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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Homelessness and special needs child

29 replies

Pennythoughts28 · 18/04/2022 16:06

I have a 6 year old son who has autism and is awaiting ADHD assessment, he has a statement in local school and full time one on one support which whom he's built a great relationship with , my landlord after telling us we could buy the house has sold it too someone eles because they offered him more money 💔 he didn't even come back to us with a higher price , or tell me it was sold I heard from a neighbour who knows who bought it 💔 I cannot find any homes for sale in local area within budget I have family willing to purchase a home as a investment I could rent off , the council has offered a b&b miles out , I don't drive there is no public transport as they have offered my a rural area and I can't afford the taxi fares they said they woudlnt help with that , only thing I could do is remove him from the school which has took him 3 years to settle into and then apply for statement and one on one support in the school in the rural area which could take months , he can't attend school full day without it , the council work on points based system and are refusing to give me points for my son's needs even tho I know they give them for having a child with autism that doesn't require the help my son does , my whole support network is within the area I am in now , does anyone have any advice , I've contacted every political party within the area and I'm just going round in circles , my housing advisor pretended to be off sick for 2 years untill I said I was going to put a complaint in then they told me to hold the line and it's a miracle they passed my call to her who was in the office in the 2 years they refused to give me a new covering housing advisor and kept telling me to ring back next day to see if she was in , I was told she had left the job completely on a few occasions too and comments like she's still off she has the life of it while I'm losing my hair in chunks due to the stress of this , they just refuse to help or even accept the position I've found myself in , I can't just take my son out of school I will get into trouble and it would have a devestating impact on him , the principal sent them a letter explaining he would be very concerned if my son left the school they haven't even acknowledged the letter , housing rights told me to get in writing why she feels I don't have a complex case due to my son's issues , she hasn't bothered , I have sent Dla award letters carers award letters on advise of housing rights they haven't acknowledged them , I sent all my son's relevant letters like speech and language ect they said they lost them , I have put a complaint in I have heard nothing back , they said they could take my things into storage but if a family member buys me a house or I find a rental they won't let me get my stuff back unless I pay for the storage from first day it was put in which is 150 pound a day , any advise as I'm in a terrible state about it thanks

OP posts:
Simonjt · 18/04/2022 16:10

Do you mean EHCP, if so you don’t need to apply for a new one if you move schools, you can also request an emergency annual review if the EHCP doesn’t reflect his needs.

As you can afford to buy but can’t find anythinf right now, can’t you rent elsewhere until you do find somewhere to buy.

Philisophigal · 18/04/2022 16:21

This reply has been deleted

This has been withdrawn at the user's request.

itsgettingweird · 18/04/2022 16:43

If you move and your sons school remains the nearest one for his needs and is over 2 miles away he'll be given transport by LA.

You just need a letter from housing to prove they have placed you there and you didn't chose to move there.

I would contact shelter or the local citizens advice for support through this.

You need someone who is no longer emotionally so deep in this they can sticks to the facts and the guidance and law and quote these for you.

Original poster
Pennythoughts28 · 18/04/2022 16:49

No I have a family member willing to buy for a certain price I can rent from , I can't afford the rent ATM in the area as the houses are now going for 150 200 more a month than I'm currently paying , family members won't help me with monthly rent , nothing has came up to rent in the area anyway x

OP posts:
Original poster
Pennythoughts28 · 18/04/2022 16:49

I'm in Northern Ireland we have to apply for statement and new one on one of my child moves school I have been speaking to education authority

OP posts:
Original poster
Pennythoughts28 · 18/04/2022 16:52

There's nothing for rent and the rentals are too dear now 💔 there is places available in local area as I know of a few single lets have been freed up due to fact there's been 5 new council housing estates built here , 3 families from urkaine have moved in them I got talking to them and they had just arrived last week so they must be keeping housing aside 🤷

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Original poster
Pennythoughts28 · 18/04/2022 16:54

@itsgettingweird

If you move and your sons school remains the nearest one for his needs and is over 2 miles away he'll be given transport by LA.

You just need a letter from housing to prove they have placed you there and you didn't chose to move there.

I would contact shelter or the local citizens advice for support through this.

You need someone who is no longer emotionally so deep in this they can sticks to the facts and the guidance and law and quote these for you.

They have said they won't provide transport sorry I should say I'm not in Britian I'm Irish I live in northern Ireland x
OP posts:
Grapewrath · 18/04/2022 16:56

Hi. Unfortunately the councils responsibility is to provide safe housing and if there is nothing appropriate or affordable local, they will move you to another borough to make sure you are accommodated. It will be up to the area you move into to provide appropriate education for your son and if he has an EHCP this is written in law.
As mentioned, if the area is within a certain radius they will provide transport
Sadly lots of the families who become homeless have children with disabilities and unfortunately the LA aren’t always able to change their housing criteria to accommodate this. You are homeless and the council have an obligation to keep your son housed- this is where their duty ends.

Grapewrath · 18/04/2022 17:01

You need to contact school transport, not the council or school directly. The local authority you are in will have to make provision for your son otherwise.
If rents are too expensive in your current area, it might be worthwhile considering relocating in the long term otherwise your housing won’t be sustainable and you may find yourself in this position again
Most LAs will still encourage you to rent privately anyway as council housing is very scarce.

JanglyBeads · 18/04/2022 17:05

Maybe you should request a title amendment to include the fact you're in NI as that changes things a bit and nit all posters will RTFT before commenting?
Just email MNHQ.

Babyroobs · 18/04/2022 17:16

You need to be careful if renting from close family members, it is possible but you need to do everything correctly if wanting to claim benefits to cover the rent.
can you not stay with any relatives temporarily until either a rental property comes up or you are in a position to buy?

porridgecake · 18/04/2022 17:20

Can you speak to "Shelter" in Northern Ireland? Contact your MP?

kelpie35 · 18/04/2022 18:08

Have you tried going to the papers or media

itsgettingweird · 18/04/2022 18:21

An sorry Penny also my fault for assuming it's ehcp and Britain (although Scotland also have a different system!)

Simonjt · 18/04/2022 19:33

Ah its still a statement in NI, still, these continue to move with the child, you don’t apply for a new one when moving school (I googled to see if this was the case in NI as it was in England), so I think someone has given you the wrong information. They continue for the life of the childs education, unless your child reaches a point when they are no longer needed. The person from the authority seems to not have read the NI rules. So at least that is one leas thing to worry about. (If you look at the NI send guide for parents and read on from page 18 you’ll see you do not need to re-apply between school changes).

Do any of your family members have a spare room, or a diningroom that could become a temporary bedroom?

DanielRicciardosSmile · 18/04/2022 19:56

Is it the housing department who say they won't help, or the education department? I'm not certain on the situation in NI I'm afraid, but wouldn't school transport to a named school be a requirement of the statement?

Original poster
Pennythoughts28 · 19/04/2022 11:15

Hi moving out of the area would be horrific as my whole support is here I don't drive and my son can be difficult my parents help me a lot especially now I also have a 6 month old x

OP posts:
Original poster
Pennythoughts28 · 19/04/2022 11:15

Both 😭

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Original poster
Pennythoughts28 · 19/04/2022 11:16

Not really my younger brother has autism and is getting annoyed at the idea of us moving back into mum's x

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Original poster
Pennythoughts28 · 19/04/2022 11:17

That's good news I suppose but still it's taken him 3 years to settle with his one on one support she can't move schools with him 💔

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Original poster
Pennythoughts28 · 19/04/2022 11:19

No I put a complaint in tho as my housing advisor was off sick for 2 years and they woudlnt give me another one I've been struggling with rent for years but always managed to pay it in full on time I put a complaint in about it and she rang me from work five minutes later 🙄

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Original poster
Pennythoughts28 · 19/04/2022 11:19

Ive been in contact with every local mp I can think of 😭

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Grapewrath · 19/04/2022 11:23

Really sorry for your situation I understand how hard it is, but if you are offered accommodation even out of area you will have to accept it otherwise the council can discharge duty to you.
The new school will have to work with you to provide a new one to one. If it took three years with the last one then they need to consider why that was- was it the environment? Your son’s anxiety? The level of the work? Hopefully they can look at how best support your son or provide transport to his current school.
Unfortunately support networks etc aren’t taken into consideration

Overthebow · 19/04/2022 12:37

If you have no other options then you will have to take what you are offered by the council.

Original poster
Pennythoughts28 · 19/04/2022 15:53

It took him that long because of his autisim he has a great realtionship with his one on one now so moving schools just isnt a option 😭

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