Who do you make complaints about the local authority to? DFG refused.

[yurt1]

Well council have decided that they won't give us secondary double glazing to stop ds1 breaking windows (he's broken THREE now headbutting them) as perspex is perfectly adequate.

My main concern about perspex is that (having seen it used a temporary measure at a friend's house) is that you can't see through it possibly. Being able to look out of the street at the cars is very important to ds1- if he can't this is likely to lead to repeated headbanging - so instead of an occasional headbang from frustration - I'm going to get repeated headbanging- and even if the perspex stand sup I'm not sure his head will.

So am ready to write the letter pointing out 1) why perspex is not suitable 2) that as a child he is entitled to a non-means tested disabled facilities grant of up to 25 grand and this is well within this range and 3) that we want to keep him at home for a long as possible but that if we are to do this is is essential that the LA support us in this. Will also point out that I began this process almost a year before any windows were broken and it is a) their incompetence that has led to them being broken and b) extremely fortunate that ds1 has not hurt himself.

Will copy to MP and counsellors.

But if anyone has any advice on who I can threaten them with (local government ombudsmen????) or any info on where I might find info about DFGs. Is there some sort of time limit for example???

[yurt1]

Just us 2 apparently representing parents. He seemed surprised when I said yes! (I almost bit his hand off). I told him I was more than happy to stick my oar in How are your 2 lovely boys?

indeed moondog. DP's are a joke as well- there's no parity in who gets what (graciefer if you get them we'll need to compare). It seems totally random, not related to need at all.

[Graciefer]

Don't recall recieving any e-mails recently, but my brain is somewhat frazzled, so I can't be sure, lol.

I knew JMG had invited some other parents, but he never mentioned who they were. I was quite shocked that he thought of asking me tbh.

It will be nice to have someone else I know there, as I haven't sat in a room full of professionals since stopping work and that seems like a whole lifetime ago.

Hope all is well apart from this fiasco with SS.

See you on the 31st.

[moondog]

[yurt1]

Badly!

He has a social work assistant (who has power to do next to nothing other than pass on moany messsages from me). So for example at today's panel meeting about DP's he had no representation. Unsurprisingly my request for more help during school holidays was turned down (there are no services he can access in our city- it all has to be via dp's).

And I'm 'allowed' to phone the duty social worker.

Crap isn't it.

[moondog]

I still can't believe he hasn't got one frankly.How else is his care (which is obviously pretty complex) being co-ordinated?????

[yurt1]

Thanks for the tip about social workers moondog I did get in 'In common with the majority of disabled children in XXXX DS1 has no social worker and therefore I am copying this letter to XX and XX' And I have told them that the complaint will be going forwards if no satisfactory resolution is reached so hopefully we'll get somewhere.

Graciefer - did you get my email ages ago (email is playing up) we're going to be seeing each other at the end of this month (early intervention steering group). JMG keeps calling me by the wrong first name (PMSL- it's kind of similar) so if he told you the other parent you were probably thinking you didn't know them!

[moondog]

Ah well,it's a start Yurt.
Flag it up and keep on keeping on.
As you know I have my own issues a present and what is hitting me like a thunderbolt ove and over again is the knowledge that if it is hard for me (essentially part of the system) what the hell hope is there for anyone else??

It is stagering,truly staggering

[Graciefer]

Sorry to hear about the trouble you are having with SS currently.

I can't beleive they make services that are supposed to make life easier, so damn hard to access.

It is for fear of this sort of crap service and red tape, that we have as of yet not braved asking for assessments and help/respite.

It really is a sad state of affairs when departments with an important duty of care can fail so miserably on such a frequent basis and our allowed to continue doing so.

I hope your letter sends a rocket up their preverbial/s!

P.S - Did you ever get any joy re the disabled parking space??

[yurt1]

Well I've had lots of phone calls about my complaint No-one has actually done anything useful yet but I've had a chance to put my point across (again a number of times).

And now- today- they've refused my increase in direct payments Despite telling me a year ago when I needed to increase hours that once my backlog (which arose as it took so long to find someone able to help out) had been spent they would increase the amount I got.

Hey ho- apparently it's being appealed but I am flexing fingers for another complaint.

[yurt1]

OK long complaint gone in. Two main parts to it (1) time taken to process and (2) the 'solution' not fit for purpose.

We'll wait and see,

[yurt1]

No I found that thanks, can't find where it says they are entitled to a SW though- just says services (which he does get).

[Taliesintraction]

That will be the mogadon.......

LOL

How this works is:

If you have a SW then SW would have to do an assesment.

That assesment then generates a list of things that need to be done by statute.

Result: you get a service but they have to dig behind the mayoral sofa for the cheque book.

The CA stuff is well worth a trawl I know for a fact that a child with a disability is automatically a child in need. If you have trouble finding that let me know I should have a copy of the CA here somewhere.

[yurt1]

I'm good with zero reaction to finding him balancing on the bannisters 3 storeys up!

[moondog]

Rather like the parents in that Observer article said when their son teetered on the roof eh!?

[yurt1]

Oh yes- they produce a very pleasing reaction. Nice noise, interesting pattern on the glass, probably a nice feel and parents who initially pass out (my po-faced reaction to window breaking had to be practiced)

[moondog]

Reinforced by the breaking of windows.

Logical albeit extremely inconvenient and dangerous.

[yurt1]

I usually cc- was thinking of doing that at stage 2 - and telling them who stage 2 would be ccd to.

H&S is useful because if something is happening frequently (ie headbangin because he can't see out of perspex properly) then it has to be very safe - vs something happening rarely (headbanging due to general frustration unrelated to the window). Headbanging of windows has increased dramatically since he's found out they break btw.

[moira199]

I would cite Health and Safety issues repeatedly. Single glass not safe for obvious reasons, perspex not safe as lack of vision will distress DS so much that safety is an issue again. State very clearly that only secondary/double glazing will secure DS safety.

[moondog]

Yes, remind them of thier obligations to answer within time limit.
Another very useful trick is to wangle in something about the Freedom of information Act (to which they have to reply within 20 days). That really gets them hot under the collar!

Put in a request quoting this for something like the numbers of other families they have assisted under it.Could be anything really, as long as you show 'em you know about the F of i act.

Another trick is to do a looooooooong cc list after your letter (even if you don't send the letters) include local paper, MP, Ind. Review Secretariat and so on.I've had fab results with including David Ruebain's name.

[Taliesintraction]

Hi Yurt,

I have been thinking, and no it didn't hurt.

Actually it came to me on the way back from the Sunday in our current "riot" van.

We have had a couple of "riot" vans actually over the years.

The windows on a riot van have to be clear but also need to offer protection.

One of my earlier ones had windows in a type of polycarbonate which was clear, light not hellishly thick and was (not that I tested it) proof against being hit with bricks. It was great stuff since if you hit it it would bend slightly.

The current RV has armoured glass and Kevlar body panels for use in Northern Ireland which is supposed to be bulletproof.

Have you tried thinking right outside the box and going to see one of these firms that does things like shopfitting, because there are loads of places like pubs etc where windows have to be see through but also deliver protection for those behind it.

You might find you could replace your DGU with something else that offers protection and does not make your house look like Fort Knox.

HTH

PS this is not to mean that you should not be banging on the door of county hall in the morning mind!!

[yurt1]

Well the council specify time limits for each stage of complaint (10 working days for stage 1, 25 working days for stage 2) which I will remind them of in my letter.

Interesting about the SW- I'm guessing they won't want this complaint to end up with the LGO then, or being brought to the attention of MP's etc. Will check out the Children's Act.

[Taliesintraction]

The situ you have been placed in is more than ridiculous.

I think you will find that you need to have followed the councils complaints procedure before the LGO will step in.

As I said the complaints procedure is burocratic and drawn out, just to cheer you up it took us two years from start to finish.

Second point, you are entitled to a SW as a disabled child is automatically a "child in need" under the Children's Act.

"Because they all leave" or "because we cannot recruit" are not reasons for you to be denied a service, as you say, parenting is enough of a job for you, you should have a SW there to lift the burden of dealing with things like a disabled grant.

[yurt1]

oh and something else I've found out that may be useful to others. I've looked on the CAB website and apparently if you qualify for a DFG the council have to award you one, and they should inform you of their decision within 6 months (which obviously they didn't and would have saved us 3 broken windows if they had).

[yurt1]

OK- in case anyone has any problems with these in the future. Briefly researched online and it does appear that if you're not happy with the council's response to a complaint about DFG's it is the local govt ombudsman that you take it to so it is this that I will threaten the LA with during the complaint.

I will also point out that we have no social worker (thanks for reinforcing to me how ridiculous that is moondog).

[yurt1]

Yes, thanks moondog- all good ideas. I'll go through the info I have on DFG's and have a look at the code of practice. I'll make a stage 1 complaint online before the end of the weekend and will ring the OT on Monday. I'll go back through the dates and look at how long it has taken to date (over a year- but I have the exact dates somewhere).