posting for traffic - how do you work with complex SN

[captainblonde]

DS will start secondary in September and our local SN inclusive holiday club will not take him anymore (it primary school aged only). there is no equivalent for secondary aged school children.

the SS he will attend will not run a holiday club, childminders don't feel equipped to meet his needs (he is very tall and strong, with severe LDs and only very limited speech). I don't have family either and my request for flexible working (I requested working from home during school hols has been declined even though my role can be done remotely and the company let's lone parents in the same role regularly work 2-3 per week from home all year round).
I don't have family either.

DS has complex needs but I still have to pay bills. I am mid 40s and have always worked (the last decade only 20h/week but still...but I feel now I have no option but to resign.

Am I missing a trick? I am really desperate to keep my job.

Have you considered a nanny trained in nanny trained in SEN

I only manage a 20h low paid role. I am really not reach enough for a nanny

Any support organisations locally? A few years back I went into ours cried and cried, left them with a folder of documents and they sorted blocks of what we needed.

It's either fight with la for more support or fight with employer over working arrangements or give up work but dla and other benefits weren't enough to cover our costs. Sorry bleak picture but that was my truth. I fought council. Nearly killed me but I won in the end.

Some parents I know work part time but that's actually full time in the school term and holidays off ir just a day or two. Could that work for your employer?

thanks cansu. Maybe should look into recruiting a carer privately. can you get funding for it?

DS gets DLA but really, we use it to pay the bills and eat. It's not extra cash for us to spend on DS only. we really need it for the bare basics.

My LA is really tough on school funding . everything is a struggle/battle. I cannot see them funding a residential. Would not want it either. and would he not be at home in the school hols anyways?

I cannot access wrap around childcare either so full time during the school terms is also out of question.

maybe I should look into shifting the house and moving onto benefits. I won't have equity in my house so at least should get full housing benefit etc...

Is DS' Dad in the picture at all?

You would be looking at direct payments for your d's which would be similar to the struggle you are having with respite. The residential school option depends. It can be term time or could cover some school hols. It is difficult to achieve but not impossible. I do undertstand though that it is not acceptable to many and it wouldn't suit all children with SN. It was a life saver for us though and there are many fab places out there. It is a huge problem and i think there is an expectation that mum's of children with special needs don't work. I felt similar pressure to give up work from d's social worker but it simply wasn't a financial option for us as we would have had to give up our home. Are there any plauscheme for sn kids in the summer near you??

Can you lean on secondary school or other holiday providers to be more inclusive ?

Sorry it's a busy day so ive not much time to post nicely or think properly. But I know how awful it is

So sorry you are in this position. It is so unfair.

I used to volunteer with Barnardos on a school holiday playscheme for children with learning disabilities. I assume you would have been made aware of it if something was available near you but thought worthy of a mention just in case.

I'm a speech and language therapist. We used to get posters in our department at university with posters requesting support for the holidays and it's something I did as a student. I had a dbs check etc and lots of experience, and had time over the summer hols. I think i earnt NMW. I loved it. Is there a university near you you could approach?

I hope you manage to get sorted out.

We tried to get childcare for our child with SN (not as complex as yours) anyway - we couldn't is the short version. but social service can advertises for Personal Assistants so its more a 'carer' than childcare and they seemed more up for the job, but not the hours we needed.

You could look for someone who does direct payment type work but employ them yourself. Unfortunatey you would be looking at paying around £10 a hour, possibly more.

sock, that is more than what I earn per hour. financially impossible

Have you looked at your local offer on your council website? They may list holiday clubs that are suitable. Has he had an assessment to see if he’s eligible for a personal budget/direct payments? The assessment would be done via the children’s disabilities service. As a parent of a disabled child you are entitled to take unpaid leave, you can take a total of 18 weeks total I think over the time before you child turns 18. You do have to give 3 weeks notice I think. The unpaid leave may at least help you this year while you further investigate options.

I've found it impossible to find any childcare for my DS with ASD and therefore I don't work. People tell me about these mythical 10-2 weekday jobs when in reality they don't exist.

SS should take into account that holiday club was respite for you and that's no longer accessible.
Put that in writing to SW and demand ask for a full reassessment.

There is usually council run SN clubs during holidays. They tend to only run Easter and 4 weeks of summer. But hopefully you'll have AL and parental leave which will cover the rest.

Is the issue partly that you need ofsted registered so you claim some T.C. towards the cost?

If not what about college/uni students who would be happy to work for same cost as holiday club? You could put out an advert?

local offer doesn't list anything. I rang them and they told me there is nothing got older children.

*If not what about college/uni students who would be happy to work for same cost as holiday club? You could put out an advert?"

I wouldn't be comfortable with that given DS's needs and I need the ofsted registration so I can claim that childcare element. wouldn't work with s student and I could not get help with childcare costs.

Inwent, I do work 10-2 but now the LA k of holiday childcare is getting me!

*lack

I used to work for a MENCAP run playscheme in school holidays, they took YP up to the age of 18 and many had complex needs and were NV. It was about £15 a day for attending (10am-3pm), not nothing I know but might be doable? They'd be run by the local branch though, so may not be an option in your area.

Would WTC help find extra support like a nanny though?

*fund

wine you can claim max 175gbp per week in help with childcare. A nanny for a child like DS would be a lot more and I could not find the shortfall.

Can you speak to the holiday scheme you used at primary and see if they know of anything that could be suitable? They must have come across other parents in the same situation.

You mention you earn >£10ph, What job do you do now? Could you find a term time only job? School admin/TA/midday assistant. Would UC or WTC top up anything you may lose?

I really feel for you - what a predicament.

admin type role now and trust me, I am applying. for any school based admin role I come across. I cannot even get an interview.

Midday assistant is too small a role, I need 16h do get working tax credit. Don't have TA qualifications/experience and don't see how anyone would employ me for that role (not even sure I wanted it). I have a lot of Sen experience based on DS but I need a SN break. I cannot do it without break at home and at work too.

Can you take unpaid parental leave. I know not ideal but would get you through first year and also make it clear to work you have no choice. They may back track on working from home if alternative is no you for 1 or 2 weeks at a time.

I do. usually 2 weeks a year. you only get a total of 18 weeks and as a lone parent I have to stretch that. I only have about 6 weeks left and DS is only 11.