sadmum Report post Posted January 14, 2008 HI Guys, l had a social worker come round today to start a core assement. l asked for help for a support worker, only for few hours a week. She told me that the goverment pays me DLA & carers allowance to look after my daughter, and if l can't do it anymore, l should use the money to get agency in. l have never heard this before. is this true? She also told me that, eventhough, she can do the core assesment, if she refers my daughter to disability team, they might refuse my case. Plus she told me if there is services that my daughter needs, that its up to the top boss to see if he will allow it with his budget.... Seems allot like another council working keeping her hand on the budget to me, but I could be wrong, please advice me Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Karen A Report post Posted January 14, 2008 Hi Sadmum.I am not an expert on DLA and carers allowance but I do think there may be some budget protection going on.Some people do recieve direct payments to fund respite however I think it is funded seperately and is not deducted from DLA or carers allowance. If a referal is done to disability team then it might be refused but you would have a right to challenge the refusal.It is not an excuse to not do the referal. As regards the budget that is between the boss and the social worker.All managers have some say in how the budget is spent...it is not an issue for clients to be worried about. Karen. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Clare63 Report post Posted January 14, 2008 Hello Sadmum, What an awful woman that social worker sounds, crikey you only asked for help, she did not sound to be very supportive or understanding at all. Fancy saying its up to the boss what he does with his budget !!!! At least I suppose she is doing the core assessment. I am so sorry to hear you have had to have such a negative and thoughtless person in your home, its no wonder social services have such a bad reputation. I hope you get the support you need Clare x x x Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stressedmumto2 Report post Posted January 14, 2008 Hmmmmmmm not happy with this at all. Your social worker sounds a right moo, if you don't mind me saying!! Let her do the core-assessment and also ask her to do a carers assessment of your needs and any other children you have, If you have a look on th National Autistic Sociey web-site they will have more info plus draft letters. Each area has their own criteria for the Child and Disability Team and we have been refused again, the silly woman also put in her letter "we do not have hidden resources". Oh well I'm going to challenge it again and I think all people who get refused should keep on challenging it. Write down a letter why your childs needs can only be met on that team i.e. staff who understand ASD, access to an Occupational therapist to assess saftey of home any adaptions, advice for sensory issues etc. What difficulties your child has and what your child's diagnosis is etc. If when they do the assessment it comes up with you needing respite you can ask them for direct payments to buy in your own service or they have to provide a sessional worker, I know families who have used direct payments, but they give you a small amount and then you have to re-apply but at least you can employ someone yourself. You do not get DLA to pay for that and you do not need to inform them of what you do with you DLA. My DLA goes on house repairs, new clothing/bedding, treats for my daughter aswell as my son, (somehow I do this to her to try and make up for us not having such an easy life!!), sensory equipment, days out and breaks away, a few short breaks camping in the summer do us the world of good. Maintaining my car the list goes on where it gets frequently jumped on!! The list goes on!!!! You do not need to explain where your moeny goes although they will try and ask and also tell you to pay for services yourself. My s/w also tells me it's up to her manager how money is spent, so there may be some truth in that but hey!! What I found to be helpful in the inital stages was looking at the type of help I wanted and go from there. My initial thing that I asked for was respite, which we got but it was a case of writing letters and complaining and not playing down how difficult my son was. Take care and I hope you get somewhere soon <'> Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JsMum Report post Posted January 15, 2008 HI Guys, l had a social worker come round today to start a core assement. l asked for help for a support worker, only for few hours a week. She told me that the goverment pays me DLA & carers allowance to look after my daughter, and if l can't do it anymore, l should use the money to get agency in. l have never heard this before. is this true? She also told me that, eventhough, she can do the core assesment, if she refers my daughter to disability team, they might refuse my case. Plus she told me if there is services that my daughter needs, that its up to the top boss to see if he will allow it with his budget.... Seems allot like another council working keeping her hand on the budget to me, but I could be wrong, please advice me What she has told you is unproffessional and incorrect, direct payments are a different pot of money and you do not need to use your DLA/Carers allowance to buy in respite, and even if you did have to use the DLA for an agency it would probably be more than you get in allowances so you would be left in dept. I would contact contact a family They have lots of useful information, I would also get further support from NAS, MENCAP and even the CAB/Welfare rights. I would even be tempted to go the media its that scandless, DLA payments are not intended to pay for the resources your wanting for your daughter, I would also look into Carers Support Service too, as they have further information on your rights as a carer. I would write a formal letter of complaint to the social services department to the director of SS and explain what happened in your initial assessments as the core assessment is a time consuming process so I would get on their case now, its disgusting that this proffessional who is there to assess your childs needs to then tell you a load of nonsence, it sounds like she doesnt understand direct payments at all. I hope that this situation does come to the attention of the national goverment. Disgusting. JsMum Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JsMum Report post Posted January 15, 2008 I found this page here about direct payments, direct payments are basically a replacement of what social services should be providing in services, so they defo should not be telling you to find your own respite and services for your child, defo not, the DLA is based on needs, direct payment is service. put it like this if your daughter broke her leg and needed surgery, and a pot, do you have to pay for this out of her DLA, no. DLA is not a replacement for social services. http://www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/social...ectpaymentfaqs/ JsMum Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sadmum Report post Posted January 15, 2008 (edited) Thank you all for the replies. My local carers centre did a carers needs assessment last august and when we rang social services 3 weeks later to ask about it we where told by SS that it had been closed within 24 hours, and they had no intention of telling us. The only reason they started the core assessment is because I started the complaints procedure. The worker that came to my house yesterday didn?t even know the meaning of SEN or CAMS or any of the well know local child services. She told us she came from adult service and was only learning..... That was all I needed. She kept going on about how my daughters needs had to be met, and my husband lost it with her and told her that my daughter is fine, she hits and kicks and shouts through life, and doesn?t really care about much. It's her brother that is stressed and can't seem to get a normal childhood, and everyone supposing to offer him services leaves him hanging. She seemed shocked by that response. My husband walked out and left it to me to try and talk some sense into this woman. She offered me "parenting skills" classes. I was stunned. I had this said to me so man times in the last 4 years and I have been on so many courses I have "positive parenting? running from my ears. She asked how come school seems to cope fine with her. My answer was She is in a special needs unit with 10 student and 3 support workers. When she was in mainstream she used to fling any thing from tables to dishes at staff. She was in and out of 2 schools before she was 6. Obviously I wasn't the only one having trouble with her. How am I supposed to work with someone like that? Edited January 15, 2008 by sadmum Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Karen A Report post Posted January 15, 2008 Sadmum.I think you would be within your rights to complain to Social Services again and ask that a qualified social worker does a reassessment.It sounds as though the person who came yesterday does not have the knowledge or experience to assess what your family needs.Karen. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lynden Report post Posted January 15, 2008 The SW from our disabilities team was fantastic and she gave me a good way of thinking, she referred to our DLA as my 'salary'. If Logan didn't have special needs, I would have gone back to work at least part time after the kids. Because of his difficulties that's not possible. We get direct payments for respite and it has nothing at all do with my CA or our DLA. During the assessment they do ask what you use your DLA for - but ours were quite happy with the answer that it goes into the pot for daily living!! I hope you can find someone who is more helpful. Lynne x Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
