question thanks

[MumNWLondon]

I don't want to offend anyone I just want to ask what you think.

Earlier today someone (ie a stranger) knocked on our door and asked me if I could spare money. He said he has 2 autistic children and can I give him money to pay for speech therapy.

Although I give money to charity I don't really like giving at the door, I prefer to give to bigger charities who can decide how best to spend the money etc.

Anyway I said that we were very lucky in the UK to have the NHS, and that it was fortunate that those who needed speech therapy could access it etc. Anyway he then produced lots of paper work saying the private one was better, and he wanted to see an expert in Wigmore street.

Although I have sympathy for his situation was I really terrible not to give? I have many close friends with SN children and wherever possible I give money to the charities who support them. Also my sister is an NHS speech therapist and I know that those who really do need do get treated.

Can I have some views?

illegal to knock on doors and do this, it was a scammer (unles she is a registered charity)

Its nto true that those who need it get treatedl for two eyars ds1 was missed a sthey were priortitiding school age children; tehn as he movedd tos chool they prioritised preschool children and it was only as a non verbal 5 eyar old he finally saw somene.

And plnety of people refused help altogether on here.

But they shoudln;t be knocki ng on dors and if you see him aagin refer hom to cerebra who give tokens to use for SLT provision (a sign that mayebNHS help really sint all that perhaps?_

I wouldn't give to a random stranger.
I have a child with SN and wouldn't dream of knocking on doors asking for money(not sure if it is even legal)
(big charities waste loads of money on admin)

It was not a scammer I don't think, I don't doubt for one minute that he had SN children. But I felt uncomfortable at the idea of someone knocking on doors in that way. I'd rather give to a registered children's charity and let them divide the money up to those who need it.

My sister (has now emigrated) is speech therapist and said if you want treatment (on NHS) and they are fobbing you off have to call and hassle them daily until they agree to it.

I wouldn't have given him any money (and i have 2 dd's with autism), if he wants to raise money he needs to register as a charity.

H e was a scammer in that I dont think it is oegal to do this unless you are aregistred charity.

WRt to calling each day well yes- and then you can call the LEA for schooling, maybe ed psych, DLA office perhaps? how about OT, PT< paediatrics.... hosuing quite likely...... threes ets fo social services employee certainly?

Sure start, portage, feeding team, podiatry, a few cahrities on top.......

There's this idea that its there is parents fight ahrd enough but all services use that so in fact it isn;t there, its limited to what aprents have the time to fight for bearing in mind caring is ofetn 24/7 on top

I know someone whose GDD and ASD son sreams every time she icks up a phone and headbangs yet she is told to hassle mroe

Surely that is nto how it should work?

MumNWLondon - as a mother of a barely verbal 3 year old I felt like the scum of the earth quite frankly. So although I tried to chase and put pressure on via other professionals, I would not have had the mental energy to phone every day, as I imagine most people wouldn't.

I also disagree that those who need it can access it - my area is actually better than a lot on here, in that at least once your kid hits 3, they go on the waiting list and get some sort of help, the meagre resources seem to be shared around as fairly as possible.

In terms of door knocking - I still don't think that's right, it doesn't sit right with me. Funnily enough this issue cropped up recently - someone at a big shop collecting for an ASD treatment. I gave 50p, but felt a bit funny about it, whereas if it had been for a charity such as NAS or Mencap or Cerebra I wouldn't have thought twice....

Scamtastic!
But must work otherwise he wouldn't do it.
Google for speech therapist on Wigmore St - I can't find anything relevant for autistic children.

'4. In most instances a permit is required to undertake door-to-door collection for charitable purposes, under the House to House Collections Act 1939. These are usually issued by the relevant Local Government Authority in the area in which the collection(s) is(are) to take place. (Currently, in certain areas, the local police are responsible for issuing licences.)

Some National Charities gain an Order of Exemption under section 3 of the House to House Collections Act 1939, issued by the Home Office, and as a result do not need to apply for collection permits locally. However, these charities should notify the relevant Local Authority of the dates and places they intend to collect.

www.charitybags.org.uk/charity_commission_report--charity_and_door_to_door_clothing_collections.shtml

When we used to collect for charities we ahd to have badges with our charity reg number and detials of whom we were collecting for as a matter of law

Indeed, when I worked for macmillan we ggot in immense shit when a hapless kind volunteer accidentally posted a poster for an event with no number on

I don't think he was after 50p, I suspect if If had given less than £50 he would have been ungrateful. And if I had given more he would have told all his friends and they would have been knocking next week.

I only opened the door to put my kids into the car as we were visiting DH's grandma who is very ill.

Its truly awful if you are being let down by the NHS, and my sister (who was NHS speech therapist) felt that so many people were being let down. In terms of preaching, I guess I was trying to justify why I didn't want to give.

re: big charities, yes I know they waste a lot of money. The one I have been giving to recently was set up by my friends as their son has muscular dystrophy and they are funding research to find treatment. They don't waste money on admin.

www.thegmtrust.org/about-us.html

I wouldn't have given him money at the door..but I wish all who needed decent speech therapy could access it!!

I have a friend who did organised fund raising to pay for her DS's tribunal. It was all above board, bingo night and auction, sponsored events etc but she wasn't a registered charity.

This man sounds like what we, in this house, call a Boo Hoo Billy. And if he wasn't he needs to do something more formal/organised, it will work better.

Thanks for all your comments, has been really helpful.

Nhs speech therapy is extremely patchy and extremely poor in quality for autistic children but otherwise would avoid him as this is not a genuine way to collect money even if good cause at general level.