LEGAL LIABILITY - 18 YEAR OLD JUST STARTING UNI

[wheelsonfire]

Hi - This is the first time I've created a new thread, so hope I've done it in the right place!

My 18 year old autistic son (with a speech and language disorder) has just left school and is starting university in September. It had been arranged for him to get assistive technology equipment via the DSA, which arrived unexpectedly this morning whilst I was at work. To my horror he had signed for all the equipment and refused to have it checked or set up for him as agreed. Of course, the delivery note (signed by my son) states the opposite and says that it has all been done!!!! This is due to his autistic/Asperger traits and inability to feel comfortable with strangers.

It suddenly made me realise that I have been subconsciously avoiding the obvious! Is my son capable of making legally binding decisions now that he is 18? Whilst he is perfectly capable in most situations, there are clearly areas where he is not. I don't want to go down the road of getting legal guardianship but I'm worried.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Hi - I was just skimming this section (phd student myself) and saw your thread didn't have any answers. Probably a bit late now, but just to say that you might be better off posting somewhere else as the people who are active here tend to be students themselves, rather than parents of them (though some might be both). Hope everything is going OK for your son - must be an anxious time.

I would contact the disability services team at the Uni your son is going to and get them involved. They will know exactly what to do and can make sure all the appropriate support is in place ready for him.

With regards to the legal side I suspect that unless you have him 'registered' as unable to make legal decisions, i.e. get full legal guardianship then he will be able to sign up for everything and anything and you probably won't have any comeback on this.... would be worth seeing a solicitor for some advice asap or again, ask the disability service what they have done in similar situations

Has be been assessed as an aspi? If so then there may be something that can be done but if he hasn't been formally assessed like my stepson then he is over 18 and it's. Legally binding contract. You could try speaking to the people and see if they will sort it but they will need your sons permission to deal with it