How does anyone get access to therapy?

[Bananasinpyjamas1988]

My son has a genetic syndrome which is known to cause more developmental problems with age, though trajectories are improved with therapy. Currently at 3 he is doing fairly well and I cannot for the life of me get access to any therapies - he’s met an OT once who discharged him, but hasn’t seen NHS PT or SALT at all. I’m at my wits’ end. Is this just what we have to expect now in this country? I can’t afford private therapies. It’s so depressing.

we are in Herts.

In some areas you can self refer to SALT snd PT, have you checked whether you can? If you can’t, the GP or HV will be able to.

Does DS have an EHCP? If so, they can be included in there so they must be provided and can be enforced. Although you may have to appeal to get them detailed, specified and quantified in the EHCP. If DS doesn’t have an EHCP, you can request an EHCNA yourself. On their website, IPSEA has a model letter you can use.

Have you applied for DLA? If DS gets that, then you could apply for carer’s allowance, assuming your earnings (if you do work), are below the weekly limit.

You could then use DLA to pay for some therapy, while you apply for the EHCP, which takes time, especially to get provisions quantified and specified in Hertfordshire.

Yes we’ve self referred, but no joy as of yet. Have chased and chased. Yes get dla and carers’, though if you are eligible for carers’ allowance you earn a very low amount and are unlikely to use it for therapy. In the process of getting an ehcp. Herts has just had an absolutely damning report into send provision unsurprisingly.

im just wondering if there is another route others may have heard of. I always hear about portage for example but they don’t seem to operate in Herts. It’s so depressing, the missed opportunities children with send have purely because of fucking shit public sector provision.

There are a few charities (e.g. Boparan Trust and The Hospital Saturday Fund) that sometimes fund therapies, but they aren’t going to be any quicker than an EHCP or the NHS, unfortunately. They are also overwhelmed by demand.

Where are you in the EHCP process? Is the LA sticking to the timescales?

Herts has the Early Years team who offer a similar service to portage to DC up to 3 or when they start nursery, whichever is first (which is common even with portage) via the specialist development centres. They can provide home visits/therapies. After 3, the focus shifts to the early years specialist teaching service.

I don’t know whether they are currently accepting referrals and if they are what age range they are accepting, but the University of Reading has a SALT teaching clinic. If you could travel there, it is worth looking at that.