4 schools, 3 addresses, 2 tribunals, 1 large debt..........

[StarlightMcKenzie]

We did it!

Final Statement arrived this morning, naming the independent special school ds needs.

And to top it off ds asked dd this morning 'Why do you like to make friends?' and then 'How do you make friends?' which is both heart-wrenching but also very very positive.

DH and I have just been through our finances -

Our outgoings far exceed our income with all the changes we have had to make and the debt repayments!!!

Star, that is really tough . But long term, every gain your ds makes will save your family many, many times what it has cost. Severe disability usually means lifelong poverty. Mild-moderate asd, or even just 'autistic spectrum condition' should mean one day you can work again, that ds can live with little or no support, the probability of a job...

I don't know the size of the debts but a DRO can be useful for up to £15k...

You're absolutely right Maria. We hopefully won't be shelling out £££ in broken windows, damage to property, police bail etc. caused by a violent frustrated teenager or young person, with a high likliness of an addiction of some kind as a result of years of abuse and neglect by 'the system'!

hopefully........

of course, there's also the risk of doing too good a job overcoming the asd skill deficits and they might lose the useful differences....

Would be a shame to end up paying for the windows anyway cos they didnt retain the law-abiding, truthful, peer-group-ignoring, hard-working traits....

Fantastic news Star, congrats and enjoy settling down in the lovely neighbourhood x