Advice and Support
Our service has developed a wide ranging directory of support systems you may wish to access. The best way for us to signpost you to the support you may need is to telephone the helpline and speak to an operator. However, we know that speaking on the phone isn’t for everyone, so we have compiled a short list of services that you may want to access yourself, depending on your needs.
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Money
For financial difficulties, support and guidance is available to help with managing debt and accessing benefits. Check out these links and resources to further support services:
- Citizens Advice: Provides free, confidential, and impartial advice on a range of issues including money, debt and benefits.
Find your local Citizens Advice here: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/contact-us/contact-us/contact-us/
- Help To Claim Service: Provides free independent support and guidance to individuals applying for Universal Credit with the early stages of your Universal Credit claim.
Link: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/contact-us/contact-us/help-to-claim/
- Derby Law Centre: Offers free legal advice and support to individuals who need help with a range of issues, including housing, employment, debt, and welfare benefits in Derby City.
Link: http://www.thederbylawcentre.co.uk/default.asp
- Derbyshire Law Centre: Offers free legal advice and support to individuals who need help with a range of issues, including housing, employment, debt, and welfare benefits across Derbyshire.
Link: https://derbyshirelawcentre.org.uk/
- Turn2Us: Provides a range of support services to individuals who are struggling financially, including a benefits calculator, grants search tool, and information and advice on accessing financial assistance.
Link: https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Get-Support
Mental Health
Support is available for those struggling with their mental health. Use the list of services below to access a range of available services such as helplines, counselling, and therapy services to receive the help you need. Note: In the case on an emergency crisis for yourself or another please call 999.
- Derbyshire Mental Health Helpline and Support Service: Provides free and confidential mental health advice and support to individuals who need help, including crisis support and access to specialist services.
Link: https://www.derbyshirehealthcareft.nhs.uk/services/helpline-and-support-service
- Derbyshire Mind: Offers a range of support for mental health difficulties, including counselling, group therapy, and employment support.
Link: http://www.derbyshiremind.org.uk/sources-of-help/
- One Advocacy (Derby): Provide free specialist one-to-one, issue-based advocacy services, helping individuals to understand and act upon their rights.
Link: https://www.citizensadvicemidmercia.org.uk/advocacy/
- Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Teams: Provide intensive support and treatment to individuals experiencing a mental health crisis, These teams work to assess, treat, and support individuals in their own homes or other community settings.
For contact details services across Derbyshire:
- Derbyshire “Help in a mental health crisis”: Provides round-the-clock mental health crisis support, including assessment, treatment, and guidance for individuals, family members, and carers and link to further support services.
Link: https://www.derbyshirehealthcareft.nhs.uk/getting-help/help-mental-health-crisis
- Samaritans: Provide a confidential space for individuals to talk through their feelings and offer non-judgmental support, 24/7 – 365 days a year.
Link: https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/
- Give Us a Shout: is a free 24/7 mental health support service, providing confidential support via text messaging for anyone in crisis in the UK.
Link: https://giveusashout.org/
- MIND: Mind provides a range of confidential helplines offering information and support for individuals experiencing mental health issues.
Link: https://www.mind.org.uk/
LQBTQ+
ASPECTS (Autistic and Aspergers Persons of Every Category of (Queer) Sexuality) is a 16+ support group that might just be for you. They can be found on Facebook by searching ‘A.S.P.E.C.S UK Autism LGBTQ+ Community’ in the groups section. You can also contact the group’s founder, Dan Kahn MA, by emailing dan@alacroart.com
You can also find a wide array of support and services through the LGBT Foundation. They can be contacted on 0345 3 30 30 30 or you can look through their website by clicking on the following link:
Health
If you believe you may have autistic spectrum condition or want to learn more about autism and managing your health, the NHS has a page dedicated to autism and all the advice you need to ensure your health is kept in check and that you have the knowledge and support you require. Just click the link below to explore the information and advice they offer:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/autism/
The National Autistic Society also have a page dedicated to health and the various aspects of managing your health you may need further advice on. Just click the link below to explore what they offer:
https://www.autism.org.uk/about/health.aspx
Learning Disabilities Team DHCFT
https://www.derbyshirehealthcareft.nhs.uk/services/learning-disabilities
Employment
Ambitious About Autism has a really useful page of advice and tips about seeking employment if you’re an autistic individual. They also have links to other, more specific, initiatives that seek to help people with neurodevelopmental conditions enter the workplace. Just click the link below:
https://www.ambitiousaboutautism.org.uk/understanding-autism/independence/employment
Disability Rights UK’s website also has a section dedicated to access to work legislation and how you can apply your rights in the workplace or to help you in securing employment. Just click on the link below:
https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/access-work
If you are an employer who wants to learn more about autism and supporting employees with autism, Derbyshire County Council produce a handy booklet, packed full of important information relating to autism and employment – such as making reasonable adjustments. Click the link below to download this booklet:
Autism Plus seeks to increase the confidence and employability skills of autistic people and deliver a range of programmes and interventions to support autistic adults, those with learning difficulties, mental health conditions and related conditions gaining valuable and effective employment. Their services are tailored to meet individual needs and focus on providing support to help individuals overcome barriers and progress towards employment, education or further training. Their aim is to empower individuals to believe in themselves and to take control of their own futures, overcoming barriers and moving closer towards their goals. Click below to explore what they may be able to offer you:
Derbyshire County Council have a devoted service to supporting disabled people to find training, work experience, voluntary work and paid employment. This is called the Derbyshire Disability Employment Service. Specifically, they offer the following services:
- help to match you to the job that’s right for you
- help finding work experience and voluntary work
- make sure you find out about job vacancies
- help with selling yourself in your application forms and CV
- help you prepare for interviews
- advise you about support in the workplace, such as equipment or other support you may need
- support you to access work placements and apprenticeships
- help employers to support their disabled staff
Follow the link below for more details:
Support for Carers
Do you care for someone living with Autism? If so, there are two services in Derbyshire that can support you, depending on where you and your cared for live.
If you care for someone living within Derbyshire County, Derbyshire Carers Association can provide you with a variety of services to meet your needs. To find out more, follow the link below:
https://www.derbyshirecarers.co.uk/
If you care for someone living within Derby City, Universal Services for Carers in Derby will be able to support you. To find out more, follow the link below:
http://www.citizensadvicemidmercia.org.uk/carers/
Further Derbyshire Specific Support
Here is a list of local and national support services that can be helpful to neurodiverse individuals and their families. We encourage you to explore these links and find the services that best meet your needs.
- National Autistic Society: UK-wide charity supporting autistic individuals and their families with helpline, forums, and branches.
Link – https://www.autism.org.uk/
- Autism East Midlands: Charity providing autism support and training in the East Midlands region.
Link – https://www.autismeastmidlands.org.uk/
- Derbyshire Autism Services: Local charity providing services for families and autistic individuals in Derbyshire.
Link – https://www.derbyshireautismservices.org/
- Living Well With Autism: This service offers counselling and courses for autistic adults in Derby City and South Derbyshire.
Link – http://www.livingwellwithautism.org.uk/
- Autism & Neurodiversity Coaching: Promotes acceptance in the autism and neurodiverse community, offering services such as 1-2-1 coaching, group sessions, and support with diagnosis.
Link – http://www.autismandneurodiversitycoaching.co.uk/
- Autistica: A UK-based charity that funds research into autism and campaigns to improve understanding and acceptance of the condition.
Link – https://www.autistica.org.uk/
Family and Relationships
Autistic individuals can often have difficulties when it comes to forming positive relationships and those who care for autistic individuals may often not know how best to support. Below are some links to services which can offer support to parents, and carers or autistic individuals are the topic of families and relationships.
- The Autism Information and Advice Service – Parent/Carer Awareness Course: Provides awareness and guidance to parents and carers of autistic individuals.
Link: https://www.autisminformationservice.org.uk/parent-carer-training/
- The Lighthouse: Provides support and advice to families with disabled children and young people in Derby, including information on services, equipment, and activities.
- Parent Carers Together CIC: A community interest company that provides information, support, and advocacy for parents and carers of children with additional needs in Derby, visit their Facebook page to get involved.
Link – https://en-gb.facebook.com/derbycityparentcarerstogether/
- Relate: Offers relationship counselling and support for individuals, couples, and families in Derby and beyond, visit their website to learn more.
Link – https://www.relate.org.uk/
Gaining Settled Status in the UK
If you are an EU, EAA or Swiss citizen, you need to ensure you have settled status to protect your rights in the UK. Citizens Advice Mid Mercia can help you with this. You just need to call them on 01827 909101. If English is not your first language, just let them know and they can arrange additional support for you.
Getting out in the community
The Derbyshire County Council community connector service can help autistic individuals and those with Learning Disabilities to better access the community around them. They offer a wide array of services, to find out more, see their brochure here:
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