DLA WAIT TIME THREAD 59

[zoeybrooks45]

Hello everybody, I have made a new thread please put in your scan date, hopefully we hear some good news this month. please be kind and feel free to share scan date, entitlement award and what child is diagnosed with as others in similar position can feel uplifted in these stressful times. 💐
New claims (NC) are taking ‘around’ 20 weeks.
Mandatory Reconsideration (MR) & Change Of Circumstances (COC) between 20-25 weeks approx.
Renewals between 15-20 weeks approx
tribunals: when you disagree with MR and are considered by a court
scan date (SD) date form was scanned on the system and counting weeks for decision
original claim date: date you called up for the forms and you will be backdated
UC : universal credit
DWP: department of work and pensions
DM: decision maker; the person who assesses each claim and awards/decline a case
number for an update 121-4600 0800 121-4600
currently we are in July/August for decisions! xx

Although you may not feel that is good evidence, that evidence suggests it would be a waste of time for a DM to contact them as it's pretty self explanatory, so you done great by getting ahead of the DM and sending that so you don't have to wait for them to request it, although are you asking for HRM or just any motability?

I think given their attitude it’s pretty much a waste of time tbh. I do get it they are busy and there is more than just me making a request but in all fairness in the time that my son has been there I’ve asked very little of them and have always supported. I’m asking for HRM. I don’t think there’s anything more I can send in?

I would have absolutely lost my 💩 Loke the saying goes….when you have met one child with autism you have met one child with autism. My little boy is on a part time table because that is all he can cope with. His attendance is still only 32% it is what it is. Stand firm for your child cause no one else will. 💪

I didn’t even respond I was that taken aback. I don’t care what attendance other autistic and adhd kids have, the meeting was about my son’s attendance and his needs. He’s been worse since the put him on a full timetable which they blamed on SENDAR saying they’ve maxed out the time they allow for a part time table which he was on for 4 months and attendance was better at 30 odd percent. I’ll speak with plan co tomorrow or leave a message if I can’t get through. We aren’t doing another year of nothing that’s for sure

If you are asking for HRM under smi then the DM may contact the school because they've wrote nothing about extreme behaviours or extreme outbursts or any restraints needed at school, but that all depends on your other evidence and what you've said in questions and explanations on the questions.. Asd is classed as arrested development and also over laps into the social impairment side of the describors. But usually they need to know in all settings that the child displays extreme behaviours so in that sense the school could have wrote more but as school have already said the child is hardly there in a sense then they may just go on your self assessment of the child.. I'm guessing you also get HRC and have expressed extreme behaviours in your claim with other supporting evidence.

For me I'm not sure what my child will be awarded if anything but school have wrote major behaviour issues, unable to self regulate, unable to calm down, at risk of grooming due to sen and antisocial behaviour ( this shows needs supervision outside as vulnerable) alternative provision started due to attend an alternative provision 4 days a week, 1 day a week mainstream, recieves pastoral one to one support, and anger and behaviour management, then I've included a print out of suspensions in the last year there has been 14 suspensions so more than one a month for 5 days at a time and 13 days at a time for violence towards pupils or staff, assult on pupils or staff, unacceptable aggressive behaviour, assult on senior members of staff... I also called the lady who filled in the who knows the child section and told her that I've wrote on the form that he needs restraint in school as they do have to physically restrain him they actually actioned lock down protocol of the whole school on one occasion as he was so out of control that he was lashing out at anyone and everyone they even locked some pupils in an office to safeguard them 😩😩😩😩 and called the police they rang me I ran to the school and found him off school site bleeding quite badly out his hand... So I've told the senco lead to back me on the restraint question she said of course I will ( so here's hoping) my sons now at the alternate provision and has just been suspended from there he's only been there 4 weeks and they've sent him home twice early in his uber as they couldn't calm him down or regulate him.. So I'm keeping a running commentary of paperwork and will send it in next year as my claims a new claim and only sent it back like 4 weeks ago.. My sons 13 I should have applied for dla since Age 4 I just couldn't be bothered if I honest. But he really is now extreme is every sense of the word.. He isn't even diagnosed yet it was the school who done the referall to neurodevelopmental services for asd and ADHD, he's due to see EP January and the early help lead at the school says she can start EHCP but everything's just waiting and waiting and more meetings and More forms... He finishes the alternative provision on 15th jan and will be back in mainstream 5 days a week so that will be fun he will be permanently excluded at this rate., he shouldn't even be in mainstream in my opinion it isn't fair on the other pupils or staff.. But the crazy thing is he wouldn't dare raise a hand to me.. They said its cause I'm his safe space, Doctor won't do f all, but I took him to an appointment andd explained what's going on with him and the referall so he could note his medical records.. I asked for melatonin as he doesn't sleep he's up all night doctor said no not until he's been seen by camhs.. That could take 2 years... Sorry I've actually just babbled just realised I've been typing for about 20 minutes ffs 😩

DD10 is due to start meds for her ADHD in a few days. We ended up going privately because we just couldn’t wait any longer.

Her paediatrician referral still hasn’t been triaged from July!

Do I let DLA know she’s now been prescribed meds!? I have told them verbally about adhd diagnosis, just waiting for clinic letter to send copy.

Yes diagnosis letter and meds but just also be aware that if they are going to award your child that they sometimes make the award short if a child is newly diagnosed adhd and medication to go with the diagnosis as the meds ( they say in the DM guide) can alieviate 80 per cent of the symptoms which then lessens the care need on the parent ect unless the ADHD is accompanied by another disability or need.

Thank you, I shall. We don’t know if we’re dealing with just ADHD or ASD too. Apparently when the ADHD symptoms are dealt with the ASD symptoms tend to come to the front. Makes sense I guess.

Have to get her to take the meds first too! Not looking forward to that!

Just wish she was back in school mostly.

Aww bless her i hope they help her to manage abit better, just reiterate when you send the diagnosis letter and medication that you are still awaiting diagnosis for asd as symptoms are present. That will affirm that although she is now diagnosed one thing it doesn't mean she also don't have the other, if that makes sense.

That’s my concern that they haven’t fully covered which leaves room for doubt and questions. He’s nothing near as violent as he once was. He was the same as your son in primary and led to him being permanently excluded. He did exactly what you describe about your son with the whole school going in to lockdown and pupils not being allowed out of their classrooms due to their safety. He has hit staff and pupils on numerous occasions but like your son wouldn’t hit us but he has started to swear at us which is new. I honestly believe he won’t go to school because he can’t fully mask so it’s easier for him to stay at home. He expresses to me how he would like to hurt pupils he doesn’t like or that annoy him but so far he’s managed to contain himself. When they did remove him from the class earlier this year that’s when he assaulted the TA leading to a suspension, of course if he was there they would see more of the behaviours which is what I’ve tried to stress on my form.
I wish you luck with your son, it’s sad and frustrating when we know they can achieve their own personal best if it weren’t for these barriers which they can’t help. My son was only diagnosed last year but like you I knew he needed help, he would display at home but not at school when I mentioned it to them. It was only when he started doing the same as school that they began to take it seriously but it was too late and he was kicked out due to the anxiety and stress he was causing the staff and other pupils. I’ve sent in much less than you and truthfully I’m thinking it will be declined. His school tell me they do not physically restrain students although my son has said he will have a staff member on either side of him to escort him. He’s never unsupervised even during play as things can escalate quickly with him and I guess the other children too.

Yes I would tell them. The only thing is they will then think it’s managed and therefore her needs won’t be seen as being as great as someone who has adhd and not medicated.

Thank you me too! Her behaviour is getting increasingly risky/dangerous. We can’t leave her alone with DD 18m anymore. Makes me sad!

Hopefully we hear back from the community paeds soon! Though won’t hold my breath

@SKB12 if you've already stated the extreme behaviours and all you've said about primary school and permanent exclusion then you should already have expressed what they need to know for HRM and the fact the new school have said he's hardly there or just sits at the back and doesn't engage then they will have to look at everything as a whole to make their decision. Did you originally get hrc and lrm?
I've sent nothing really just suspension print out it states the dates of suspension how long it was for and the reason all the way down a two page letter it just says violence assault physical assault staff and or pupil or both and a few other things about vandalism throwing things but I've write a covering letter explaining the suspensions, then the senco lead filled in someone who knows the child and write what I've said above.. Its funny she didn't write a thing about violence or suspensions or restraint but I've kinda covered that myself with the suspension breakdown letter, and I've wrote a 4 page letter just going into more detail on some of the questions and an optician prescription letter ( he's got vision loss in one eye) that's all I've sent.. But i know I have time over the next couple of months to send more as and when but to be fair the award does go on care needs and not diagnosis.. I could get other to write more letters I think as he is now at alternative provision and working with SEMH workers twice a week there I'm sure they have to send a report back to mainstream when he finishes the provision in Jan. And also he has a behaviour and anger management send lead twice a week at the mainstream who's working with him and two other people who are welfare and senco workers.. I just don't want to ask everyone for letters 🙄😂 I have an email letter of the suspension from the alternative provision that he's currently suspended. My son has always showed traits of ADHD and autism he's got a one tone voice for every single mood even when he's happy he talks loud one tone and sounds rude and aggressive even just asking for a drink he will say get me a drink mum very loud and very abruptly, but he's always been happy banter 24/7 he struggled at primary but was never aggressive he was disruptive and didn't concentrate but cause he's always just been " him" I've never reached out for help the primary teachers knew him knew his ways and supported him he was never under sen they asked me i said no he's okay... He's very different to my other 4 children.. I have an 18, 15, 7 and 6 year old he's 13 but he's just "him" do you know what i mean. He started showing bad behaviour in year 7 but as soon as he hit year 8 all hell broke loose and I can see myself he really is struggling emotionally and mentally he seems so hyperactive, so extreme in his emotions, he really doesn't understand why things aren't acceptable, he doesn't know why he's angry. When I try and talk to him he crys but not just a normal cry a real deep cry which isn't nice he says sorry all the time, I ask him what are you sorry for he says I've hurt people I don't want to, there's alot there to unpack and I'm guessing hitting puberty has exaggerated his symptoms and they are now so extreme, it's not just bad behaviour he's actually out of control and can't control it, he's tiptoe walked his whole life, I feel bad now I didn't start the help sooner but he really was "managing" he had way more good days than bad and I though he will be okay.. I was wrong that's my fault but I'm fighting for him now, I'm not to fussed about the dla as in the money side I have money and I'm not boasting about that I just mean I'm okay, but I'm doing the whole lot for him diagnosis help support management, cbt therapy is next, councilling too, and whatever support senco and neurodevelopmental services can offer. EHCP and dla I feel they all go hand in hand they all help one another and if he's entitled to it then I'm within my rights to get it for him, he's a good kid he's different and that's okay but he does need a diagnosis now and the right help bless him, what are you going to do about your son's schooling, have they offered your child other placements or alternative provisions ect?

Aww it is sad isn't it when you can't leave siblings alone together in case one hurts the other but we have to remember the child with a disability can't help it and they don't mean it even if sometimes we may feel they do or they say certain things and you think that was horrible 😩 all we can do is supervise make sure the kids are safe and support the child with the need, they are different and that's perfectly okay, or so I like to remind myself on the bad days, my son also can't be left alone with his younger siblings 6 and 7 but we just adjust if I need to leave the room the younger ones have learnt to follow me, I mean if i need a wee it's like a reunion in the bathroom 🙄🤣 hopefully now you've got medication it may help a little, that's if you can get your daughter to take it, my doctor won't give meds at the minute, although he did say I could buy antihistamines over the counter and give it a try ( I thought that was for an allergy) he also said I could try magnesium glycinate, I brought some of that but my son won't touch it.. Can I ask who you went to privately and how much it cost if you don't mind? Also does the NHS recognise a private diagnosis as factual and give NHS support for the diagnosis or is the whole lot private like meds ect?

Yeah, I think it worries me as DD is a baby so is obviously vulnerable in that sense. My DD10 says it’s her brain that tells her to do good and bad stuff, it’s so tiring!

I will PM you about who we used.

Morning all hoping for positive news for everyone today🙏🙏

Me too.. scan date 7/8 will be interesting to know what dates have been rewarded. Can not call again to hear the same thing 🙄 good luck to everyone!

Today is your day hun! I can’t wait to see your posts 🤞🤞🤞

I’m not feeling that positive tbh but I’m spreading some positivity to everyone else😂 hopefully today is your day, are you calling today?

Keep positive they surely saw someone to ring school to check that what I’m telling myself about the letter they wanted from my school! 🤞🤞 and I don’t know maybe maybe not might let them rest today lol xx

Same SD as me, I rang yesterday and the lady was quite abrupt from the start, said shouldn’t be too long though 🤦‍♀️

I’m trying to remain positive however it’s just not working😂 I keep saying this that there’s a reason they’ve called the school otherwise it would be a straight no🤦🏽‍♀️I’m running late today getting my boy to school, he was up majority of the night so has slept in this morning, that means I’ll have to call later than expected which is very annoying😂

Exactly I’m telling myself the same thing because we’ve seen people declined straight away so let’s just see how we go 🤞🤞 xx

Morning guys, mid week hopefully awards start picking up as Christmas/new years approaches. I am going to send my last bit of evidence for MR this week so I can enjoy my Christmas xx

Fingers crossed for you hun been waiting too long it's got to be your time

Many congratulations on all those that have been awarded here's to more to come this week @Chels2020 and @Kc1999x and those July awards waiting x