Disappointed by paed - what to do

[Hedgyhoggy]

4.5 yr old ds has moderate learning disabilities and behaviour is getting increasingly challenging. Was feeling in despair (as seen in previous posts) as he is just completely monopolising my time, energy and sleep away from ds7 and dd 8 months. Had meeting with new paed last week and felt revived, she said she would refer him to physio, ot, portage and re refer him salt as he has moved counties for education. Also said she would look for some local support groups so I could get some ideas on controlling ds who has no danger awareness is hyperactive and has no understanding of negotiation, bribery, repucussions etc.

Ahhh! In actual fact her assessment received by me today was very vague and anecdotal (says he /copied drew a circle and a line when he made just some scratchy marks. Instead of talking about referrals she says she has written to school to ask if they know of any services available to him (is this really their job, because when I've asked them before they were unaware of other services available!). Also she has sent me an application for a positive parenting course. I hope I don't sound up my own bottom and I know I don't know everything but I do have a positive approach, I was a teacher, my eldest ds is brill, and I just can't see how it is applicable to my ds when he does not understand the principles .

Sorry for long message...feeling increasingly frustrated.

He does have a statement for 20 hrs 1:1.

Paed also refused to submit medical assessment because her health authority is in a different county to his education ( on the Staffordshire/Derbyshire border). Will it always be so ahhh, or am I making a meal of this...I am tired!

Hi

You're learning just how disjointed NHS and LAs actually are, regardless of whether you live in county or out.

I suppose what you really need is respite care occasionally so you can have some uninterrupted time with your other children.

It's social services that assess your need for respite and who fund it, usually by Direct Payments. These are paid to you each month and you use them to buy the care you need.

So if you feel you may benefit from that then you can contact the social services department in the area in which you live and request that they undertake an assessmmnet of your child's needs. They must also (legal requiremnet) undertalke an assessmmet of your own needs at the same time.

If you look at your child's statement you'll probably find that there is a social services report (as one of the appendices) or just a note from social services saying that they are not involved with the child. These are the social workers you need to contact to arrange the assessment.

SALT should be written into his statement. In that way there becomes a legal requirement to deliver it. Does your new LA know your DS actually has a statement?

As for the Paed refusing because it's a different county - well that's just rubbish. It's a national health service regardless of where you live. You are entitled to a copy of any document written about your child. Submit it to the LA yourself - there's absolutely nothing the Paed can do about that. Some of them really are up their own a**ses.

Have you applied for DLA for your child? It would be a good idea to do so.

Finally, tell them to stuff their positive parenting course - you're too busy dealing with reality.

Best wishes

Thank you wetaugust for your brill advice. I think I'm in shock as to how much effort everything is.