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AIBU?

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Please can anyone advise - DFG?

3 replies

Tulipsofeverycolour · 12/05/2024 16:02

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.

OP posts:
StormingNorman · 12/05/2024 16:06

It’s worth applying. Is there a phone number you can call to get more details?

daffodilflowers · 12/05/2024 16:13

I have known a family who received a disabled facilities grant to fence their garden. Wish I had known about it when my children were young, autistic, escape artists!

boobybum · 12/05/2024 16:16

It might be worth posting on the special needs boards but I believe you could get a DFG for the garden. The website for your local council should have more information and it may be a department called something like ‘Staying Put’ that deals with it.
Either way I think you’ll need input from a social worker (do you have a specialist disabled one for your son) and maybe an OT too. You should be able to self refer to the children with disabilities team for social worker input. Don’t be afraid of this as you will need a social worker if you even want to access any respite.
The DFG is for your son not you so it doesn’t matter how much money you have.
Even if you don’t get a DFG (which can take ages to get) your children with disabilities team should be able to put you in touch with local charities that often fund this sort of thing and may be a quicker option.
Good luck.

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