social worker are they worth the hassle?

[adamsmum]

hi,we have until tomorrow lunch time,when the community nurse visits to make our mind up whether we want a social worker or not ,previous experiences 4 yrs ago in dorset .a special needs social worker was an interfering crone who wanted to know what we spent our money on and said that there was nothing she could offer us ,like respite or funding ,when our health vister got us funding for a mcclaren buggy.she kept visting even when dh said she was useless,and actually caused more stress,when she should have been supportive.ie when kieran went for routine visit to childrens ward and ended up being diagnosed as tortured with fag butts ,it was actually infantigo?excuse spelling.ended up with 2 burly policeman and i wasnt allowed to take kids home,dh was phoned at work came steaming down gave police and social worker piece of mind,how they were useless as she hadnt pulled kierans file and he was scared of tall men as his real father was tall and he had beaten him so how were 2 intimidating tall policemen going to get what happened out of kieran in 10 mins. end result apolgy from health trust.and recently a social worker visited promised to send details on special needs friendly places of attraction,whilst banging on about funding cuts etc etc .end result went away and nothing recieved,so is it worth having a social worker just to end up with nothing and having 1 more meeting to put up with,when i havent got time to relax anyway.

[Canopus]

My attitude towards social workers is that they are the bane of society.

 

My brother is studying social work at university. Considering the way he treats me with contempt and calls me all sorts of nasty names as well as saying that I should be locked away in a mental institution whenever I get in an argument with him, then I dread to think how he will treat his clients with AS. None of the books he reads are about autism or AS. Most of them are discredited rubbish about Marxism along with liberal lefty tosh such as gay rights and enforcing multiculturalism.

[HAY KEE]

I guess it is a lottery has to whether you get a decent Social worker or not.

 

We have had no problems with our social worker. She arranged 8 hours respite per week, 4 hours babysitting once per month, arranged for DD to attend a young carers group, and arranged help to try and deal with DS behavioural problems.

 

Of course we could always do with more help, but compared to some people, with are fortunate.

[pumpkinpie]

Wow you are so lucky! We get no help at all!

[HAY KEE]

The help was not forthcoming instantly. Luckily DH is very persistant, and get phoning social services until we got a social worker to come and visit us. Unfortuantley, to get anywhere you do need to be persistant. Help goes to those who pester the most, not to those who need it the most.

[Nic m]

Quick tip for anyone who is struggling for help from social work is to request a carers assessment for yourself.Departments are far better at knowing what the other departments are responsible for! Another one is to get your local councillor involved.

Nicola

[JsMum]

The problem lately in councils and local athority is that they have high criterias and many disabilties are considered not meeting the criterias, for instance in our area you have to have a physical disabilty and profound learning disabilties to meet the criteria for disability team, children with ASD and similair wont meet that criteria.

 

We have just had an assessment and J doesnt meet criteria the only way he would is if he was as above and he isnt though he meets the criteria next one down, but that isnt the one that get you the support.

 

I dont think it is fair but I guess they have to draw a line and there is no money in social services or mental health, its all gone into defecits, I have come to accept this for now and with the support from benefits employ my own support in, and to be honest this is miles more than a social worker could offer me, I get practical help and J is safe and secure in his own home with his mum, that for us is the best outcome.

 

The services in social services are very thin now, and they are limiting again only to child protection and only short term services for those wishing for support.

 

Its all in the name of saving a few pounds but the consequences will be far more in the future, but as J doesnt meet the high criteria we have to find our own paths.

 

like others have said though always seek and ask and request an assessment because all councils are different and what one person may not get others are luckier and pass that criteria.

 

I have found the care'ers support the biggest support and the most understanding.

 

In the past I would of suggested anyone in difficulties with children to go to the social services now I dont know anymore.

 

JsMum

[Bagpuss]

Have to say our social worker(s) were good. They arranged respite (via nursery placement during school hols, 2 days per week). Up until they arranged this, our dd was at home full time during all school hols and we were finding it impossible to do anything with our eldest two children. We stopped once she began school. We filled out a carers assessment too. Found the two I met to be really helpful and supportive.

[JsMum]

Have to say our social worker(s) were good. They arranged respite (via nursery placement during school hols, 2 days per week). Up until they arranged this, our dd was at home full time during all school hols and we were finding it impossible to do anything with our eldest two children. We stopped once she began school. We filled out a carers assessment too. Found the two I met to be really helpful and supportive.

 

Now to the defence of social workers we too had nursery placements when J was a toddler and we had support with kids club but since he has his DLA and the services have said that J doesnt meet criteria we have since been left with minimal support, we have a family support worker but what we need is practical support, I recieve emotional support from carers centre and the FSW she just reviews professionals to make sure everyone is doing THEIR BIT and not all on ss, which in some way I agree, but again the ss are providing very little practical support, J is to recieve some art therapy in the next few weeks, and for a short period of time and then that is it, ss are discharging us, as ss have provided all they can and they say I am doing all I can, so again its get on with it, which in some ways I know is progress and great that I can do it but what I have is support from another service now.

 

JsMum

[Lynden]

We've been fairly lucky too - we've had two so far and both have been nice. The second that we have just now is lovely, but has been a social worker for much longer so is very much to the point but still very keen to help providing respite etc.

 

Lynne

[hev]

i dont bother with social services at all now,they made me feel worse when i had any dealings with them,useless

[CarerQuie]

That was my experience,too.xx

[Canopus]

I think the majority of social workers are out of date, out of touch, politically correct do gooders who don't understand AS and ASD.

[loulou]

Hi,

 

I have not had any positive personal experiences with Social Workers. Saying that, i often work alongside social workers (i'm a midwife) and i have met some fantastic ones in the past (i think they are few and far between though).

 

We waited nearly 2 years for a SW for Kai and they weren't interested until my Dad phoned and basically threatened them. Our "assigned" SW from the Disabled Children's Team came to our house and knew practically nothing about ASD or ADHD. I found her patronising and totally useless. All she gave me was a photo-copied list of after school clubs and activities for SN children (which i'd already got from the council website!).

 

What really put me off was that she said, "Why did it take you so long to get Kai diagnosed? Most parents realise there is something wrong with their child much younger"

 

Loulou xx

[hev]

yeah loulou,my ss came and gave me a list for afterschool clubs for nt children as well,they were from the disabilities tam apparently but knew nothing about asd!!

 

few months later they phoned for steve to go on a youth offenders course,he was 12 and never been in trouble with the police,its unbelievable