Holiday care for child with ASD

[Butwhhhyyyyyyy]

My son is going to high school this September and I am looking to go back to work 3 days a week. My problem is he can not be home alone as he is not safe to be left, he has no sense of danger and hasASD/severe anxiety and is emotionally immature for his age.

I can't think of any options where I can get childcare for holidays/after-school care, I think he is too old for a childminder and I can't afford a nanny. Anyone have any other options? Thanks

Could you qualify for a carer?

I have two with ASD, I feel your pain.No suggestions unfortunately

I’ve ended up working evenings and nights. In over a decade I’ve never found any suitable holiday childcare.

Childminder would prob do it though. I've had children of 11 years of age before. We go out most days in the holidays so we keep all different ages of children busy.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions, he has been refused DLA and am awaiting appeal which could take a year! I thought it might be a bit weird for him to be with little ones with a childminder, he also doesn't like lots of noise or people, I may have to look at evening or weekend work but would then miss family time.

Mummy, it is really hard isn't it, I've been lucky to be at home all through primary school.

Is your DS's dad on the scene? I work three days per week and DH works full time. We cover holidays with our annual leave, although this means we don't get much time off all together. I can 'buy' up to three days of extra leave too, which helps.
After school is trickier I think. Currently DH works from home so can do the school run (DC are both primary age at the minute) on the days when I work later. My mum does one pick up for us too. Problems arise when DH needs to be in London/somewhere else. He tries to arrange this for my non-working days but it's not always possible!

Meant to say- our oldest DS has ASD.

There's no provision for it in this country unless you're mega rich and can afford a SEN nanny. I have to work from home round my partner as there's no provision for our child with ASD.

We cope with a mix both of us taking various days off as leave, kids going to MILs in Devon for a week at a time, odd day with FIL who loves close but also has ASD so cant cope with more than an odd day, swooping days with friends (which invariably was friends who had kids that got on with DD and DS2 and DS1 just went along and sat in a corner with a book as that was what made him happy)
Traditional childcare never suited DS1 as he doesn’t do sports or social activities. He used to have to go to the school holiday club in primary but they had lots of areas he could go off and be alone in - school library, wooded areas in the playground etc
He’s 12 now and because he’s HF he stays home by himself. I get lots of texts throughout the day about can he do this/should he do that but he’s coped fine and I. Can trust him to follow the rules. I only work 5 min drive away so I know I can get home to him quickly if there’s an issue.

Would a live in Au Pair suit you, OP? Cheaper and more flexible than a nanny or childminder. Some young people would be interested in this sort of a placement, rather than looking after young children or a baby. I know I would have been, when I was Au Pairing at that stage of my life, (although I had an equally rewarding time looking after a baby).

I worked until 2 each day, is far easier than childcare. She was kicked out of multiple holiday clubs etc too

Thanks ladies, DH leaves early for work and gets his late, tried after school club but it really upset him, also bullying going on there, I think i will have to look at evening or weekend work but I will miss out on family time. I would love an au pair but she would have to sleep under the stairs as no spare room.

Your right though there is no provision for care of children with special needs, this really needs to change.

Ah, like Harry Potter, OP?! Sometimes Au Pair or Nanny shares are available, which are cheaper and mean you wouldn't have to host. It might be worth advertising locally for a family with similar needs?

My other thought is whether you have a local college or uni doing courses in childcare, SALT, SEN specialisms, teaching etc? A friend of ours, now a SALT, did childcare for a family similar to your's during the holidays while she was training. Another friend's son, when he was training to be a teacher specialising in SEN, would have been interested in a holiday job for the experience. It might be worth putting up a few postcards on noticeboards?

Good luck.

You can apply for dla again now even though you are appealing the decision. If you google “cerebra dla guide” you’ll find a fantastic guide to completing the forms.

Our SALT has suggested the same as a pp - look for a uni student, but this would prob not be suitable for every day. We have two with ASD but 'luckily' as I am a teacher I can take care of them in the holidays. When the youngest gets to school ago we are aiming to hire someone to help me take them out for a couple of days a week.

Bobbybobbins this might suit you - Snap special needs childcare do a really good holiday scheme where they supply a spare of hands for just over minimum wage. It’s for someone to help the parent, not sole care
www.snapcare.co.uk/parents-clients/the-snap-summer-scheme.aspx

@SnappedandFartedagain thanks very much!

Does your local offer list any schemes. There are a couple in our area and you have to bid and get in early - they are mainky charities. You then end up eith a few dwys covered. (i got a job in a school as holiday care turned out to not be realistic)

Grass, unfortunately there is nothing ike that here just the usual summer playscheme.