Free behaviour support resources (UK)
Free behaviour resources built on the idea that behaviour is communication — meltdown guides, de-escalation tools and support for behaviour that challenges.
GuideNational Autistic SocietyUK charityMeltdowns guidance
What meltdowns are, why they happen, and how to help before, during and after one.
AutismBehaviour
GuideChallenging Behaviour FoundationUK charityBehaviour that challenges resources
Free information sheets and support where a severe learning disability is linked to behaviour that challenges.
Behaviour
TemplateCambridgeshire Early Years (SOLGRID)GovernmentABC chart with guidance (printable template)
Free printable Antecedent-Behaviour-Consequence chart with guidance notes to record incidents and spot patterns to share with school or SENCO.
BehaviourSchool & EBSA
GuideYoungMindsUK charityADHD: A Parent's Guide (YoungMinds)
Free parent guide on ADHD covering diagnosis, supporting your child while waiting, and practical strategies like visual timetables and routines.
ADHDAnxiety & wellbeingBehaviour- GuideNational Autistic SocietyUK charity
Autism and anger management: a guide for parents
Strategies for preventing and managing anger using traffic-light feelings scales, calm spaces and visual supports to help your child cope.
AutismBehaviourAnxiety & wellbeing 
DirectoryCerebraUK charityCerebra parent guides library
Free, downloadable evidence-based parent guides on autism, behaviour, sleep, anxiety and legal rights for families of children with brain conditions.
AutismBehaviourSleep- GuideYoungMindsUK charity
Challenging behaviour: a parent's guide
Frames behaviour as communication about hidden feelings, with boundaries, praise and calming tips, plus a free parents helpline for support.
BehaviourAnxiety & wellbeingSpeech & communication 
DirectoryRespectUK charityChild & adolescent to parent violence (CAPVA): support directory
UK charity page explaining CAPVA and signposting specialist support services and a directory for families experiencing violence from their child.
Behaviour
HelplinePEGS (Parental Education Growth Support)UK charityChild to parent abuse: free support for parents
Free, non-judgemental UK support for parents and carers experiencing child to parent abuse, including a safe online peer community.
Behaviour
TemplateSheffield Children's NHS Foundation TrustNHSChildren's Sleep Diary (printable PDF)
Free printable NHS sleep diary to record your child's sleep over time, helping identify patterns to discuss with your GP or sleep service.
SleepBehaviourADHD
TemplateThe Sleep CharityUK charityChildren's Sleep Diary (printable)
Free printable sleep diaries for children and teens to track sleep over two weeks, helping spot patterns and triggers to share with professionals.
SleepBehaviourADHD- GuideThe Sleep CharityUK charity
Children's Sleep eBook
Free downloadable (and audio) eBook for parents of children who struggle to get good quality sleep, part of the Tired of Being Alone campaign.
SleepBehaviour - GuideChallenging Behaviour FoundationUK charity
Communication and Challenging Behaviour (info sheet)
Free CBF information sheet showing how improving communication reduces challenging behaviour, with practical ideas for families.
BehaviourSpeech & communication 
HelplineContactUK charityContact Freephone Helpline for Families with Disabled Children
Free UK-wide helpline (0808 808 3555) advising parents of children with ADHD or any additional need on behaviour, benefits and support - no diagnosis needed.
ADHDBehaviourBenefits & money- GuideNational Autistic SocietyUK charity
Distressed behaviour: a guide for all audiences
Explains behaviour as communication, how to use a behaviour diary to spot triggers, and how to understand the function behind distressed behaviour.
AutismBehaviourSpeech & communication 
GuideEast Sussex Local OfferGovernmentEBSA guidance for parents, carers and young people (PDF)
Educational-psychology EBSA toolkit for families: understanding school avoidance, the cycle of anxiety and graded return-to-school planning.
School & EBSAAnxiety & wellbeingBehaviour
WorksheetMilton Keynes SEND Local OfferGovernmentEBSA Practical Resource Pack for Parents and Carers
Free practical EBSA pack with planning tools to help parents understand school avoidance and work with school on a graded return.
School & EBSAAnxiety & wellbeingBehaviour
TemplateWestmorland and Furness CouncilGovernmentEBSA Support Plan template (editable Word doc)
Free editable Word EBSA support plan template on an assess-plan-do-review framework, co-produced by school and family to plan a return to school.
School & EBSAAnxiety & wellbeingBehaviour
WorksheetELSA SupportOrganisationELSA Support Free Emotional Wellbeing Resources
Hundreds of free printable emotional literacy and regulation worksheets for children, widely used in UK schools to support emotions and behaviour.
BehaviourAnxiety & wellbeingADHD
TemplateMiddletown Centre for AutismUK charityEmotion Thermometer printable
Free printable emotion thermometer to help an autistic child rate and communicate how they feel and link feelings to calming strategies.
AutismAnxiety & wellbeingBehaviour- GuideCerebraUK charity
Emotional Outbursts: a guide for parents (PDF)
Free guide on understanding emotional outbursts in children with a learning disability, with practical support strategies for families.
BehaviourSensorySpeech & communication 
GuideFamily ActionUK charityEmotionally based school avoidance (EBSA): parent self-help
Free self-help guide explaining why a child 'can't' rather than 'won't' attend school, causes of school anxiety and how parents can help.
School & EBSAAnxiety & wellbeingBehaviour- TemplateELSA SupportOrganisation
Feelings diary booklet (printable)
Free printable diary where a child logs the time, emotion and reason plus a 1-5 intensity scale; useful evidence of patterns ahead of an assessment.
BehaviourSpeech & communicationDiagnosis 
GuideADHD FoundationUK charityFree ADHD Booklets for Parents, Children and Teenagers
A library of free downloadable ADHD booklets from a UK charity, including parent, child and teenager guides, plus planners and EHCP fact sheets.
ADHDDiagnosisBehaviour
TemplateGriffinOTOrganisationFree Sensory Diet & Movement Break Cards
Printable colour-coded sensory diet cards (alerting and calming) by a UK occupational therapist, free to download after a free email signup.
SensoryBehaviour- CourseGriffinOTOrganisation
Free Sensory Processing Course (Section 1)
Free 2-hour online introduction to sensory processing and the eight senses for parents and school staff, taught by a UK occupational therapist.
SensoryBehaviour 
GuideScopeUK charityHelping Your Disabled Child Sleep
Free Scope guide for disabled children aged 4+: bedtime wind-down, dark cool bedroom (16-18C), night wakings, sleep diaries and parent support.
SleepBehaviourSensory- GuideYoungMindsUK charity
How to Make a Self-Soothe (Calm) Box
Step-by-step guide to building a calm box using the five senses to help a child ground and settle when anxious or overwhelmed.
SensoryAnxiety & wellbeingBehaviour - GuideCerebraUK charity
Managing Challenging Behaviour (factsheet PDF)
Free factsheet explaining what challenging behaviour is, why it happens and practical, quality-assured strategies for parents and carers.
BehaviourSpeech & communication - GuideScopeUK charity
Managing Your Child's Behaviour (Scope)
Free UK advice for parents of disabled children on understanding behaviour triggers and building a calm, consistent behaviour strategy.
BehaviourADHD - GuideNational Autistic SocietyUK charity
Meltdowns - a guide for all audiences
NAS guide explaining what an autistic meltdown is, how it differs from a tantrum, common triggers, and practical ways to help and prevent them.
AutismBehaviourSensory 
GuideAmbitious about AutismUK charityMeltdowns and shutdowns explained
Charity guide on why a meltdown is distress not a tantrum, what a shutdown is, plus triggers, sensory changes and recovery strategies.
AutismBehaviourSensory
WorksheetAnna FreudUK charityMy Self-Care Plan: Primary
A free downloadable self-care plan worksheet helping primary-age children identify activities that support their wellbeing and self-regulation.
Anxiety & wellbeingBehaviourADHD
GuideNot Fine in SchoolUK charityNot Fine in School: support for school attendance barriers
Free parent-led guidance on reporting anxiety-related absence correctly, challenging attendance coding, gathering evidence and avoiding wrongful fines.
School & EBSAAnxiety & wellbeingBehaviour
TemplateThe Autism PageOrganisationNow and Next Board free printable
Free printable now-and-next board template from a UK autism-parent site, with a clear guide on how to introduce and use it with your child.
AutismSpeech & communicationBehaviour
GuideDoncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHSNHSOccupational Therapy Sensory Advice
NHS sensory strategies organised by sense (movement, touch, sound, sight, oral) you can build into a daily sensory diet at home and school.
SensoryBehaviour
GuidePDA SocietyUK charityPANDA: helpful approaches for PDA (infographic)
Free guide and downloadable PANDA infographic: prioritise, manage anxiety, negotiate, disguise demands and adapt to lower demand avoidance.
AutismBehaviourAnxiety & wellbeing- GuideChallenging Behaviour FoundationUK charity
Planning for Adulthood (England) Guide
Free guide for families of young people with severe learning disabilities on planning the move to adult education, health and social care services.
TransitionsEHCPs & SEN supportBehaviour 
TemplateNHS Borders Children's OT ServiceNHSProprioception & Body Awareness Activity Sheet
Printable NHS PDF of proprioception and heavy work activity ideas for children who need deep pressure input to feel calm and focused.
SensoryBehaviour
GuideBerkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation TrustNHSProprioception & Heavy Work Activities
NHS page listing heavy work and proprioceptive activities (pushing, pulling, carrying, tug of war) that calm and organise children's bodies.
SensoryBehaviour- VideoAmbitious about AutismUK charity
Quality of Life at Home Toolkit (animated films)
Five free animated films for parents using the iceberg model to understand behaviour as communication and reduce family conflict at home.
AutismBehaviourSpeech & communication - GuideContactUK charity
Reasonable adjustments and disability discrimination in school
Free guide explaining schools' Equality Act duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled pupils, with examples and steps to resolve discrimination.
School & EBSABehaviour - GuideAnna FreudUK charity
Relaxation and calming techniques for children
Free quick calming and grounding techniques (breathing, muscle relaxation, visualisation) children can use to self-regulate strong feelings.
Anxiety & wellbeingBehaviourSensory 
GuideRotherham SEND Local OfferGovernmentRotherham Sensory Toolkit
Free SEND Local Offer toolkit covering the senses, sensory checklists and calming, alerting and heavy work strategies for home and school.
SensorySchool & EBSABehaviour- GuideCerebraUK charity
Sensory Processing: A Guide for Parents
Free parent guide explaining sensory processing, the eight senses, seeking vs avoiding, assessment and practical strategies to try at home.
SensoryAutismBehaviour - GuideCerebraUK charity
Sensory Processing: A Guide for Parents
Free Cerebra parent guide explaining sensory over- and under-reactivity and sensory seeking, with practical strategies to build a sensory plan at home.
AutismSensoryBehaviour - GuideNational Autistic SocietyUK charity
Sleep: A Guide for Parents and Families
Free NAS guide on autistic children's sleep: visual routines, bedroom environment, light and noise, melatonin and support for parents.
AutismSleepSensory - GuideCerebraUK charity
Sleep: A Guide for Parents (Cerebra)
Free parent guide on understanding and tackling sleep problems in children with brain conditions including ADHD, with practical strategies.
SleepADHDBehaviour 
ArticleNHSNHSSleep and Young Children (Bedtime Routine Tips)
Free NHS advice on settling young children with a calming, predictable bedtime routine, gradual bedtime shifts and tips for restless sleepers.
SleepBehaviour- ChecklistThe Sleep CharityUK charity
Sleep Charity Advice Sheets (bedtime routine, bedroom, SEND)
Free downloadable advice sheets: good bedtime routine, ideal bedroom environment, night terrors and SEND, in colour and print-friendly versions.
SleepAutismSensory 
GuideNewcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustNHSSleep in Young Children: How Much and Bedtime Routines
Free NHS page giving recommended sleep hours by age (4 months to 13 years) plus tips on routine, environment and self-settling.
SleepBehaviour
WorksheetYouthinmind (sdqinfo.org)Research bodyStrengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ)
Free, widely-used parent questionnaire on a 2-17 year old's emotions, behaviour and attention; free to download for families and non-profits.
BehaviourDiagnosis- GuideAmbitious about AutismUK charity
Support for families
Free parent-carer support from a UK autism charity: the Talk about Autism online community and a parent toolkit covering diagnosis and supporting under-5s.
AutismDiagnosisSchool & EBSA - ChecklistCerebraUK charity
The Behaviour Checklist (recording tool)
Free checklist for parents to consider what may be driving behaviours that challenge, useful evidence to share with clinicians over time.
BehaviourSpeech & communication 
GuideKids (charity)UK charityUnderstanding ADHD and Sleep
Free UK charity guide on why ADHD makes sleep hard, with tips on calming routines, screen limits and when to ask a GP for help.
ADHDSleepBehaviour- GuideADHD FoundationUK charity
Understanding and Supporting My Child's ADHD (Parent Booklet)
A free printable booklet for parents explaining what ADHD is and practical ways to support your child at home and school.
ADHDBehaviourDiagnosis 
GuideCambridgeshire & Peterborough NHS Children's HealthNHSUnderstanding the causes of behaviour (the iceberg)
NHS explainer using the iceberg model: visible behaviour is only the tip; learn to look at cause, behaviour and function to understand your child.
AutismBehaviourSpeech & communication- GuideContactUK charity
Understanding Your Child's Behaviour (Contact)
Free downloadable Contact guide helping parents understand and respond positively to challenging behaviour in disabled and SEND children.
BehaviourADHD 
GuideHertfordshire Community NHS Trust (Health for Under 5s)NHSWhat Is a Sensory Diet? (with examples)
NHS explainer for parents on what a sensory diet is, with calming and alerting activity examples to help children stay regulated through the day.
SensoryBehaviour
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