I have a social worker coming to see me tomorrow....

[Jimjams]

I'm stunned actually! I now officially have a SW- she rang today. I think I want direct payments. Any tips on what I should be asking for? I explained that my main problem is that in school holidays I am housebound whenever I have DS1 + DS2 - or from next January DS3.

I wasn't going to ask for any help outside school holidays? Am I mad?

Oooh well done! Mine was supposed to come round for the first time on tuesday to discuss dp's, but she cancelled. I have an ss officer coming from another dept next week to see about a grant for extending into our attic, to get some extra space for ds2's equipment.

Whoever gets seen first should write it down and pass on any hints.

brilliant jimjams!

What exactly can you ask for? i am seriously considering applying for it. Could i ask for a cleaner or pay for one out the direct payments? Do you know?

Hope it goes well Lou

We have a distant friend of the Family who is a Social Worker, my Mum asked her about me having a Social Worker (3yr old Daughter with Special needs) and she didn't think it would be of any benefit to us and didnt see what one could do for us.

I asked becaause it was mentioned on here about me getting one.

What exactlydo they do?

I think the way they work out dp's is a certain number of hours a week (which you can then group together if you want) so I would ask for help all the time, even if you then only use it in the holidays IYSWIM.

Wahey! I can't believe it! You should get a set number of hours per week which, as HIC says, can be saved up for longer sessions. You should also be able to ask for extra hours during holiday AND a place at a play centre (or whatever they have) during hols. I think you can use it to pay for a cleaner, my understanding its that its whatever makes the family's life more manageable! Anniebear, don't know what that person is talking about, they can't necessarily "do anything for you", althogh sometimes they can, but they can help you do something for yourself, go for it!

Jimjams, this is great news. Go for as much as you can, and then stockpile it for when you need it most. Also if you 'feed in' the help (of whatever sort you choose), it might be easier on your ds?

You will be mad to limit the help in any way, get as much as you can as soon as possible. If you don't need it, fine but you know only too well how hard it is to get this sort of stuff. So don't risk missing out.

THe problem with DPs is you can't really do an "as and when" arrangement as most people want a commitment of a certain amount of work, usually per week but maybe every 2/3/4 weeks, but regular. You also have to go through the process of becoming their employer for that proportion of their working time so it means filling in forms and notifying IR etc. Still all well worth it.

Hi everyone

I've just found out my 'award' today.

Sorry I've not kept you all updated but we had a core assessment done in four instalments. I was asked all sorts of questions but it helped me come to some sort of idea what would benefit us.

Anyway, with dd going to her dad's each weekend, I'm able to save 'our hours' until the holidays when we need them. We've been awarded the average for Rotherham, that is, 4 hours every two weeks. This is 104 hours per year which I'm choosing to use during the summer holidays. Someone who came with my SW, told me to push for extra in due course (I think you told me that Davros too) and the SW acknowledged that as dd gets older, she should get more 'hours' to meet her needs.

I'm going to try and recruit at dd's special school. Some of the young CSAs are always skint, or so they tell me. I've been told by Soc Serv. that I can do that and I have the reassurance that all our CSAs are CRBd and done courses in Moving and Handling and other relevant issues.

Half term is already full and Christmas will be busy so I may as well roll the 'hours' on. I'm wanting someone whol will come with us on days out so I have an extra strong pair of hands if dd decides to'paddy'. Yippee!

Great mews Dottee. Just make sure that you can keep the hours for that long, I think I was told that we could stack them up for 3 months at a time. Prob different for you but do check, you don't want to miss out. Handy those skint young SNAs, LSAs etc!

Hi Davros

My SW does know my intention and she says it's fine I can save them up. But I will check to make 'doubly sure'. Also, her colleague insisted that I make sure I use them up within the year or I loose them then.

Also, with banking them, I make sure I have a reserve for an emergency. My SW knows I have older relatives (including mum) and there's going to be a day when I desparately need respite quickly, so she's happy for me to do this.

Good news, dottee and Jimjams.

Yep I've also been told I can save the hours. I got the idea they'll be suggesting about 4 or 5 hours a week which we can then save for holidays. I'm planning on looking for students or there's a possibility that 2 of ds1's LSAs may be interested in doing something........

I'd had a core assessment done without knowing it! (They've changed the system here- no longer lots of tick boxes). It had bits missing and said that I thought he had regressed and developed eczema after his MMR!!!! (He hasn't even had an MMR- and the eczema thing was all back to front as well) So changed that!