dla funding - asd - school request

[smokinaces]

Is it usual for dla to contact the school before making a decision? ASD son, lots of issues at home and clubs, paed recommended dla. Applied and had letter saying they are contacting the school. Now he has few issues at school due to the structure and routine (typical ASD) and I wrote this in his form. I am going to ensure the breakfast club is involved in the report back (lots of issues there) but is this usual when assessing dla for home?

He's six and year two.

Sorry for typos, on phone.

Yup as they are trying to establish whether he needs MORE care than the average for his age. It can help to send in some info from a relative or family friend too. Deffo send any support you can get from childminders, breakfast clubs and the like too. It all means it's not just you saying stuff to trick the state iykwim.

I waited till I had a copy of DS's proposed statement in my hand saying he needed 22 hours 1:1 in my hand before applying as MOST children do not need that level of 1:1 support. If you have any IEP's or other school/club related documentation that shows that your child needs more care than the norm send it in. I worked on the theory the more paperwork the better iykwim - even sent in a photocopy of a diary I kept for a couple of months, as well as assessments DS had done etc, etc.

When I first applied for DLA they contacted the school but at this point he didn't have a statement just IEP's.

When I just done his renewal I sent in a copy of his statement plus IEP's and they didn't contact anyone!

But it is very common for them to do this. I was also telephoned by the decision maker the first time to ask me questions about what I had put on the form!

Yes, they contact my DS school and they also contacted me about his care needs during the night.

Ok thanks. I wasn't expecting it. I might get copies of everything (they did assessment for the paed a year ago) and from breakfast club and send them in too. I have also rung the school and will email asking them to ensure they speak to all his workers as the senco is a bit, well, crap.

He is mostly really good at school, very few issues, because of the structure and routine, which is all in his ados assessment and diagnosis I sent in. It's just home and outside clubs.

He has nothing official at the school iep or ibp wise (told you, crap senco) but his teacher did unofficial ones and I have ranted and am going there as soon as we can to arrange one.

His breakfast club lady is fantastic so hoping she kept copies of what she sent to paed.

I only really sent in his paed letters, slt assessment and ados assessment, showing their diagnosis and concerns and recommendations (including dla) and summary of all other areas. Didn't think of sending more. :-(

As far as I know dla didn't contact anyone and our applcation went through in three weeks BUT like others we had just received a statement and I included that along with all the evidence for the statement and pretty much any professional report ever done (the photocopying cost me £20!!).

If you have any other reports I would and them in.

I don't have anything else here, but am info gathering from those i know who can. I didn't get a personal statement done either, which now I'm thinking I should do. But don't know who by. Will have a think.

I've been really niave with all this. I just thought send info with summary from paed as it spells everything out and recommends it and they'd be ok.

Newbie error.

School were never contacted when applying for DS,however his paediatrition was despite me sending in a report from the same person.
When it came to renewal I just sent his sen statement and they were happy with that.

Hi my sons school got contacted regarding dla and it wasn't a problem we got lower rate mobility and middle rate care.

Autumn that's what we were advised was most likely outcome for us with ds. I have contacted school, senco not hb till Tuesday but ball is in motion. Thanks for your replies.

Dla didn't contact anyone for either of the claims for ds and dd, who both have ASD. I guess it depends on the case officer?

If the 'someone who knows you section' is filled out well, by a helping professional (including childminders etc)

and you have a variety of recent documents eg something off a doctor, something off school, something off a therapist / psychologist or whatever,

then they usually don't bother with additional reports.

See that's the problem. Didn't do the statement as it says optional. And the school report wasn't there as it was written about clearly in both paed reports so wasn't included.

Ah well, will see what happens. I don't quite understand the strength of the school report for what I was written, when I clearly stated that school is a positive thing for him and his ASD but I will wait and see.

Well today we were awarded low rate care and low rate mobility. No idea how long for, letter hasn't come through but backdated payment has.

I ended up getting a statement from his careworker at breakfast club which I sent in, and a copy of the original scoring the school did for paed in 2011 which I sent in as well. God knows if school did anything, but they have awarded us, and exactly what I was aiming for too which helps.

So deep breath till renewal whenever that may be.