cathcart3303

http://www.cerebra.org.uk/English/getinformation/publications/Documents/dla-guide-web.pdf I found the cerebra information very helpful and you can follow it step by step. It says neurological conditions but does refer to Autism. I would send photocopies of all relevant letters. They will request further details from Dr or School.

What's an inclusion officer? Only had full meeting last week and awaiting outcomes from that so have no idea why 3 people turned up yesterday. I was only expecting the social worker as she said she had not 'seen' my son and needed to every 4 weeks. Only been involved a couple of months. SW came last Nov and transferred to children in need team. The SW had already established I needed to be seen by adult social services so why go on about what I should be doing when I have not been assessed? Sally, I will ask for the written outcomes of my sons core assessment (which to my knowledge has not been completed). I will also put in writing what occurred yesterday. Dialogue did continue after I had vented my frustration at the not listening and been patronising. (I do not have any adrenal glands and do not deal with stress very well and this has made me ill).

I shouted at the 3 Social Services staff who came round today. Bullying in numbers. Kept telling me what I should be doing. I had just told them about my son's extreme withdrawal and lack of interaction. Came up with playing a board game with him. I told them he needs structure and routine. He needs a tutor and a transition plan. It is illegal that no educational provision had been made for 18 months. When I asked about the support worker my son is still on a list and no date. Totally hacked off with the lot of them. Anyone want to know where money is wasted? Its all these useless people holding meetings and coming to appointments but not actually doing anything.

Having spoken to HT it only takes up to 10 children. Just had eight yr 11 leave. Has been given 3 names by LA but only 1 other year 10 September. In his words used to be more challenging behaviour (children excluded from school, out of education for 5 years)! OFSTED report did not offer GCSE 2011 and able pupils were waiting for others to catch up. My son questioned the point of school on transition as he had already covered that work so not really looked at my sons needs when suggesting this school. 3 teachers. Only experience of working with 'mild' Asperger's and no qualifications. No therapies on site but as charity could arrange. At 16 have to move on. Long distance from home and son has travel sickness badly. No proper formalised transition plan. They have adapted classroom environment, do not have school in the title and have a farm with animals. Went to have a look round Asperger specific special school with residential boarding Monday to Friday. Was very impressed with their ethos. I am going to look round again with my son.

Caseworker has said commissioners have spoken to a school who think they will be able to take my son in September, BESD school very small. Have spoken to them but is would be a good journey everyday for my son and he does not travel well plus transition even with some outreach over summer is not suddenly going to happen in September. Plus no specialist ASD just experience of working with. I don't want to set my son up to fail.

Yes they have listed the attachments but only attached the ones I requested after meeting regarding proposed statement. The proposed did not have all the attachments specified in list anyway. Thanks. I have a meeting on Wednesday. Will ask for clarification then. May have something to do with case worker saying he would send an amended final statement once the placement for independent funding had been agreed. All very well saying that but then to name alternative mainstream when one is found which is suitable has just made me angry and put my son in another Catch 22 situation where he has no school he can attend in September. Spoke to MP office and they said they had not come across another case where the child has been out of school for so long without any education or support being provided for them. I wondered how many others have spent such a long time out and when education otherwise was provided?

I have a question about the Final Statement. It only has 2 appendages which I asked to be added but the proposed was also missing letters which the caseworker said he would add. Should I not be sent all the documents attached to the final statement or do I need to attach the proposed statement as well? Thanks for advice.

My son was in large 1600 mainstream secondary school and had problems from transition. I have arranged to visit Gretton. Speaking on the phone their website is not up to date. They have been around for a while but have only recently expanded to take residential and now extending from 17 years old to 19 years old. It is specifically geared to HFA and Asperger's. They also do phased reintegration although this will not be easy as we live over an hour away. My son is academically able and this is the nearest school which can combine the challenge academically as well as providing therapies. He should have been entering year 10 in September but that is not going to happen now.

Has anyone knowledge of Gretton School in Cambridgeshire? The Final Statement not only named his old mainstream school, the one he has refused to go to for 18 months, but transfer to a suitable alternative mainstream secondary school once identified. What a load of C**p! I may be getting paranoid but I had a letter from CAMHS and feel they have contrived with SS regarding not providing support for my son. I think I will have to put in request for all info held on son from CAMHS.

My son has been out of school since December 2011. Neither school or LA are willing to arrange any education for my son. How can they get away with it? The Paediatrician wrote last September stating my son had Anxiety and/or Depression and she was referring to CAMHS. I also sent the letter to Director of children's Services. The LA panel recognised my son had mental health needs in June 2012 which was one of the reasons they would not assess his educational needs! He hadn't been assessed so they would not assess him???????????? OFSTED said complain to LA. LGO said have right to go to tribunal and to allow another 3 months for LA to deal with my complaint that my son has had no education which will take us up to end of July. I have now written to LA and School stating that the statement has been issued on Wednesday but I do not have a copy. I have asked them both how my son is to access education now. I have written about funding info under FOI and asked what is being used and how will it help my son. Remember this school became an Academy last March and has to employ services from LA. What a farce. I have Social Services meeting next week. I am going to make a list of questions to ask directly to individuals eg. Caseworker: Why has mainstream school been named when at meeting to discuss statement the only absolute was my son was not returning to xxxx mainstream school? Why can alternative education not have been written in to statement? If a description of the type of school my son needs is made did a school need to be named? Social Worker: Why is my son not getting access to a support worker now when he has been at home for 18 months? What is classified as urgent? Why when professionals state my son needs specialist support can SS ignores this? School: What arrangements are the school making for my son to manage his transition? Asperger's Educational Advisor Clarify funding was withdrawn for youth worker and if funding was available a service could be arranged or ask SS what they are going to provide? EP Ask what type of assistance my son needs now to access education? How to get my son out of the house? OT Ask to clarify what help my son needs now to access education? How to get my son out of the house? CAMHS Ask them what help my son needs to access education? How to get my son out of the house? Any other ideas?

The Case worker has just rang me to tell me Statement was issued yesterday and I should get copy today or tomorrow. He was warning me that the mainstream school he is on roll at has been named although this Statement will be superseded when a new school is identified (and panel have commissioned). I think I will write to HT asking what provision they are making for my son.

I do have name of private SALT locally whom I know is very thorough. Do you think I should write to Director of Children's Services asking why my son is not receiving home education?

Hi Sharon, I would have liked some home education written into the statement even if it was mixed with some online. At least some one coming regularly and consistently even if son does not engage to begin with. OFSTED report stated LA medical needs provision was minimal but my son has none. How are they allowed to get away with it? IPSEA have helped with last appeal and will support me again. Advisor wrote letter requesting all info LA have under FOI and Data protection. The LA EP undertook a thorough assessment and wrote a comprehensive report. I have a private OT report regarding sensory issues. The NHS SALT has visited but as son did not engage went away. (I was in hospital but husband was here). I will have to chase up what is happening there.

Looking to the future there are 2 schools which may be suitable but they are down south about 6 hours drive away. The question is without the engagement of the child the actual school placement will fail and will he engage?. They have said that he could always take up a placement when he is 16 if he engages then. This is why I think Dimensions is important now. How is the LA able to get away with ignoring these children? To answer your question Sally the LA mentioned a local independent school who have experience of moderate Asperger's which I have visited. The Asperger specific school is the one that said they will ring back to arrange a visit but never did. I have rang and left messages so does not bode well for any placement plus they do not provide therapies.

Social Worker came today and rang Dimensions. She has asked them if I can pay for an assessment and then will know what needs they identify and what help they can offer. Also it will be in writing. She is referring to Adult Services due to mine and my husbands different disabilities. I have not claimed carers allowance as I have difficulties myself and is why I am asking for support for my son. The Statement has not turned up today..... but as a school is not going to be named we are no further forward as my understanding is the school he is on roll should continue to provide education which means...nothing.

My son has not been to school since December 2011. He gets no tutoring as the LA still question he has a medical need. He has spent that time in his room and is engaging with less and less people.

SS have not carried out a core assessment. They have decided a support worker (not ASD specific) may help my son but he is busy at the moment so son is on list. No one will Fund Dimensions. Psychiatrist says he will write letter to support this service (CAMHS suggested service). Paediatrician was going to look into Dimensions as had not heard of it. She said naming the independent school is not what my son needs now. He needs a different intervention at present. I have visited independent school but son has not so knew LA could not name that but told me that was the only option as he was not suitable for local independent AS school. AS school had told me do not deal with mental health issues or provide therapies. Also was waiting for year teacher to ring back to arrange a visit which they did not. They were not interested in my son at all. When I said my son needs specialist ASD help caseworker said that is not the case at the independent school. So why was he suggesting it 6 weeks ago? Local AS advisor was at meeting so will see if I can speak to her today. Does statement need to include provision for now as well as future? Am growing weary. MP has written to LA requesting answers to why it is taking so long. This is LA where MP's have requested resignation of Director of Children's Services. Spoke to complaints officer last week who questioned if I had actually sent in evidence my son had a medical need! Luckily had requested info under Data Protection and was able to say look at emails from attendance officer. Letter from CAMHS I had not received stated Depression and Anxiety. Also to be vigilant for OCD and Psychosis. I am not sending that one to the LA. Lots of claims they are helping my son but no actual intervention.

Case worker rang to day and said he was going to send an amended statement and then we could have another meeting to discuss it. I told him the Final Statement is due tomorrow so want that. He said he thought the date was July. I said 8 weeks from proposed statement. Does he really think that I will believe he did not know when the Final Statement is due? He said in that case he would have to name my sons old mainstream school or leave Part 4 blank. I said this 6 weeks ago at meeting that other arrangements need to be made for his education. He will specify what sons needs are so will wait to get Final Statement. Am completely hacked off but not surprised!

Bearing in mind T has been out of school for 18 months and has had no educational input CAMHS asked the Duty Social Worker to attend a meeting at my house last November in which a service Dimensions was suggested. Using his DLA was suggested by SW to pay for this. I contacted Dimensions and they said they needed a contract with LA or School and the child needed a statement. After Autism Day I had info on Dimensions which I presented at Section 17 meeting. SW was sick so manager was there. She denied any knowledge of this service although I thought that was what the meeting was about! She had in mind a support worker and she went away to think about it despite all professionals agreeing T needs specialist help. The SW rang me to say T is on list for support worker (not autism specific). I asked if they had carried out a core assessment on T which she said they were in the process of. I asked about Dimensions which she dismissed unless I was willing to pay with DLA. I get £100 DLA for T a week. I said I am happy to put this money towards it. SW is going to speak to Dimensions and said it was about £15 an hour.. So DLA will pay for 6 1/2 hours. It was suggested he needs fulltime for 10 weeks by CAMHS as this worked for another child like T. My questions: Is it right that a child can only get limited help with what there parents can pay via DLA when his needs are so much greater? He is due a final statement so should it address how they are going to help him access education which is due to his disability?

I have thought a bit more about this and I think the important thing is to remain positive. Do not keep bringing up the behaviours you do not like but praise the ones you do. He needs motivating so ask him what he wants to do. Does he really want to do an apprenticeship or does he have a special interest that he would like to follow at further education? Because he has not completed A levels does not necessarily restrict him. With a diagnosis there would be more support for him at colleges as well as universities.

Hi, Just wanted to say you are not alone. My son is 14 years old and has been out of education for 18 months. These children are the hidden ones. The school did not help even when he had a diagnosis at 13 and the LA have denied he needed any kind of assessment. He is at home all day and spends his time on the computer playing games. He has no friends and does not go out. His sleep pattern is deranged. I have asked Social Services for the help of a support worker for my son from a group called Dimensions. I would write down your concerns and make an appointment with your GP to discuss them on your own. If your son is like mine he will expect you to provide his food (which he has a restricted diet) and generally do what he needs rather than thinking you may have a life. I have given up work. My son is under Mental Health Services and they have prescribed medication (for anxiety/depression) although he will not take it. As your son is considered an adult I think it is a case of negotiating what you need him to do eg see GP. Does your son have the same GP as you? Sorry I cannot be more help but wanted you to know you are not alone (although authority would have you believe otherwise). Stay strong.

Thanks for replies. My sons sleep pattern is awake half the night but sleep all morning. He does not want to get out of bed. It is noisy in his room as there are birds nesting in the eaves. The Psychiatrist talked about Melatonin but if sleep pattern did not improve after Fluoxetine. He takes antihistamine which Dr thought could make him drowsy. May be I'll ask him what he thinks of Melatonin. I need to find some motivation for him.

You could contact the local authority transport department and ask them regarding transport to school. As you have exceptional circumstances. Worth trying. If your child is 5 in July the LA have an obligation to provide education in that term (and surely transport but check LA policy).

Haven't actually persuaded him to take it yet. My husband thinks that he doesn't want to take it as he will eventually have to return to school and he doesn't want to go. Anyone ideas in how to persuade him?

I worked at our local hospital and they had a Disability nurse who was able to offer advice to different departments on how to best manage a particular disability. I would start by looking on line at your local hospital services. You could ring the help desk and ask for this service. If none is available I would write or speak to PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Services) and set out your concerns and ask how they can help you. When I have had an appointment for my son I have got my husband to go ahead and explain his difficulties. I think most outpatients can be accommodating. Do you have an advocate who can help? Wards are far busier but with your disability I think that pre operatively a side room should be allocated to you. I would recommend every one to have an advocate with them and write down your concerns as listed above so there is no misunderstanding.