Can anyone talk to me about direct payments and the involvement of social workers etc?

[lottieandmia]

I have a dd with severe ASD and am a single parent. For years people have been suggesting that we try to get a care assessment with a view to me getting a bit of help in the evenings while I cook the children's dinner as I also have 2 other children.

A few years ago someone on MN told me to be careful because she had almost lost her son because of an application to SS for support with her disabled son.

This totally put me off. But my dd is 12 now and she's getting taller all the time. Left alone, she gets very upset and bangs around the house and injures herself.

I read a lot of negative stuff about social workers on here and I am concerned about what could happen.

Any advice?

Hi I have some experience with ss regarding support for my ds who has AS and severe OCD. Although there has been some clumsy thinking going on, at no point was there any suggestion of my son being 'taken'.

To be honest I think you are more likely to have a battle to get the help you need. You are entitled to ask for an assessment of your needs as a carer and of your dd's needs. Ss must carry out this assessment.

It sounds as if you really need help and I wouldn't let one person's bad experience put you off asking for it.

Thanks for your reply. It's just a little unnerving the feeling that you are under scrutiny. Our support worker said they check the child's bedroom or something.

Actually I think the main thing that unnerved me was that our support worker seemed to feel that people get stressed out by the referral forms and want to see what has been written and she repeatedly said to me that she would not write anything not agreed to by me.

Oh yes and I agree that it's a lengthy process and will probably be difficult to get the support anyway. But my daughters school is very good and has backed us up as has her consultant. If they refuse can you appeal?

I have heard lots of good reports about ss disability team on here.

We have had a good experience with SS involvement although we were & ds1 with a 'buddy' for 6 hours per week. Direct payments not involved as went through the shortbreak service.

We have disabled children's team social worker and she is lovely. Actually one of the very few supportive people we have come across. We get direct payments of 4 hours per week (more sch hols) plus sitter service. We only had an initial assessment and as it wasn't big package they gave us dp on basis that. We got hours for the same reason - spend time with other children! Also got to access a sibling group and outings etc for them.

I believe it is standard practice to check the bedroom if child protection concerns are raised but if you are applying from support from the children with disabilities team, it shouldn't be necessary. We have been involved with ss disabilities team to a greater or lesser extent for 7 years and they have never looked at ds's room.
How difficult the process is depends partly on the area you are in and on how good a sw you get but you can't know that until you apply.
There will be a complaints procedure if you are refused.