My disabled son needs 100,000 people

[helpingAsa]

Please help me find 100,000 friends for my disabled child

I registered a Government petition yesterday, to stop 41% of children in Hertfordshire being denied mental health services.

Hertfordshire has the highest referral rejection rate for childrens’ mental health services in England. 41% of Hertfordshire children are denied mental health support compared to 8% in Liverpool, Leeds and East Sussex.

My disabled 12 year old son is one of those left to suffer.

Asa has Autism and a learning disability (low IQ). He desperately needs medication. We have been asking for four years. He is in crisis.

He is struggling to eat, drink and sleep and cannot leave the house. He has been out of his special school for two weeks because he cannot eat, drink or use the toilet there due to his extreme germ phobia.

I have called, emailed and begged child mental health services locally. Asa is crying at mealtimes because he can’t eat for fear of exposing himself to germs. He is loosing weight.

While we wait for our petition application, I have set up a Twitter account @helpingAsa

Please help my child - follow Asa’s Twitter account @helpingAsa

Thanks and love,
Asa and Mum

I don’t have a twitter account but please come back with a link to the petition which I’m happy to share x

Thanks so much! Will definitely be back one I've got petition approval.

This is my first Twitter account and it's lonely with no followers

You wont be able to post petition links on this topic. It will be deleted.. I'm not sure if you can even post the twitter handle.

There is a petitions topic; you'll have to post it in there.

Good luck+

I’ve just tried to search on Twitter but nothing comes up under that name

I found the twitter page using that handle but no link to any petition.

Found it. Sorry, I can’t follow as it’s a child so isn’t appropriate - I don’t believe any child should be on Twitter as it’s a cesspool of safeguarding nightmares. However I will keep checking the account to see if the petition link pops up.

I've got three followers, thank you so much!

There is no petition link yet - I have applied and submitted it for approval. They said it takes a week.

I will pop it on the petitions section once it's ready.

What does this petition want to achieve? Help for your child or for all children in similar situations?

It's not actually him - it's a bit like when people do it for their pets.

I am my son's voice, but maybe I should change it?

I just want to get his needs heard.

F

I agree twitter is no place for an account in a child's name. Would you explain what you are hoping to achieve.

I don't have Twitter, but as a parent with a son with very similar needs and understands how reculant the NHS are to help our children please come back with the petition link. I'll sign and share away.

The petition is to get improved access to MH services for children in Hertfordshire. I want Parliament to debate why our rejection rates are so much higher than every other part of the County.

Also have you tried tiktok? Obviously not your son but you. There is a lot of engagement over there also and a massive community of ND.

I found the twitter page using that handle but no link to any petition.

She explained she registered the petition yesterday, it's not approved yet.

OP, if when/if the petition is approved, what you need to do is start a thread on the petitions board https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/petitions_noticeboard with the link to the petition in it.
And then put a link from that thread to this one. If you put the petition link itself in here then this thread will get moved to the petitions board, not everyone thinks to look there and it's hard to get attention.

Best wishes

I am my son's voice, but maybe I should change it?

I thought it was your son's account hence why I didn't comment on the choice of Twitter account name (as opposed to the handle).

Are you saying YOU choose that name?

Join some mental health support groups on Facebook. I think you'll have more support and advice getting signatures on you your petition there. But don't give up on here.

Paediatric Mental health services are so poorly funded they are damaging the mental health of children. We have first hand experience.

I spoke to a private therapist who said gently that to have a small amount of hope constantly broken is worse that having no hope at all.

Having said this getting medication was the one area that helped, but getting a therapist to actually treat a problem and help was impossible. We were in the service as high needs for 6 years.

I hope you get the medication you need. It's such a poor system.

The Twitter name you’ve chosen really looks like you’re taking the piss out of him. I know you are setting up this petition but I’d really recommend changing the name to Asa’s Petition of Asa’s Mum. Something more appropriate so it’s clear you’re not mocking your son and that it’s not actually his account.

Thank you

@Butchyrestingface its pretty shocking

Have you checked there’s not already a similar petition in place that you could help get more signatures? Or is it one particular medicine you’re trying to get approval for.

I second reposting all this once you actually have the petition. Or maybe post a draft of the petition here, there are always people who are brilliant at rewording stuff so it’s clear and concise on MN.

@helpingAsa you may also be interested in this, it's going to be debated in parliament next month and they want people's opinions on how to make disabled peoples life's better. https://ukparliament.shorthandstories.com/cet-un-disabilities/index.html?utmcampaign=1122-cet-undisabilityday-petitioners&utmmmedium=email&utmsource=petcom#

A Mentalist is a magician who uses intuition to perform magic.

It's not shocking in the slightest.

Thanks for the pretend outrage though.

Why would I be mocking my son? I gave up my job two years ago to care for him full time. We lost our home in the summer and now live in private rented, spending the equity we build up over many years to keep us fed and housed.

I am proud of my son. I love him. I want to help him and fight every day to get him well.

Autism mum here followed you on Twitter x

Thank you for all those who have followed - I am beyond grateful.

The reason I have put it in Asa's name is because no one will hear him otherwise.

He doesn't leave the house, can't access school and is so depressed he barely talks anymore.

My son hasn't gone basic medication for anxiety because he lives in a County which rejects 41% of referrals.

I want to change that.