Useful Organisations No.5: REACH (National Advice Centre for Children with Reading Difficulties)

California Country Park, Nine Mile Ride, Finchampstead, Berkshire RG40 4HT (tel: 0118 973 7575; fax: 0118 973 7105; e-mail: reach@reach-reading.demon.co.uk. There is also an information helpline number (0845 604 0414) which is a local-call-cost number for enquiries about the reading needs of children with special educational difficulties.

A national charity that works with children who have difficulty with reading, writing and language. Some of these children also have additional difficulties such as hearing or sight loss, intellectual or physical problems or emotional disturbance. REACH provides information, advice and support to carers, teachers and families. The Centre has a reference collection of over 12,000 items for children (books, tapes, CD-Rom, Braille or signed stories etc). Items are not lent but staff can advise on where they can be bought. Reading lists are available on specific reading needs. REACH also runs in-service training for teachers, librarians and other carers. It has recently published a handbook to help children with reading difficulties, Everyone is a Reader (by Beverley Mathias, REACH, 0 948664 20 7, £9.95 inc. p&p).