring families together to offer each other advice and support.

These resource sessions can be accessed in person at our International Children’s Centre in Keele or online. To be eligible, you must meet the following criteria: You must have a child aged 4-18 years old. Your child(ren) must have a chronic illness or disability.

Applications can be completed via the form on our Growing Together page. We would then ask for proof of a confirmed diagnosis and proof of benefit support or income.

We have a total of 11 resource sessions to choose including Meeting Sensory Needs, Supporting Positive Behaviour, Autism and Wellbeing and many more. We also offer a child- friendly workshop known as ‘Next steps’ which is designed to help parents and children with the Next Steps following an Autism diagnosis. This workshop is split by age range: 4-7 and 8-11.

You can apply to Caudwell Children for 80% of the cost towards two resource sessions each year if you can demonstrate that either:

You are in receipt of means-tested benefits, and you can send us all pages of a benefits letter showing your full name and address, dated within the last 12 months.

This would be one of the following:

• Universal Credits
• Tax Credits
• Pension Credits
• Income Support
• Housing Benefit

OR

Your household income is no more than £60,000 excluding benefits, and you can send us one of the following:

• Wage slips for each person in the household showing the full name and address, dated within the last three months.
• P60’s for each person from the last financial year.
• Your most recent set of accounts or a letter from your accountant if you work for yourself.

In both instances you will also need to declare that your savings do not exceed £16,000.

If you’re eligible for charitable funding, you will be asked to contribute just £33.40 (20%) towards the full resource session cost.

To receive funding support toward the cost of resource sessions, your household income must be less than £60,000 per year.

At this present time, we are accepting applications from families only. Schools can offer support to families in completing the application process but cannot currently apply on the child’s behalf.

Virtual sessions run between 9.45 and 1.30 and face to face sessions run between 9.30 and 2pm.

Our team would be happy to discuss this with you or give advice around session suitability based on your child’s current challenges or difficulties. Please contact the Growing Together Team on 0345 3001348  or email growingtogether@caudwellchildren.com