rainbow queen Report post Posted January 5, 2008 i just wondered how many people get respite i get 2 hours a week from ss how is it possible to get more help or what do u do.................im thinking along lines of like a break for a weekend every now and then.... ive been so depressed lately....................and i feel i cant keep on pretending im ok............... i get no help from any of my family -my parents are old and ill,im a single mum,they have no contact with there dad or any of his family. i wouldnt really want him to be with other folk really,but i feel it may help,because im starting to feel ill will it all.just a breather for me to have a bit of calm would help so much and help his brother. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elun1 Report post Posted January 5, 2008 <'> Hi I get 6hrs per fortnight (although this stopped for 6 mths as last carer left) and have been given one overnight a week although this isn't working out as ds doesn't want to stay. He is severely autistic with SLD and epilepsy and seen as high level of need. We get highest rates of care and mobility so I think that's why I'm 'well off' for respite although the reality is somewhat different as respite hasn't really worked out so far! If you need more respite contact social worker or your key worker if you have one as they have to chat about it with you then get it approved by boss at SS Good luck Elun xx <'> Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lynden Report post Posted January 6, 2008 We get 4 hours per week and 8 hours term time. We're on direct payments and thankfully found someone really quickly through his school. Most of my friends kids get similar hours so we must be fairly lucky in this area. Lynne x Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ASue67 Report post Posted January 6, 2008 I don't get anything - have made loads of enquiries but been told that M's problems are not severe enough for me to qualify for support or help. I am on my own with no family near by and the boys don't see their dad anymore. I am permanently exhausted and also feel that me and my eldest could do with some 1-1 time as well. I know exactly where you are coming from RQ, wish I knew the answer............ <'> Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JsMum Report post Posted January 6, 2008 I don't get anything - have made loads of enquiries but been told that M's problems are not severe enough for me to qualify for support or help. I am on my own with no family near by and the boys don't see their dad anymore. I am permanently exhausted and also feel that me and my eldest could do with some 1-1 time as well. I know exactly where you are coming from RQ, wish I knew the answer............ <'> Have you had a core assessment? If so have you a recent copy? If you have not had a core assessment request one straight away. Send the Core assessment copy (photocopy ) and send a letter of compliant to the social services, the social services do not like having letters of complaints, if they do not respond then send a letter of complaint to the local ombusman, your local MP and councillers. Complaining is the only way to make the local authority see that our children need support. My complaints have gone throw and now I have 1hr and 15 every day monday to friday in the evenings to support me with J with bedtimes as this is a really stressful and anxious time for him. At the weekend he has a sessional worker for his needs. We are going throw a DDA act to complain that our local authority are placing too severe need on families which discriminates children with lesser disabilities, contact A family have great information on what services and resources should be available because many LA are placing blanket policies on support because the LA havent enough resources so they place a really high criteria so they can say no to children with disabilties. Complain, write to everyone in the goverment and keep letting them know how you need support, services and resources. JsMum Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JsMum Report post Posted January 6, 2008 i just wondered how many people get respite i get 2 hours a week from ss how is it possible to get more help or what do u do.................im thinking along lines of like a break for a weekend every now and then.... ive been so depressed lately....................and i feel i cant keep on pretending im ok............... i get no help from any of my family -my parents are old and ill,im a single mum,they have no contact with there dad or any of his family. i wouldnt really want him to be with other folk really,but i feel it may help,because im starting to feel ill will it all.just a breather for me to have a bit of calm would help so much and help his brother. Request extra support and services in writing, if they decline then write a letter of complaint to the social services, if they ignore then write to your local MP, Councillors and local ombusman. Good Luck. JsMum Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oxgirl Report post Posted January 6, 2008 I don't get any. Jay was at home for two years and I looked into it then. A social worker came round but I got a letter saying we weren't eligible, so that was that. ~ Mel ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rainbow queen Report post Posted January 6, 2008 i know that i am lucky with the 2hours.......................i was told ages back from my health visitor that i was very lucky to get anything at all. they did try dropping it at one point then i complained and it got reinstated.............. sorry for moaning ....when other folk on here are not get any. school starts again tomorrow so i think ill be feeling more normal again after this.......... it really is disgusting how we have to fight and struggle on for help. rq xxx Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shamu Report post Posted January 6, 2008 We get 3 hours twice a month but NOT through social services. SS told me James wasn't severe enough to warrant their input and that I had it "easy" as at least I could take him out the house Hmm. Well, he's too severely affected to go to anything other than the SLD school, I can't leave the house safely on my own with the two children to go anywhere other than the supermarket (as I can put him in the trolley and my 18 month old either goes in a sling or in the trolley too) and I broke my foot three months ago and didn't get any extra help (I was meant to be totally non weight bearing but that was a bit hard!!!!)..... The respite we do get isn't really that helpful as it's an overseas student who is here to learn English and who does the respite on the side for a voluntary agency. He gets some training in ASD but not a lot so he doesn't really understand the difficulties. But it's better than nothing and at least I can cook for all of us while he's keeping an eye on James.... Shamu ;-) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dooday24 Report post Posted January 6, 2008 we get nothing we were sent a trainee sw and she did a assessment and said we wernt needy enough it was only to be able to spend some quality time with my daughter we asked 4 2 hrs a month but they would not help donnaxx Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Caroline- Report post Posted January 6, 2008 My son's social worker should (hopefully soon ) should be getting his direct payments sorted out, as i would never trust anyone else (unless they know to handle such children with needs) to look after Hayden, in fact even at home i am the one who does 99% of his care & always have done! There is a repite home near me for children with special needs/learning difficulties but usually the children have to be aged 11 plus to go there. I remember last summer holidays, total mare!!!! He was banned from attending the childs day club there because no one there had been trained to look after special needs children, but they still thought it fine to rugby tackle him to the floor & hold him on the ground Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darky Report post Posted January 7, 2008 We are quite lucky. We get 4 hours a week and 8 hours during holidays. I had to fight to get it mind. BUT we have not been getting our allocated time because our session worker is always fully booked. So we end up with 2 hours a week, and during the holidays we might get 4 hours if we are lucky. I have asked the social worker to see if there is another session worker, he is supposed to be looking into the possibility of shared care, or 2 hours session work and 2 hours direct payments, then holidays 4 hours session work, 4 hours direct payments. BUT again I desperately want to keep our session worker as she baby sits occassionally so we can go out and she is an absolute GEM, so I try not to make too much fuss, but I dont want to lose what we do have because we are not getting our hours! Even a short break makes so much difference to us all. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lynyona Report post Posted January 7, 2008 We dont get any at all. Social services came around and did an assessment iand said theyd be in touch that will be 3 years ago in may they did send him an invite to go on some day trips and seeing he doesnt like going out i cant see how this helped any but he did go on one the first year because they went on a train.We applied for respite before and when we got in toucj again they said that we had been granted it but we had moved so they put it down as declined.So now we dont bother with anything and plus now he is nearly 22 the services in our area are few and far between.I wonder if it would have been any different if he had been dx at a younger age or not.? lynn Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
