sooooooooooooo, what help are you having over the six week period?

[Fio2]

I have been offered 3 days playscheme place, which i have to pay for, provide transport, packed lunch etc for. 1 of the days is also a school day (!!) and I have asked to change but no reply, so acvtually I have 2 days playscheme place thats it.

My Mother has decided to come down in September instead of during the holidays for a week

Mil said she will come but as of yet we havent organised anything concrete.

Please enlighten me to what help you will be having

[coppertop]

WTF???! That's outrageous, Fio!

[coppertop]

I found out about the playscheme via ds2's portage worker. Otherwise I wouldn't have had a clue tbh. The good news is that our lovely portage worker will still be visiting during the holidays. Yippee!

[Fio2]

I have just found out that my dd hasnt been offered a place because she isnt on social services PRIORITY list she is on the RESERVE list

WTF?? and why?!

[jules27]

I feel a lucky mummy , my ds is going on a playscheme arranged at his SNSchool . It is only on for the first two weeks and parents have to pay £10 per day . But most of ther teachers and helpers at the school are doing the playscheme so my lad will know every one. They have so much arranged for the two weeks including trips out .
for you mummy's that cant get any help. Hoildays are so long with no break thinking of you all ,have been there as this is a new scheme.

[Davros]

Jimjams, my DS was just 9 when we first used a playscheme, i.e. last summer. That was the playscheme run by the Saturday Club he had started the Sept before and that took me a while to accept. The Sat Club is autism-specific and only 3hrs a week so sending him somewhere for most of the day, every day of the week took us quite a while. I now let him go to the Council general disability one but I wouldn't take him in if he was particularly tense or upset and I wouldn't send him every day of a week, 2 or 3 days is enough imo.

[Jimjams]

Davros- how old was your ds before you were happy to use playschemes? And how autism clued up are the helpers? The schemes I've come across are only really suitable for hfa. DS1 is the one inh the class whose safety they worry about most (because of not staying with the group and legging it out of open doors) I'm never sure whether to trust the playschemes.

[onlyjoking9329]

the playscheme forms are sent out to the local schools, not much good for us as my two DD'S go to a special school 10 miles away, my son goes to mainstream but not the local catchment school, so he didn't get the playscheme stuff either

[Blossomhill]

My dd goes to a ms one and just has extra support.

[Davros]

We don't get much via the Council, but happen to have two local charities that both do a playscheme, one autism-specific and the other all disabilities. There are 3 local council ones though, 2 for SN and one "integrated". This is the second year I've got the autism-specific one and the first year I've got the other charity and the Council one. As DS is nearly 10 it just shows that it takes time to find out what's available and then to get on the lists etc. Our Council has a play service for disabled children, the woman who runs it is great, maybe try your council and ask for Play Service then ask for person dealing with disabled children?

[KarenThirl]

Fio - Gateshead council produce a magazine in the summer with details of what activities are available across the borough for kids of varying age groups. That's for mainstream kids, though anyone can access them if their parents feel they are able to cope with them.

I found mine by making some phone enquiries to the council. I started with Leisure Services who told me about the above mentioned activities, and I was referred to someone in Children's Services who organised the SN playschemes I've now got J on. Even so, I was told at the time (about a month ago now) that I might not get places because forms had been sent out at Easter, so I guess I was lucky. It seems that there hasn't been as much demand for them as previous years and that's why there are so many last-minute places available. I can only suggest you move to Gateshead!

[PeachyClair]

Nothing, SocialServices won't return my call

[Fio2]

out of interes (you kniow i am clueless with mainstreaming issues0 how do you find out where the 'other' playschemes are??? i only have an idea about the SS one for SN kids

[Blossomhill]

Fingers crossed OJ, you really deserve some respite over the holidays xxx

[onlyjoking9329]

i have asked for three places at the village playscheme but still waiting to hear about that as it depends if they can get the support workers to support my three

[Blossomhill]

I didn't realise it was only a fiver and yes I agree it is not far on poor OJ Really think it depends on the borough you live in unfortunately
Reason I go through SS as well is dd need 4:1 support and can't get it without!

[onlyjoking9329]

if only i knew the answer Jimjams, looks like we will be doing a few days out to the seaside i guess

[Jimjams]

Oh dear OJ- so what do you have to do to get a place on the NAS playscheme- or dare I ask?

[TheRealMrsF]

yep.... each is only £5 per child per day.

I really don't think it's bad value really...and when you hear of people like OJ who have nothing...well...i'd happily pay double...to get what i get.

(for me this helps me 'justify' getting DLA.... i guess each year i spend close on £500 on playschems...which is only £10 a week....)

[Blossomhill]

Posts crossed

[Blossomhill]

MrsF - you have to pay for your summer schemes?

[TheRealMrsF]

that is awful....i have given up expecting 'free' places...wish like always..there was 'uniformity' etc about what is available in what area....sorry OJ... i don't know how i'd manage all 6 weeks without some respite .....someob=ne suggested i advertise for volunteers/cheap earners ...and get social services to 'check them out' ref child protection issues....but i just feel WE shouldn't have to do that.

[onlyjoking9329]

now then let me get my calender out and see, huummm, no not a thing, now you might think having three kids with autism may mean at least one of them would get a place on the NAS playscheme, but this year as of the last three years they have given us nothing, oh well.

[TheRealMrsF]

I'm paying out £200 for 4 weeks of various sessions.... 2 weeks are for all 3 to go to a general SN scheme...1:1 support for 4 sessions from 10-3...and 2 weeks are for WEDs & Thurs 10.30- 3 at a Autistic Scheme.

It sounds alot of money...but works out at less than £17 per week per child....

A day at the local sports centre holiday club is £18 per child per day!

[coppertop]

LOL at the name-change!!!!

[BitchbagProfDavrois]

I got a letter yesterday offering us 3 days at SN playscheme for the week he's back at school!!!! Mind you, £45 per day. Maybe one of you poor sods can come up here and pretend to be me and DS