Respite & Activity Clubs
Specialist activity clubs and respite services give your child a chance to have fun in a supportive environment — and give you time to recharge.
Typical cost
£5 – £40 per session
NHS wait
N/A (social care referral)
Session length
2 – 4 hours
22 providers found
Bendrigg Trust
Respite & Activity Club
Residential activity centre between the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales providing holidays and courses specifically for people with physical and learning disabilities.
Bendrigg Lodge, Old Hutton, Kendal, Cumbria, LA8 0NR
Calvert Lakes
Respite & Activity Club
Lake District outdoor activity centre enabling people with disabilities to experience the challenge of outdoor adventure alongside family and friends.
Little Crosthwaite, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 4QD
Calvert Trust Exmoor
Respite & Activity Club
Outdoor adventure centre offering fully accessible residential breaks for disabled children and adults. Activities include archery, canoeing, horse riding, zip-wiring, climbing, and nature walks. All-inclusive breaks with adapted equipment and accessible accommodation.
Wistlandpound, Kentisbury, EX31 4SJ
Calvert Trust Keswick
Respite & Activity Club
Lake District adventure centre providing outdoor residential breaks for disabled people. Over 40 years of experience delivering accessible activities including sailing, canoeing, abseiling, horse riding, and bushcraft in stunning lakeland settings.
Little Crosthwaite, Underskiddaw, CA12 4QD
Calvert Trust Kielder
Respite & Activity Club
Accessible outdoor activity centre in Kielder Water and Forest Park providing adventure holidays for people of all ages with physical, sensory, mental and learning disabilities.
Kielder Water and Forest Park, Hexham, Northumberland, NE48 1BS
CASPA Bromley
Respite & Activity Club
Award-winning charity supporting around 300 autistic children weekly. Age-grouped clubs: Tots (under 5), Juniors (4-9), Inters (9-14), Seniors (11-16), Futures (16+). Activities include sport, drama, cooking, music, specialist football, trampolining, and annual residential trips.
Bromley, London, BR1 3HZ
Challengers
Respite & Activity Club
Over 35 years delivering inclusive play and leisure for disabled children and young people. Play schemes (ages 2-13), Youth schemes (ages 13-18), and Young Adult schemes (ages 18-25). Activities include gaming, dance, sport, Lego, and cooking. Centres in Guildford and Farnham.
Guildford, Surrey, GU1 1EZ
Disability Snowsport UK
Respite & Activity Club
National charity enabling people with disabilities to access snowsport through adaptive instruction and equipment at centres across the UK, including sessions for children.
Glenmore Lodge Grounds, Glenmore, Aviemore, PH22 1QZ
Level Water
Respite & Activity Club
National swimming charity providing affordable specialist 1:1 and small group swimming lessons for disabled children aged 4-11 at local leisure centres. Specially trained swim teachers tailor lessons to each child's needs. Subsidised lessons at mainstream group prices.
London, SE1 1UN
Lord's Taverners
Respite & Activity Club
Youth cricket and disability sports charity providing inclusive cricket programmes and sports equipment for young people with disabilities across the UK.
Fivefields, 8-10 Grosvenor Gardens, London, SW1W 0DH
Newlife the Charity for Disabled Children
Respite & Activity Club
Provides specialist equipment (beds, buggies, wheelchairs, seating), free Play Therapy Pods (12-week loans of sensory toys delivered to the home), and a free national Nurse Helpline. Emergency equipment loan service for children in crisis.
Hemlock Way, WS11 7GN
Panathlon Challenge
Respite & Activity Club
National charity providing competitive sport opportunities for children with disabilities and SEND across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Runs multi-sport, swimming, football and boccia programmes.
c/o Hilton London Stansted, Round Coppice Road, Stansted, Essex, CM24 1SF
Pathways 4 All
Respite & Activity Club
Parent-led charity providing leisure services for disabled children and young people aged 0-25 in the North East. Specialist centre with soft play, trampolines, interactive sensory room, and accessible playground. Saturday clubs, Friday night youth clubs, and holiday playschemes.
Tim Lamb Centre, Benfield Road, NE6 5XJ
Phab
Respite & Activity Club
Over 65 years of inclusive community clubs bringing together disabled and non-disabled people. 150+ clubs across England and Wales offering arts, crafts, games, quizzes, discos, music, and Phab Adventures with outdoor activities including canoeing, rock climbing, and archery.
London, SE1 7AA
Seashell Trust
Respite & Activity Club
Charity for children and adults with complex needs. Short break residential facilities, 17 home-from-home residential homes, and CADS inclusive sports activities during holidays and weekly evenings including football, swimming, climbing, and art.
Stanley Road, Cheadle Hulme, SK8 6RQ
Seashell Trust CADS
Respite & Activity Club
Award-winning inclusive weekly sports clubs and holiday activities for children and young people aged 5-25 with learning disabilities, autism, physical impairments and complex needs.
Stanley Road, Cheadle Hulme, Stockport, SK8 6RQ
Sense
Respite & Activity Club
National disability charity for people with complex disabilities including deafblindness. Runs Connect and Play sessions (ages 0-8), holiday clubs and Saturday morning clubs (ages 8-18), forest school, and communication support across multiple UK centres.
101 Pentonville Road, N1 9LG
Special Olympics Great Britain
Respite & Activity Club
Largest provider of year-round sports training and competition for people with intellectual disabilities. 140 clubs across the UK offering 27 sports from football to ice-skating, judo, boccia, and skiing. Young Athletes Programme for ages 2-7.
London, W1T 4TQ
The Yard Adventure Centre
Respite & Activity Club
Purpose-built indoor and outdoor adventure playground for disabled children and young people in Edinburgh. Offers go-karts, sensory rooms, soft play and creative activities.
22 Eyre Place Lane, Broughton, Edinburgh, EH3 5EH
We Are Beams
Respite & Activity Club
Supports disabled children and young people aged 4-19 and their families in Kent. Short breaks, The Buzz Club with bowling, crazy golf, sailing, and beach trips. Dragon's Retreat overnight respite care facility with sensory room.
Dartford, Kent, DA1 1SQ
WheelPower
Respite & Activity Club
National charity based at the birthplace of the Paralympic Movement providing wheelchair sport opportunities and activity days for disabled children, young people and adults.
Stoke Mandeville Stadium, Guttmann Road, Stoke Mandeville, HP21 9PP
Whizz-Kidz
Respite & Activity Club
UK's leading charity for young wheelchair users up to age 25. Life-changing mobility equipment, free youth clubs, residentials, work placements, and wheelchair skills training. Activities include wheelchair rugby, rock climbing, adventure days, and creative arts.
4th Floor, 3 Albert Embankment, SE1 2TH
Finding respite and activity clubs
Every family needs a break sometimes, and children with SEND need activities where they can have fun without the pressure of fitting in. Respite services and specialist activity clubs offer both — a chance for parents to recharge, and a chance for children to enjoy sport, arts, outdoor activities, and socialising in an environment designed around their needs.
What they do
Respite services provide short breaks — anything from a few hours to overnight stays — where trained staff look after your child. Activity clubs run regular sessions (after school, weekends, or school holidays) with activities adapted for children with additional needs. Staff understand SEND and know how to support communication, sensory needs, and behaviour. Ratios are typically much lower than mainstream clubs.
When to seek help
If you're exhausted from constant care demands, if your child can't access mainstream clubs or activities, if siblings need one-on-one time, or if you simply need a few hours to yourself, respite and specialist clubs can be a lifeline. There's no shame in needing support — looking after yourself means you can better look after your child.
What to expect
Most services carry out an initial assessment or registration meeting to understand your child's needs, interests, communication style, and any medical requirements. Sessions are structured but flexible, with high staff ratios. Good providers will keep you updated with photos and feedback. Your child might take a few sessions to settle, which is completely normal.
Typical costs
Costs vary widely. Some Local Authority respite services are free for families who meet eligibility criteria (usually requiring a social care assessment). Charity-run clubs often charge nominal fees (£5 to £15 per session). Private activity clubs may charge £15 to £40 per session. Short Breaks funding from your Local Authority may cover or subsidise costs — it's worth asking.