Oldham offer a range of services to help to support families who have children with additional needs. Please find links to them below:
Out of School Activities
Neelam Hussain – info@mahdloyz.org – 0161 624 0111
Neelam Hussain is Mahdlo’s ability coordinator. Mahdlo is a registered charity and state-of-the-art Youth Zone in the heart of Oldham for 8-19 year olds (up to 25 for young people with a disability). Open 7 days a week, 52 weeks of the year, we offer an exciting range of activities and opportunities that all young people from across Oldham can access for just 50p as a member. Mahdloruns inclusive Ability Zone sessions alongside the mainstream offer on Thursdays from 4:30PM till 6:00PM. These sessions are adapted for young people with additional needs, but are also fun and exciting for able-bodied young people.
Young people are able to access the sessions independently or if required they are able to come with carers or a family member. Additional staff are on hand to offer support to young people if and when needed to ensure the best quality experience.
Thursday Ability Zone (8-25yrs)
4.30pm – 6pm
This is great session for new members who want to get used to Mahdlo in a quieter and more structured environment. We can see young people increase in their confidence and independence from attending this session.
Sunday Ability Zone
1.30pm – 4.30pm
Information and advice is on offer from local forum POINT (Parents of Oldham In Touch)
The session is specifically for families with children who have a disability aged 0-25yrs. We offer a range of activities in an inclusive and safe environment including, sports, arts, sensory room, music and gym.
Saturday Junior Zone (8-12yrs)
10am – 1pm
This is a mixed session which welcomes all young people. If 1 to 1 support is required, we welcome young people to bring their own PA or support worker. Again there is a wide range of activities on offer including sports, arts, sensory room, dance and gym.
Starfish School of Swimming
0800 996 1760 nichola@starfishschoolofswimming .net
Small group swimming tuition for children with additional needs from the age of 3 years.
Wheels for All
0758 1306394
Wheels for All provides opportunities to access a wide range of adapted and universal cycles in Alexandra Park for the whole family
Junior Disability Sports
0161 770 3676
An introduction to sport for young people, developing fundamental skills through a range of fun games and activities.
Wheelchair Football
0161 770 6999
For young people with physical disabilities co-ordinated by Newbridge School, open to 7-18yrs old. For more information contact the school.
Additional Support
SENDIASS Service – SEND Information Advice Support Service
0161 667 2055
Oldham SEND IAS Service ensures that parents and carers or children; and young people aged 16+, have access to high quality Information, advice and support. The team are legally trained and qualified in Special Educational Needs and Disability law.
Oldham Support Group for Carers of Children and Adults with Autism (OSCA)
07955 719167 diane@OSCA@outlook.com
A local support group for families of people with Autism, Dyspraxia and other related conditions.
Children’s Community Learning Disability Nurses
0161 484 1252
The Team provide work with children who have learning disabilities and their families in the home. They also offer a range of free workshops for parents and carers on issues such as sleep difficulties, challenging behaviours and toilet training.
Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s 0-19 Service (Health Visiting and School Nursing) is introducing a new way for young people, parents and carers to get confidential information, advice and support via an award-winning text messaging service.
Oldham 0 – 5 Parents Service: 07480 635990
Oldham 5 – 11 Parents Service: 07507 330499
Oldham 11 – 19 Young People’s Service: 07480 635992
ChatHealth is an anonymous messaging service that provides a safe and easy way for service users to send a message to a healthcare professional and get confidential help and advice.
The aim of implementing ChatHealth into Bridgewater is to further improve service user access to health and well-being support particularly considering COVID19 pandemic.
ChatHealth is a safe and secure messaging tool for receiving and responding to text messages from mobile phones. Incoming messages are delivered to a centrally managed inbox in a secure web-based application, where staff can respond to service users. It’s a well-evidenced model that is being widely implemented across many NHS services.
You can access NW SEND monthly newsletters here, packed with all the latest local, regional and national SEND news and updates.
0161 667 2054
POINT is Oldham’s Parent Carer Forum for Families of children and young people aged 0-25 with additional needs and disabilities, who live in or access services in Oldham. POINT Forum provides information, advice, support and consultation opportunities.
Targeted Short Break Support
0161 770 4025 (The Children’s Disability Social Work Team)
If you feel that the ‘Local Offer’ would not be able to fully meet your child’s needs or that your child’s needs mean that they cannot access then you can contact the Children’s Disability Social Work Team to find out if your child can access targeted short breaks support.
This website provides additional support for parents / carers of children with SEND
We provide help, advice and support for parents and carers of children aged 0-20 years old.
Health Services
Continence Service
0161 621 7104
The service provide by prescription a wide range of continence products for children of all ages who have continence difficulties.
The physiotherapy service provides assessment and treatment for children at Kingfisher School who have physical difficulties. This may include exercise programmes, hydrotherapy, positioning and the provision of equipment to meet the individual’s needs.
If you would like and help or support please contact the Physiotherapy Team on 0161 621 3500 or 0161 770 5931 or e-mail julie.battle@nhs.net
Specialist Dental Care Services
Contact 0161 621 3614
For patients who cannot access a general dentist due to their disability or medical condition.
You must meet specific criteria to be accepted as a patient.
Children’s Occupational Therapy is located in the Integrated Care Centre in Oldham. Click here for more information.
