Someone please tell me about respite?

[r3dh3d]

We've been granted 15 nights per year "supportive respite" by CHASE. It was something SS organised to avoid having to give us DPs to cover DD1's care.

What is it likely to involve? So far everything SS has organised has been completely inappropriate so I'm not optimistic. CHASE are going to contact me to discuss and I need to know whether to take it with enthusiasm or fob them off or what!

this

do you think it is this
I would get back onto your ss and ask them to tell you more.

Yup, 2shoes, that's exactly it. It's all a bit wierd because she's not, strictly speaking, life-limited. But CHASE have widened their criteria because there are more SLD/medical kids about and less life-limited kids about and they wanted to cover where the need is iyswim. But as they're effectively a hospice service I wonder very much what they can offer. I'll try to get in touch with SS again, though it's 16:13 now so they'll have gone home for the day....

i have a couple of friends who might have used It I will email them

i have emailed them and will let you know when I have a reply

If you WANT DPs they can't refuse, simple as that. But if you prefer not to have to go through all the rigmarole of setting it up and running it then don't worry about DPs. CHASE looks good, maybe give it a go and see how you get on. I worked with several hospices in my last job (not children's ones) and there is a common misconception that they are only for people to go to at the very end but they often offer great services and breaks (our local one has a gym that people can visit during the daytime, offers aromatherapy, support groups, counselling etc).

I have been offered respite for ds 2 who doesnt sleep and is violent/aggressive. He is 3.5 so imo too young but the only thing offered was overnight care. I would prefer a playscheme type of thing as he does on some level realise he is different, could CHASE help with that or am I asking the impossible.

Sorry for butting in on your thread. xx

Maybe not but you CAN ask for DPs so you can find someone you trust and who can get to know him. They can stay at home with him while you go out or they can take him out (if possible). You don't say what SN/disability he has. You may find respite services for his specific "issue", e.g. we use Radlett Lodge for weekend respite but it is for children with Autism. It is run by the National Autistic Society so you might find other respite services run by charities for specific disabilities or for mixed disabiltiy etc.

r3dh3d what area do you live in?

2shoes, that would be hugely, hugely helpful. Thankyou. We're just round the corner from the CHASE residential centre - 5-10 mins drive so there is some sense in this proposal. We have been there before because DD's hydrotherapy was run there by NHS physios - until it got canned, of course. But it's very much a "use our pool but don't let the door hit your arse on the way out" arrangement so I've learned absolutely nothing about the place while we were there.

Davros, they have definitively refused us DPs. I would far, far rather recruit, train and pay someone myself than entrust DD's parlous medical conditions to any nominee of our SS. But they have refused (in clear contravention of legislation). And they are means-testing me for a free service as well (in contravention of some other legislation). I have paper trail from my SW to show all this and am in the early stages of dragging their sorry asses to the Court of Appeal if only the law is clear enough to let me do this. But that will take forever so I'm trying to work out whether this respite will be useful enough that we should take it or whether we should hold out which would possibly make a stronger court case.

My friend lives about 10 miles from guildford so I am sure she will know about it. Don't think she has used it.
her dd is about 16 now but she hopefully will be able to help.
don't know when she will reply though.
The other friend who used it used it as a hospice
so don't feel I can ask her iynwim.
So will let you know.