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SN children

Here are some suggested organisations that offer expert advice on special needs.

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Original poster

Childcare and SN

37 replies

SqueakyCat · 03/01/2006 10:01

I'm sure the answer is 'ha, ha', but just in case I'm wrong...
I have 2 DSs, ages 1 and 3, looked after by a nanny while I work part-time. Since she joined us it has become apparent that DS1 has AS /ASD, complete with communication difficulties and challenging / violent behaviour. Nanny is coping well - DS is out every morning in term-time, so she has a few hours each day with only DS2. He gets 1:1 at preschool for his / other children's safety.
Is there any extra help we can access to support her? The two things I would love to be able to do are (a) fund her on some sort of additional training and / or (b) be able to pay for additional help during the school holidays. I don't want to pack DS1 off to a playscheme during the holidays, as he doesn't cope well with lots of people / new places etc. Any ideas? She already costs be all my earnings. We have applied for DLA, but that's earmarked elsewhere. So I was wondering whether there was anything childcare-specific we could access?
This is coupled with the question, at what point do you decide that your work and your child's additional requirements make childcare untenable and so far from your child's best interests and you quit work?

OP posts:

itllbelonelythisdavros · 03/01/2006 20:21

If you use DPs then she has to become your employee, just for that part of her working hours, i.e. the amount of hours they award you, not necessarily the amount of hours she may actually work for you iyswim! My advice would also be to take any hours they offer at first, don't worry if its paltry. Once you are in the system you can work on them to increase it or offer more hours in holidays etc.
To find single jab clinics I think the best place to look is the JABS website but I don't know the www address.....

Caroline5 · 03/01/2006 20:47

Hi Squeakycat, I am also considering pursuing DPs although I believe they are hard to get! I'm a single parent, with 2 dd's - dd2 (4) has severe learning difficulties. We have been on the waiting list for respite from Soc Svs for nearly a year but no idea when or if this will ever come up. I work school hours which works OK during term time (although stressful!) but really need assistance during school holidays as can't work term time only. The SN playscheme is from 10am - 1pm only for 1 week of the holiday! I begin to dread the next summer holidays from about now! Good luck with the dps.

dd2 also hasn't had MMR. She had single vaccines for the first MMR but I haven't given her any kind of booster... not sure whether to bother.

getbakainyourjimjams · 03/01/2006 21:05

DS2 hasn't had MMR, DS3 won't. Although if they don't catch measles before puberty I may give then single measles then.

No Ed Psych for me. It;s becoming a doctorate course (full time), think you have to teach, and I wouldn't get home in time to meet ds1's bus, and would have to leave before the bus in the morning. Also I won't get graduate membership of the BPS with my course. Am hoping to apply for grants to work in some sort of part time research role (in autism of course). Far more flexible etc etc.

onlyjoking9329 · 03/01/2006 22:18

try for the direct payment we did it and the assessment was easy, 1 social worker and three autie kids left together in a room whilst i made coffee seemed to work, my three got 8 hours a month each, i have got three workers sorted out now have to sort out what happens next.

itllbelonelythisdavros · 04/01/2006 00:06

Caroline5, if they have said you can have respite then you CAN have DPs as an option. If you ask for DPs, having been assessed as being in need of X hours of respite, they MUST give them to you in DPs if you request it. Many Soc Workers don't understand this yet though but IT IS TRUE!

Original poster

SqueakyCat · 04/01/2006 09:47

How much do you get in DP per hour? Is there a set rate? Have just realised we had SocSvs funding for DS1 1:1 at preschool last term (from LEA this term), so I can probably follow up that contact.

Fortunately, at the moment my life is much easier than yours, onlyjoking, and chances are DS1 will be on best behaviour when Soc come round (often is if there's a strange adult) and not attack DS2, and they'll assume I'm making it all up....

OP posts:

bambi06 · 04/01/2006 09:59

what about contacting some of the childcare training colleges that do sn courses training and ask if there are any girls that want to have some hands on experience over the summer hols for a small fee[theyre training remember] i did it a long long time ago as it was part of my training to find a family to train with.. or try your local surestart and ask them about contact a famuly which may help

itllbelonelythisdavros · 04/01/2006 10:25

You get a different rate according to where you live. I was given £8.10 to start and then told I could pay more the following year..... BUT I chose not to pay more but squeeze out more hours. This is perfectly acceptable I am told, as long as I am within budget. I actually get c£10 ph but there is extra built in for holiday pay, paying a payroll company to calculate tax and produce payslips etc. All boroughs should have a local organisation that helps people using DPs andn they can do all the paperwork for/with you or just give you advice when you need it.

getbakainyourjimjams · 04/01/2006 10:26

don't worry squeakycat - when the SW visited to see ds1 I thought he was on his best behaviour, but I have since heard that he was afterwards described as very challenging. PMSL - I worried that he'd been too good when she was here
They give you a certain amount. We get 8 hours a week in term times and 15 hours a week during achool hols. It's worked out as £7/ hour at evening weekend and £6.60 an hour weekday. Tax and NI come off that although most of the people we use are self empolyed, so I give them the full amount. Rates will vary across the country I guess- I'm in an area with low wages.

Caroline5 · 04/01/2006 15:56

Thanks davros, I'll have to look back at whether they have agreed to give us respite or agreed to assess us for respite when there is a vacancy. I'm not sure whether we have officially been assessed for respite but I certainly got a letter saying we were on the waiting list?! The whole system is a mystery to me!

Caroline5 · 04/01/2006 16:01

Looking back at the letters, it seems we were assessed and they are just waiting for a family support worker to become available! Will ring them to ask about DPs instead - thank you davros

Eulalia · 15/01/2006 22:22

Thanks Davros for telling me about this thread.

Have been told we will get Direct Payments and the rate is between £6.12 and £7 an hour. We went through a basic assessment with a social worker which wasn't as bad as I expected. SW has also visited the school and is returning next week to finalise everything.

jimjams - also had a visit from someone from Capability Scotland . Its not clear from the website but apparently they give priority to students and working parents. There may be a similar scheme in your area. This organisation is part lottery funded.

Will let you know next week how it all goes and how many hours we are awarded. Not terribly optimistic about finding good childminders though.

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