Carer.

[chris54]

After a few false starts, it looks like I have finally found someone to provide some respite care.

I was given someones name and number, went to see her today. She had considerable experience of children with Autism. My son will spend some time on his own with her and some time there with others boys. And possibly, see how it goes, go out places with carer, her teenage daughter and a young man who is disabled, in a wheelchair, which will be something new. It will be one day a fortnight, but very flexible to fit in with what every one is doing.

 

Only negative is cost, a bit more than I had hoped, But I'm hoping to be able to get some childcare tax credit to cover some of the cost.

[justine1]

That sounds really good. I gave up looking for someone to care for Sam and Dan,though slightly different in that I needed a childminder/babysitter. I did have a really good babysitter but she was not very reliable. So now my partner has to help while I go to Uni its not ideal but no choice.

 

 

I hope your son will get along with the carer and that you can have a break.

[asdinit]

Forgive me if I'm way off the mark here as I've only just joined but could you apply for Direct Payment?

 

(null)

[chris54]

Well I could, only SS don't think our need is sufficient to get any. We are told you can ask for all sorts of things, getting them is something else altogether.

[LancsLad]

Chris thats really good news and shows that if you persevere with something there is often a result at the end of the day, well done.

[trekster]

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/CaringForSomeone/CaringForADisabledChild/index.htm

 

might help it's the government website about caring for a disabled child.

 

http://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/searchResults.aspx?qsearch=1&keywords=disabled+children&x=0&y=0

Is the section for your counties disabled children.

 

Good luck

[chris54]

Thanks.

 

I have scoured the council/government web site for information.

 

I do claim all the benefits, (Cash) that we can.

 

There are lots of activities put on and were I don't want to take away from any of them, few of them would be of any interest to my son. We do access a couple of short break activities, (There not free) we have to stay with son so not a break for us.

As far as funding (Direct payment) we don't even come near to getting that. We cant get any thing more than an assessment over the phone, which as yet has lead to nothing. It seems that you have to be at crises point before you get any help. I am hoping we wont ever get to that point.

 

We have, much to my surprise, been given a one of grant from the short breaks fund. This is to fund days out in the summer. But I have to pay a carer to take my son out, (Not me). I'm hoping that this new carer I have found will also be able to do that.

 

This grant money was little known about, it was using up the surplus of last years budget, It was first come first served. I actually got more than I asked for, that's how desperate they were to use it up. Its one of them things, if they don't use one years budget, they have to return it and then get less the next year.

Edited April 26, 2012 by chris54