disabled facilities grant for adaptations -anyone had any experience?

[cansu]

We have a mortgage, having bought house last year. Ds has a downstairs room as a playroom, this being the principal reason we bought this house as he needs his own space. ds is very severely autistic, non verbal, v loud and v obsessive. The room he uses has the only entry into the house so anyone coming in has to come through his space. He dislikes this intensely and we more or less dread having to answer the door these days as he shouts like mad, bangs on window etc whenever anyone dares to knock on door. I would really like to put up a partition wall to create a hallway so think this would lessen his anxiety and make our lives a bit easier. He would still be able to exit hi room through doors into lounge. What are my chances of getting a grant to do this?? I have a social worker and I think she might support my request but I would like to know whether this would be within the remit allowed before raising it. Any ideas?

[senvet]

I found this link
www.gov.uk/disabled-facilities-grants/what-youll-get

The good news is that if it is for a child then parents' income if not taken into account.

I think you may need good evidence as the wording is aimed at wider doors and lifts for wheelchairs etc. So maybe plenty of video evidence of what happens.

You may also need some evidence that eg ear defenders are not an option (they often aren't) and that the wall will actually 'fix' the problem.

Having build some stud walls (not personally) ie the ones where there is a wood frame and plasterboard on the faces, they can let through quite a bit of noise. My husband can be heard snoring through two thicknesses of stud wall, and yet the old brick walls insulate from sound much better.

I get the impression that there are other grant giving bodies out there as well, so if at first you don't succeed...

Good Luck

[cansu]

Thank you. That's great. He won't wear ear defenders although sometimes I wish I could! I was also wondering whether from a safety point of view I could make the case as he often tries to dash out when door is opened and has recently discovered how keys work.

[senvet]

That second point is excellent. You can try putting bolts high on the door etc, but the door has to be opened and bolting out is therefore dangerous.

They may at least stump up for a porch type structure to give you an airlock even if they don't consent to a full wall to keep dc away from door-noise.

Good Luck