Special Needs/disabled child, turned 18.Anything I need to do?

[QuiQuaiQuod]

Posting here for traffic:

Dcs just turned 18 (on paper, anyway, she has a mental age/learning disabilities of less than half that).

She gets the higher rate PIP, and is home schooled for medical reasons.

Will I be receiving (yet a million more) forms to fill in now shes 18, or do I have to let DWP or whichever services I access for her know?

no ones told me anything so far, so is it up to me to find out, and who?

Thanks. Appreciate any help.

Hello.... anyone please? really need to know.

Is there a better board to post on?

Can you now apply for esa on her behalf. Do you have appointeeship with the Dwp?

You might be entitled to a bus pass if that is useful?

I'm sure there is other stuff. Doesn't spring to my mind right now.

When my DS turned 18 the silence was deafening.

Does she have a social worker? it could be worth asking for a social assessment, I think they call it something like Transition to Adult services.

Our experience echoes MargaretDribbles . Sadly.DO apply for ESA.. that's straightforward enough. But as for anything else.. it's like we dropped of the planet.All the services we had received through school years... direct payments, orthotics, paediatrician reviews.. disappeared. DS1 gets a yearly check up at the GP and that's about it. Learning Disabilities services magically decided he wasn't learning disabled enough (apparently cured once he left special school!) and Social Services have failed to return my call requesting a care assessment. Transition services were a joke.

thank you for replies.Tallulah, are you being serious??????

ESA, Ill look into it.
DC is home schooled and I intend to keep her at that for as long as poss as theres no way she can ever be in a career or workplace so I might as well have her doing something, in her limitations with her severe special needs anyway.

she still gets chikld tax credit because of the home schooling. does ESA replace that?

its weird that no ones (DWP etc) have contactyed me , not that theyre ever any help.

Still exactly same here, they are useless. and weve got more than enough to do caring and seeing to our childrens needs without having to find extra hours running around after THEM.

she does have a social worker, but she hasn't bothered to reply either to my messages/emails!

she does have a free bus and train pass .

There is also a SN Chat board which might have more knowledgeable people.

Didn’t you know op that a child with sn magically turns into an adult without on their 18th birthday?!
Or at least that is what it feels like ... My mum says to check with each benefit you get. Some will carry on as you are home educating until 19. Others you have to inform. For what it’s worth she gets carers and PIP for my brother. Have a google for local charities - they may schemes where she can socialise or depending on abilities even work supported. Adult social services are frankly usually useless. There is an SN chat board and if you don’t mind posting a county I’m sure others could help. My mum says it’s the hardest bit this stage and so good luck with a big hug.

Yes I was being serious. You bumped the post as no one had replied. I suggested there might be a board where you'd get more replies......

Remember to apply for power of attorney or guardianship otherwise the doctors, banks, consultants etc will not tell you anything any more and you can't deal with anything on your child's behalf (I am in Scotland though so may be different else where)

Tallulah, Ive peosted things before on the other site with not much luck, and I find the Chat one seems the busiest that's why I Posted here.

Mrs Pear, so iehter way Id better check, 'just in case'.

Thank you all for replies and advice.

The DWP won't contact you unless you are coming up to the PIP award expiry date. You should have been visited by them when your DD was 16 to see whether she was capable of managing her own benefits or if you should be appointed as her representative.

Not sure how ESA works for someone who is home educated - had to name the college that DD attended and what coure she was on when we applied for hers. If you are in receipt of child benefit and child tax credits for her you may be better off not claiming ESA until Child benefit ceases - you can't claim both.

If you’ve got a local CAB it might be worth speaking to them to find out what you need to do. Forewarned is forearmed and all that.

Best of luck OP

CAB are even more useless than the other 'services'.

I found out I don't apparently need ESA till she finishes her education.

Thanks for all replies.

I assume child benefit ends either at 18 0r 21?

CAB are not a "service". They are a not for profit organisation run mainly by volunteers. Often for little thanks and the occasional sneering put down.

Do you need some sort of power of attorney in place to allow you to deal with various people / agencies etc on her behalf now that she is over 18?

No, the age for benefits is 16 so the big threshold has been crossed already. You will be transitioning to adult healthcare services thoughand adult social services, varies around the country, may be delayed until a little older. You may wish to look into powers of attorney though, from 18 certain legal aspects change but social services are the ones to ask.

The main difference we experienced was in mental health tbh, it's so poorly funded and they won't talk to me (not ideal when dd is in crisis) so we are looking into powers of attorney now.

You cannot claim both esa and child benefit, esa requires an assessment but the helpline was really helpful (yes I was surprised!) you will need power of attorney to speak on your dc's behalf however as long as they can confirm their name, date of birth and say "I authorise you to speak to my mum" you can sort it out without a poa- it's mostly online anyway at the beginning, but quickly we had to send off a drs note then after 3 months there was an assessment, but thankfully she had found a job by then (yes I'm still amazed) they accepted her for who she is and have promoted her! (Very different situation as she's autistic with seizures, not ld).

Do look into volunteering and part time jobs though, the sooner the better - it's hard to get the right one but It’s such a good experience for them. We have a friend who's mental capacity is supposed to be 8, he lives with his parents but he loves working, he clears tables and washes up in the pub.

ESA will/can replace child benefit when that is no longer applicable. This is usually around the 20th birthday as long as your child remains in what is classed as full time education.

The GP can/should trigger any transition to adult heath services if that has not been done already. If any services are received from social care, then you can request an assessment for adult services. However, there may be a financial assessment and your DD may have to contribute towards the cost of any care that she receives. I believe that PIP will remain unchanged until they trigger reassessment.

Hope this helps x