Eligibility Criteria

The child you would like to refer must meet all of the following;

UK resident aged 5-18 years old
Living in the highest areas of deprivation - Deciles 1-3 on the relevant post code checker, links below.
- Please click here for England, click here for Scotland, c lick here for NI, and click here for Wales.
Living with a disability, serious illness, or life-limiting condition.
The child must not have received a dream/wish with another wish granting charity, or Dreams Come True before.

Please Note:

Please note we only accept referrals from professionals known to the child, including medical, healthcare, educational, or social care professionals.
We extend our age range (2-18 year olds) and deprivation criteria for children who need a dream as soon as possible, please get in touch for more information on this.

If you are a parent/carer of a child you’d like to refer, please share this information with a professional involved in their care.

Medical Criteria

We cover a wide range of medical conditions with examples including:

Cancer treatment
Severe autism, learning difficulties or global developmental delay
Heart, lung, bowel, and kidney conditions
Degenerative neurological disorders or brain damage
Muscular dystrophy
Conditions affecting the immune system
Genetic disorders

Please keep in mind this list is not exhaustive. If you are unsure if a child’s medical condition meets our criteria – please get in touch before submitting an application.

Referrals for the following conditions should include the level of Disability Living Allowance/Personal Independence Payment which the child is in receipt of. This helps determine eligibility where conditions occur along a spectrum, specifically with:

Autism: applicants should be in receipt of the moderate or higher rate of the care component
Cerebral palsy: applicants should be in receipt of the higher rate of the mobility component (this may also be useful for other conditions causing restrictions to physical mobility).
Global developmental delay: applicants should be in receipt of the moderate or higher rate of the care component
Learning difficulties: Global developmental delay: applicants should be in receipt of the moderate or higher rate of the care component

Unfortunately we are unable to accept applications for children living with the following conditions alone:

Behavioural Disorders e.g. ADHD, ODD etc.
Mental Illnesses e.g. anorexia, depression, Tourette’s.
Visual Impairment
Hearing Impairment

How it works

Latest

Make Dreams Come True with TEMPLESPA

At Dreams Come True our mission is to turn dreams into a reality for every child who needs our support, and that the moments of magic we create have a lasting impact for children and their families.   We cannot achieve this without our incredible partners and this month we are celebrating Dreams Come True & TEMPLESPA!
Run Alton Towers 10k

Come to Alton Towers (the UK’s biggest theme park) and run 10km around the park!
Run Alton Towers 5k

Come to Alton Towers (the UK’s biggest theme park) and run 5km around the park!
Referral Hub

Welcome to our referral hub. This is our exclusive community of professionals working alongside children who help us deliver dreams to kids who have it tough by submitting referral applications.

Make A Referral

We only accept referrals from medical, healthcare, or social care professionals. Applications are on a first come first served basis, to ensure that no child is waiting too long for delivery of their dream.
What we do

Dreams Come True is a national Children's Charity who exists to deliver dreams to children who have it tough. We believe every child has the right to dream, no matter who they are or where they live. More info
Who we support

To ensure we reach the children who deserve our attention the most, we work with children who are living in the highest areas of deprivation in the country, and are living with a disability, serious illness, or life-limiting conditions. More info
What is a Dream?

Whether it's a break for a young cancer patient, a specially adapted trike for a child with cerebral palsy, a tablet to help an autistic teenager develop their communication skills, or a seriously ill child’s room makeover. Each dream brings a moments of magic and has a lasting impact for years to come. More info
Join the team

We are always on the lookout for people who share our values and mission and are dedicated to making dreams come true for children who have it tough.
How it works

We work exclusively with, and only manage dream referrals from, those who know the Dreamers best –medical, healthcare and social care professionals.
Eligibility Criteria

To ensure we reach the children who need our attention the most, we have a set eligibility criteria that must be met in order to have a dream come true.
About us

We make dreams come true for children who are living with a disability, serious illness, or life-limiting conditions from the highest areas of deprivation in the UK. Bringing moments of magic that have a lasting impact for years to come. Our belief is that every young person has the right to dream, no matter who they are, or where they live.
Get Involved

If you're looking to help make more dreams come true, then fundraising is one of the best ways to do it. We have plenty of ways for you to get involved!
How do I volunteer?

Without our incredible volunteers, we wouldn’t be able to fulfil any of the dreams of the children and young people who live with serious and life-limiting conditions. More info