Whoo-hoo - we got Direct Payments!

[sphil]

8 hours a month - and I didn't think we'd get any at all, as DS2 doesn't have any challenging behaviour. But our SW was great -she argued that he is challenging by virtue of his severe delay and also took family circumstances into account (my mother is seriously ill)and DS1's needs.

So DH and I might get a chance to go out once in a while. We realised the other day that we were excited about going to Sainburys together on our own - so we definitely need it...
Can also do some activities with DS1 on his own, which he really needs.

Well done!

oooh well done! ive got the SW out tomorrow for the first time about DP's, fingers crossed!

Brilliant! And you can try and get it increased when you have a review. That's what I did!

Great news, it saved me when DD was a baby and DS was 8 years old. Ours was allocated notionally on a weekly basis but I always played around with it, banked it up and even paid carers less than the amount recommended so I'd get more hours, as long as they were happy with what they were getting. I also used it to pay someone to be with DD while I took DS to SN swimming, trampolining etc but it meant we could afford babysitter to go out as well. Over time it should increase, we started on 2.5hrs a week and got to 10 hours a week after 2-3 years. Although DS is at residential school now they give me DPs when he comes home and it is brilliant, as long as I can get one of my gang to come!

Yay Sphil, great news

tackling PAed today about fact that we haven't had letter confirming DX (she claims has been posted twice, SALT ahve ahd but nobody else as we're waiting on that for SW to agree to a Carers Assessment

Enjoy yourselves in Sainsburys. Does your Sainburys still stock all the extra weirdy foods or have they calmed down? I used to love shopping there whenI worked at S College

sphil - good news! glad that your SW has been so supportive.

peachy - might be worth buttonholing the paed's sec rather than the paed - as if she can find it on her pooter she can e-mail it to you.

Oh I hope this rubs off on my Children's Services Department. My phone call last week was to tell me that it was very unlikely I would be given respite, I could use DD's DLA to pay for a childminder, etc. I have DD1 3.6, DD2, 22mo & DD3 9 weeks! DD1 is on the go all the time, no sense of danger etc. 1.5 hrs a week would be fab. Well done you !!

TC it'll be Paeds Sec we speak to but we know it's hr error anyway (she's forgetting the CC's).... am going to suggest she sends me one copy to distribute nexct time

think olds chool may have had a copy but old SENCO not bothered to send file to the SNU

Ah yes DLA- the stretchy benefit!

We don'tr necessarily want DPs for respite, as Uni will cover childcare (same cash differnt pot)..... what I want help with is finding someone who can providecare for ds1 and qualifies for the childare grant- ie registered nursery or childminder.

And I don't mean one with several toddlers in the house and no ASD experience like the last one they tried to set him up with .

Paed was despearte for us to access summer playschme with ds3 which is what we wanted SW help with, but apparenlty we don't need it.

The otehr thing I just want is for ds3 to be in the system- although on DLA and in an SNU, he's not on the SS disabled kids index as they find Reasons. My great fear is what happened if DH and I became ill ros oemthing- there is currently nor ecord of him, not even a file (when theya ssessed ds1 the SW looked at DS3 and said oh no he's notasd- all she'd seen of him was the back of his head as he tapped away on the PC).

My parents are getting older and don't drive or live here, there's nobody could pick up in an emergency and thats quirte scary. All the school formshave blank lines throgh the emergency contact bit already.

pleased for you , sw sent a request to crossroads and we was given 2hrs a week 2 months ago still waiting for it since they have none available think im going to ask about DP

Sorry Starlight - have been away camping.

You need to go into as much detail as you can about your Ds's (or is it DD's?) needs and how they impact on you, your partner, any siblings, daily life etc. My friend advised me not to clear up the house too much(no problems there!), especially any damage DS2 had done.

We got ours for the following reasons:

DS2, while not 'challenging' in terms of behaviour, is judged to be so because of the severity of his delays. So I went into a lot of detail about that - and also about the amount of time we spend working with him at home.

DS1 (undergoing assessment for dyspraxia) needs more 1:1 time.

My mother is seriously ill, so cannot look after the DCs any more (she used to do a lot) - the SW also took into account the fact that I may have to go over there to support both my parents more as her illness progresses).

I didn't ask for a particular number of hours - but my SW said that you should always ask for more than you expect to get, so put down 12 (we got 8).

I was very honest, and also talked an awful lot! She probably recommended DPs just to shut me up Hope this helps - but I do think it depends (sadly) a huge amount on where you live and what kind of SW you get.

its none of their business WHAT you spend the DLA on, grrrr. We are the same Peachy, no-one to put as emergency contacts except each other. At least DS is in the system, I think that is very important to keep in mind, people often dismiss something without realising that being in the system and "establishing need" is worth it in itself. And then people who would accept places on schemes etc don't get offered them!