DLA forms REALLY need some help/advice on how to fill these in....

[Wonderland121]

Am men't to be filling in the DLA forms for dd, I just don't know how best to lay these out.

Can anyone suggest an easy way to do this, ok its never going to be easy but is there some sort of simple system i can use to fill these in?

Obviously its going on to seperate paper as i can no way at all fit it onto the form, I have been trying to use the cerebra guide online, although its fab cause it has some great examples and things to think about, it doesn't seem to fir with the form i have? if that makes sense.

Any help, examples or a system would really help me right now as i think i am going to be here for the next 12 months doing this.

I'm not actually getting anyone to do the someone who knows the child part - am I going to be messing it up?

This is our second time for this (this is our renewal) and I didn't do it the first time either.

Mainly because to get any of the people who know him to do it would take ages and school are useless. Though think school did my friends and head justs igend it anyway, didn't actually put any info in.

I have detailed reports from SALT EP and Paed to go in with it, essentially backing up what I said - they all mention CAMHS appt and he is inline with Autistic Spectrum Disorder. He has been under their care since he was 2. He has IEP at school too but I just don't trust them to say something they didn't realise wouldn't help me - iykwim?!! His teacher is beyond dizzy!!

Wonderland some CABs do have specialists who can help with DLA forms but it varies from area to area - you would need to check with your local one.

Maxy I didn't get a professional to do their part the second time on the advice of the CAB worker. She gave much the same reason that you are concerned about - the professional's take on your child might not be helpful and you have no control over what they say. We did get a statement the first time from his consultant which was very helpful but I think that was more luck than judgement.

I just want to say thank you, as this thread has been really useful to me. I'm trying to do DS's DLA form at the moment (having tried before but given up as I was so stressed fighting for a school place etc), and all the advice helps, as does the reassurance that other people have taken it a bit at a time, too.

Omi i know the feeling of giving up as am thinking about it already at the moment.

I'm aiming to get one box filled out a day. That doesn't feel too challenging. DS woke up/got up at 3am this morning, I thought I'd be able to describe his waking/need for supervision but when I looked at the pdf I just couldn't, so I found an 'easier' one to do.

I had a read of this today, which is what they use to make the decisions (I think?) - it helped focus me a bit. On my one box, lol.

Keep going, Wonderland, it should make things easier for us in the long term. And even just a little easier is a good thing, imo.

Thanks Omi i know your right, i think i am going to sit down next week and start again, am off to have a read of your link now

Thank you NoHaudin

I do starfish but the only person I could get to do it would be DS's teacher - I'm happy for them to contact the professionals anyway - it's those people that would prove difficult to get hold of now and I have some very recent excellent back up reports to go in with his claim from them all.

Also lots of DS's problems are out and about and at home - nobody can really comment on that.

DS's teacher often says things that just aren't true - she is dopey, we point these things out to her. This is the woman who could't even tell me which days they do PE as she "couldn't remember" - also like I said when the head did my friends all she did was sign it.

Anyway, I'm all but done so by tomorrow it will be in the post and everything crossed.........

I know, am wavering between relief and panicking I didn't put enough info in, managed to write 2 more extra A4 sheets this morning just to be on the safe side [grin[ out of our hands now.........