Coronavirus: Information from other organisations

Dealing with change

The National Autistic Society (NAS) have created some helpful resources around coronavirus for people with autism and their friends and family members, including:

Top tips for families to help deal with this period of change and uncertainty

How to support a friend, family member or neighbour deal with this time of uncertainty

Resources for autistic people and their families

Mental health and wellbeing

Easy read guidance on looking after your feelings and your body (from Public Health England)

Coronavirus and your wellbeing (from Mind, the mental health charity)

Looking after your mental health and wellbeing if you are staying home (from the Mental Health Foundation)

10 tips to help if you are worried about coronavirus (from NHS One You)

Mental wellbeing whilst staying at home (from NHS One You)

Books Beyond Words are offering free downloads of their resources which are aimed at families and carers of people with a learning disability, including:

• Beating the virus
• Good days and bad days during lockdown
• When someone dies from coronavirus.

The Scottish Commission for Learning Disability have created coronavirus resources about:

• coping with feeling down
• getting a good nights sleep
• being active and staying well
• problem solving
• coping with anxiety
• relaxing.

A Coronanxiety support and resources website hub (from Anxiety UK)

Family carer advice on inpatient units

Coronavirus: family contact in inpatient units: This factsheet from Access charity is for family carers whose relative is detained under the Mental Health Act in an inpatient unit. https://www.accesscharity.org.uk/pdf/factsheet-visiting-inpatient-unit.pdf

Coronavirus and discharge planning: This factsheet from Access charity is for family carers who have a relative who is currently living in an inpatient unit. It explains what effect the coronavirus pandemic may have on discharge planning. https://www.accesscharity.org.uk/pdf/discharge.pdf

Explaining the government's guidance

Keep Safe have produced some easy read materials to help explain the government's guidance on coronavirus, including:

• how to stay safe
• rules for May to June
• shielding
• face masks.

Working from home

Cue cards to help when you need to say something in a video meeting (from Keep Safe)

Ways to keep busy

Creative activities: a collection of free activities designed to engage the senses and connect with nature (from Sensory Trust)

Music therapy resources for parents and carers (from Music Therapy Works)

Free activity resources (from ELSA Support)

Live streams of animals from around the world you can watch at home for free (article from Country Living)

See our webpage about keeping busy and activity ideas for more ideas and information.

Learning new skills

The Skills Toolkit is made up of free online courses, tools and resources to help you improve your digital and numeracy skills (from the National Careers Service)

Benefits

Guidance for people receiving direct payments (from GOV.uk)

Scams and fraud

Check if something might be a scam (from Citizens Advice)

COVID-19 related scams - news and resources (from Action Fraud)

Support from the government

If you live in England and have a medical condition that makes you extremely vulnerable to coronavirus you can register to get extra help with things like food deliveries.

Even if you're not sure if your medical condition makes you vulnerable, register anyway.

(See separate guidance if you live in Wales, Northern Ireland or Scotland.)

Help from Volunteer Responders

If you are currently not supported and need some help with shopping, a prescription collection or a friendly chat then NHS Volunteer Responders are ready to help.