DLA: I'm a SALT - will the decision makers accept I give my own child therapy?

[NamelessUntilNow]

Hello all. My child has ASD and is starting secondary next year.

My child received DLA when she was younger for three years but then i never renewed. I'm now feeling ready to reapply again five years since it stopped. My DD was discharged from NHS SALT 18 months ago as they felt that therapy was complete. They said they'd be happy for me to re-refer as and when needed for things like support for transitions to secondary school and long school holidays. But the waiting list is about three months and you can't refer until the need is actually there (i.e. they won't accept referrals for support around preparing for the summer holidays in May in anticipation of August).

I am a qualified SALT and work with my daughter on her communication approx 3 times per week for an hour. We use social skills programmes on the ipad and do role play scenarios for her social skills and anger management. We also work on semantic tasks for her word finding difficulties. All things her old SALT was doing with her which i'm carrying on.

I wonder if this counts as 'treatment' for question 22 where it asks what treatment the child is receiving? Will they accept this as speech therapy when it is being provided by a parent?

Thanks.

[NamelessUntilNow]

Actually, there are a few other questions I'm confused about now too!

I've made a lot of resources myself and have worked with the school to implement these e.g. visual aids and charts to prompt my daughter to complete routine tasks and communicate with others appropriately in the playground.

In question 23, it asks about such aids and whether these were referred by a HCP. Technically yes they were (me!) but I'm also her parent. What a headache.

I've qualified in the last few years so didn't have this issue first time round.

[HardAsSnails]

I think you are over-thinking it! Just fill in the form honestly and refer to previous professional assessments. Eg for my ds he had an initial sensory OT assessment yonks who but I carry out sensory based activities at home, so I would include the original OT reports as evidence of need, even though what we actually do has built on and developed from that as I've learned more and read more, and he's got older and his needs have changed.

Ideally you want clinical/educational evidence for every section where you are saying you do over and above what a typical child would need.

[EeAicheCeePee]

What would you say (as a professional) if coffee machine gossip told you about someone in your situation filling out the form in that way?

[HaveYouSeenMyHat]

I’ve no useful advice OP but I’m just saying hi because I am also a SALT who has a DC with ASD and some language difficulties.

[Shedmicehugh1]

I think it’s more about giving therapy as a parent, regardless of your profession.

Lots of parents are taught by OT, SALT etc to carry over therapy to the home setting.

Or having to use visuals etc because it helps your child, doesn’t have to be recommended by a professional.

[Onceuponatimethen]

Name, it sounds as though you are doing wonderful stuff with your dd. I have no advice but sending some and a cup of

Would you mind saying what iPad resources you are using for social skills (so I can copy!)

[NamelessUntilNow]

Thanks so much for the replies! Have been trying to fill this form in for a few hours each evening all week and only just halfway through! Forgot how monstrous it is.

Yes, i think you're right. I'm definitely over thinking it. I'm finding it quite hard to remove my SALT head when filling this in. I can see that using the ipad with my daughter to work on social communication is not active therapy. She doesn't have a current treatment plan or goals other than to continue what her previous SALT left her with. So i'm only doing what every other parent is doing.

If interested, the apps i'm using are Social Skills and Stories2Learn and Social Skill Builder.