DLA renewal - Cerebra still the best guide??

[Bookeatingboy]

DTS1 was awarded DLA when he was 3.6 for 5 years, renewal pack came at the weekend which I'm really looking forward to complete

The forms have clearly changed since the last one I completed so, 1.) is the cerebra guide still the best one to use and 2.) Shall I get it back to them asap, his award runs out in December and 3) What are peoples experiences of how long they are taking these days.

Thanks in advance...

Cerebra is definitely still the best guide. But also cross reference with the contact a family dla mobility guide on the contact a family website and also the specific association related to your child's condition (for example the national autistic society has a very comprehensive dla guide themselves on their website).

Send in the renewal as soon as you are able to. On the dla forum on Facebook people are saying the turnaround seems to be anywhere between 4 days to 12 weeks (!!) there doesn't seem to be any standard!

Fairylea thanks for that super fast informative response. Will get those other two as well and try and cross all bases.

I've just dug out his original one that I had copied and it will help also although he's clearly a lot better with some issues such as self care, but just how do you get over to them the point that he would just sit and do nothing if he wasn't prompted (a million times )for everything.

I know what you mean, my ds is the same. I think I used the terms "...needs motivating to..." And "..needs prompting..." A lot! I think you can also say that without promoting such and such would not happen / a meltdown would occur etc etc. I think when I did the form for ds I had to imagine I was explaining things to someone who worked in admin in an office but had no knowledge of ds or his medical conditions - because dla decision makers don't have medical knowledge. The only thing they do have is a dla decision makers guide - which if you google exactly that you can find a copy of it online.

Hope your claim is successful.

I've just dug out his original one that I had copied and it will help also although he's clearly a lot better with some issues

The important point to get across is that he needs more care and support than a typical peer. whilst he might have improved, the gap to his peers might have actually widened.

Thanks again fairylea I've downloaded those guidance notes (didn't know they existed) Prompts and motivation happen A LOT in this house too.

coffeemaker5 You are right, I forget this sometimes. He has a NT twin brother so there would be no excuse for me not being able to express that point sadly, and the gap is getting wider the older they get

Have you tried your local cares centre? On our second award now with my son, first one I did myself. When the paper work came thru for his second, a Parent recommend going to our cares centre. Had an appointment, took all my sons paper work. We did it in a hour, found the whole thing a lot less stressful.

I'm about to do this too soon.

Is it possible to do the renewal online like you can with the original application?

We just renewed DS2's DLA. They had it sorted within two weeks, with the level I expected awarded. Much less painful than I expected! He too has improved, but the gap widened. They count 'requires prompting to...' As needing care so I wouldn't worry. This form was much easier than the last one I did for him. I included loads of reports from every professional he sees, and the school, and got the health visitor to sign the relevant page on the booklet with a short statement. I assume that speeds it all up.