My son (4) has just been diagnosed with autism. Has an EHCP which recommends throughout he is constantly supervised due to extreme impulsivity and zero danger awareness. He is very fast and very strong and likes to climb anything he can. Just this afternoon I went to help my daughter reach something and in the 15 seconds I was doing that he has started climbing over the gate, a few more seconds and he would have been totally over the other side of it.
our garden is totally insecure - no proper fencing on either side just brambles, very small side gate that he is able to unlock. We moved into this house when he was almost 2 so before we knew he was autistic and we had plans to fence the garden/put a proper gate in, but due to his needs I wasn’t able to go back to work full time as planned so we are scrimping by in the coat of living crisis on partners salary (which doesn’t go far as we are close to London) and the paltry amount I earn working part time/term time only to ensure I can care for DS who is only able to go to preschool part time and will be starting school mornings only due to his level of need. We are therefore in the position where we afford to fence/gate the garden and it’s not safe for him. Aside from the obvious danger of him escaping, the neighbours either side have dogs and one has just put
in a pond. One side is obviously ours to fence, the other side the neighbours think the brambles are a good enough boundary and aren’t interested in fencing it.
I have recently found out about something called disability facilities grants for people with disabilities to improve their ability to fully access their homes - things like wet rooms, ramps into the garden etc.
does anyone with experience of DFG’s know whether we would be able to apply for this to have the garden fenced/ made secure so our little boy can safely access the garden? It is so stressful being in the garden as I literally can’t turn my back for a second. On a hot day I can’t even open the patio doors as he could get out of the gate so I feel like we are trapped in the front room constantly.
Any advice on this would be so appreciated,
thankyou.