Residential school??

[Debs75]

DS, 16 with ASD is having to move school. We have found one which offers residential. Due to the problems DS has part time residential is something we would like to consider.

How will this impact on benefits such as DLA, Carers and CTC? Benefits do form a large part of our income as we can't both work and I have only found a part time job.
Does anyone know if we will lose them all, even if he just stays a couple of nights a week?

You still get the full mobility component of DLA and the care component for any days spent at home e.g. Weekends and holidays. The care componant rules are slightly more complex as you get the first 6 weeks paid in full and also the first 6 weeks after the summer holiday then you only get paid a daily rate for the days he is at home. You also still get carers allowance for any weeks that he is home and you are caring for 35 or more hours during the week. We collect our son and provide care for him from 2.30pm on a Friday until we take him back to school at 8pm on a Sunday so still get CA for weeks he is at school as well as holidays. There is no change to our working families tax credits.

Thanks Pebbles it sounds complicated.

will we still keep the motability car?
we don't get wtc only ctc .
what we are hoping is he can have 2-3 nights a week residential, the school is near so we are prepared to transport if necessary and we can always go see him/get him if needed

Yes, you definitely keep mobility element. Also, if you are transporting you may be entitled to expenses from your LA. The rules for this are also complicated! Basically, if it is the closest school that can meet needs transport costs are funded by the LA. If he is going there through parental 'choice' and there is a closer school that parents have turned down then parents fund transport costs. Sorry, can't help on CTC. May be someone else will come along who can?

SEN practically told us to go for it as his current school is struggling. They are confident it will be funded.
at the moment it's not worth him going to school, he goes in crisis most days, he is segregated from his classmates. He only goes at most 4 days and for 4 hours each day. We are worried that all these negatives will build up if he stays much longer and will get to the point where education has to stop completely.

testing

I have sent a posting and unsure what is happening

Whilst I am not a parent, I am a residential special school (RSS) survivor. Yes my parents sent me to a RSS with a heavy heart and they said it was not out of choice - London Borough of Barnet. It was interesting to read that 30 years on parents are still in the same situation, Local Authorities unwillingness to provide the education and support that disabled and special education needs pupils need so that families can live together. I am wondering what is happening with your children two years on from these posts.