Social Worker Advice for SEN Son

[newcastleEmma]

After a meeting at my sons school i have been encouraged to contact a Social Worker. My son is nearly 7 and attends a SEN school. He is non verbal and lately he has started showing more challenging behaviour. I have been told by the school a Social Worker will be able to help with respite care and holiday programmes etc in the future.

My concern is that there has never been a Social Worker involved before so i don't have any experience of what to expect, as i only know things about Social Workers that I have seen on TV etc...

The school have not got any concerns etc for his wellbeing, they just suggested it as they think a Social Worker might get things moving eg respite/holiday clubs etc...I am a single parent and his dad is not in his life.

I have also been told today by the GP that i cannot get my son assessed for ASD, which the school think he should be and again think the Social Worker would be able to ask them for an ASD assessment.

Could anybody provide any advice/guidance for me please?

Sorry if this is in the wrong catergory, it is my first post as i haven't required any help before.

Thankyou Emma

Social Services are the gatekeepers for some useful services for kids with disabilities or special needs, and for their families, which it’s the responsibility of the local council to fund and provide, including respite and holiday playschemes. These days you might be able to get “direct payments” to choose a provider yourself. The social worker will make an appointment to talk to you at home, probably meet your DD as well, and to do an assessment of your needs as a family with a child who has SN. If you’re not getting day-to-day help from DD’s father that should get taken into account as it probably means you’ll need respite etc more.

This is not something that ever gets shown on telly

My own experience was that it was worth doing, but quite a lot of effort. We did get a support worker at the after-school club out of it (to be fair my DS’s needs are not that huge compared to some). The social worker came round two or three times, she hadn’t done the training and I ended up more or less telling her what to put on the form(!)

A social worker wouldn’t usually be involved in an ASC assessment. For that, you go to your GP and ask for a referral. You might want to ask the school to write a supporting letter to pass along.

(sorry, that should have been DS not DD!) And if you get a good social worker s/he might give your GP a bit of a poke, looks like your GP could do with it)

Good luck

Definitely worth doing, you may be able to get direct payments and use the money to fund your own carer for holiday schemes. You may be also able to access some holiday clubs etc.

We had two visits from SW who did a written assessment, I did dread it but it wasn't too bad and worth it longer term. Good luck!

We've just had a family assessment, where my job as the dc's carer is also taken into account. They very rarely tell you that your entitled to an assessment as well as the child.

I was very wary at first but our social worker seems to be really nice, which actually surprised me!

We haven't got a social worker but that doesn't stop us getting access to after-school and holiday clubs, we did that through the school. However we do have to pay for them as we can't get direct payments without a social worker.

Why on earth does the GP say you can't get your son assessed for ASD? Surely referring you for an assessment is his job?

Change GP, and find one that is prepared to make the referral for an ASD assessment. I agree that referring you for the appropriate assessment is his job.

A SW getting involved with a GP that thinks there is nothing wrong with your kid is a recipe for trouble or at least being sent on a compulsory parenting course that's utterly irrelevant to the needs of a family with a child on the spectrum. It's hard to get SS support with a diagnosis, without one you are on a hiding to nothing, or at least a wild goose chase.