DLA - statement or not

[openyoureyes]

HI all

Just a quick question, we have just applied for DLA for our 11yr old AS son (taken me ages to get round to it)

Sent all the info off then a doctor came round yesterday to assess him!!!

 

Not sure whether we will get it or not as the Doctor seemed to have little or no idea what affects AS has (typical).

 

Anyway the question is, can you get DLA for a child who has no statement but only a diagnosis, our son is just on School Action + ??

 

any help would be appreciated, we do feel after yesterday that we will be turned down on the 1st occassion but we are willing to take it further

 

thanks

[CarerQuie]

DLA is to do with the needs and difficulties that a child has and is nothing to do with whether they are statemented,or not.It doesn't relate to daignoses either.

 

They will try and assess what help your child requires over and above that of any child of a similar age.xx

[KarenT]

Not only do you not need a statement but it's not necessary to have a diagnosis either. What's relevant to the DWP is the amount of extra care your child needs in comparison to other children of the same age - the label attached to your child's needs is of little importance. That's why you have to be so careful when you fill in the forms - you're not meant to describe the condition but how it affects your child as an individual, and you as the carer.

 

Examining doctors sent by the DWP rarely know what they're looking for. I expect you signed the form to say you had no objections to a doctor examining your son, but it could possibly go against the decision. Don't worry if you don't get it this time though, you can always ask for a reconsideration and supply the kind of evidence they really need.

 

For the record, my son's seven, no dx but suspected AS, no statement and only on School Action. He was awarded middle rate care and low rate mobility last year after reconsideration. The paed coordinating his assessment gave a report saying "J has a pervasive development disorder on the autistic spectrum" but we STILL didn't get it first time. The claim was finally passed when I submitted evidence from people like his karate and swimming instructors, plus details of how much time I spend taking him to appointments etc as a result of his condition, and a list of developmental anomalies. So even WITH a dx you could still fail - like I said, it depends on how the condition affects the individual.

 

Hope you're successful.

 

Karen

x

[jb1964]

Hi Openyoureyes,

 

My daughter's only recently been diagnosed (she's nearly 13) and we put in a claim for DLA at the beginning of May - and received it by the end of May.

 

She's not got any statement I'm not even sure if she's on anything like action + all I know is we have regular review meetings.

 

I sent in loads of stuff with the application. Letters from CAHMS which gave her diagnosis as ASD with Aspergers best fitting her and outlined all the difficulties (including examples) she had including social/communication/behaviour (including self harming) and severe gross motor skills (that was a 7 page letter in itself) plus appointments for school review meetings and appointment letters for all her CPN visits/Pysch. Consultant/Paed. and GP correspondence.

 

Hope this helps.

Take care,

Jb

Edited July 5, 2006 by jb1964

[Kathryn]

hi Openyoureyes,

 

Just to add to what others have said - my daughter wasn't statemented and did not have a long history of support at school and was only dx six months before she got awarded DLA.

 

They also sent a doctor round to assess my daughter and he asked me exactly the same questions that were on the form and that I had already answered in detail - which was strange. He didn't appear to be knowledgeable about AS either but he wrote down everything I said and didn't challenge anything at all.

 

I think having their doctor assess my daughter actually worked in our favour - perhaps it will do the same for you. It seems like a hopeful sign that they're taking your application seriously, rather than turning it down flat - but who knows how they arrive at their decisions!

 

I hope you get it - you should hear soon.

 

K x

[JsMum]

Hi When J was awarded DLA at a tribunal the panel who assessed us couldnt believe we didnt have a statement of SEN and told us to fight for it, one of the professionals on the panel was a doctor and he suggested I get my son seen by a professional in Autism as he has all the triads, and also they did congratulate me on my strengths as they saw just how much of a task it is looking after children who have a hidden disabilty, the reason why we had to go to tribunal was the doctor who was suppose to arrive canceled on me three times so I went to tribunal and school also said that he was just naughty, so I felt it was best to go face to face, that was two years ago, Js is up for review in January and we have a welfare rights officer planning the forms soon as it will be around now they send for renewal, J also didnt at the time have a diagnosis of anything as such just Developmental Delay and Speech and Language disorder and letters of support from his GP and Social Worker.

 

Dont forget to explain difficulties outside too as you may qualify for low mobility, we didnt get this but the welfare officer said we should get it next time we apply.

 

Go all the way and I cant really see any problems to be honest, and the fact the Doctor has assessed might be enough to clarify and identify the childs claim.

 

Good Luck because it really does make a lot of difference and helps provide your child with the extra support.

 

Keran.

[KarenT]

They also sent a doctor round to assess my daughter and he asked me exactly the same questions that were on the form and that I had already answered in detail - which was strange.

I've had the same experience when I had a medical examination for my Incapacity Benefit claim. Later I found out that the doctor who does the examination doesn't get to see your original claim form, he makes an independent assessment and then the pen-pushers compare his report against what you've said on the claim form to be sure they match. The idea is that the system could be abused if the doctor knew what he was looking for.

 

Karen

x

[openyoureyes]

thanks to you all for replying, you have made me feel a lot better. I have another son who has an ASD but hes only 6 and he got his DLA straight away 3 years ago with no doctor assessment at the house, so I was a little worried why this time a doctor came out. Maybe its because of B's age.

 

keep fingers crossed and I will let you know what happens next

[jen]

If DLA goes to tribunal you can either go through a written appeal or in present.

More DLA are won by people going to the tribunal than through written. This is because you can explain you childs difficulties more clearly orally than written

 

 

 

Jen

[bramblebrae]

Hi just a tip for anyone going to apply or even for tribunals is (and this may just be me that didn't think of it at the time cause I was dolly dimple) but when your filling in number of times questions you have to answer how much help they need throughout the whole day even whilst at school or in the care of others ie when I first put in how many times he needed help with communicating I had like 4 times a day I think cause basically we were (still are a bit) hermits and quite isolated so when with me only 4 times was about right but when the carer centre's helper pointed out to me to fill it in from a 24/7 view point ie help given at school when at grans etc etc I think I estimated the number to be something like 30 times a day (can't remember exactly but those figures compare roughly I think) I believe if she hadn't told me to do this which I used to correct the whole form our result would have been drastically different.

Maybe it was just me though and everyone else realises this on their own

 

Good luck

Lorraine

[board]

Hi just a tip for anyone going to apply or even for tribunals is (and this may just be me that didn't think of it at the time cause I was dolly dimple) but when your filling in number of times questions you have to answer how much help they need throughout the whole day even whilst at school or in the care of others ie when I first put in how many times he needed help with communicating I had like 4 times a day I think cause basically we were (still are a bit) hermits and quite isolated so when with me only 4 times was about right but when the carer centre's helper pointed out to me to fill it in from a 24/7 view point ie help given at school when at grans etc etc I think I estimated the number to be something like 30 times a day (can't remember exactly but those figures compare roughly I think) I believe if she hadn't told me to do this which I used to correct the whole form our result would have been drastically different.

Maybe it was just me though and everyone else realises this on their own

 

Good luck thanks for that just about to fill in mine for dd6 all the best jill

Lorraine