PAs - personal budget and hire yourself or let social services recruit via agency?

[AnitaLoos]

Hi! Starting to look into this. Have provisional approval for funding for a PA for an autistic young person (22) with high intelligence but lack of independence due to autism adhd, mild ODD, dyspraxia & anxiety (the bingo card, basically). He had poor experiences with school TAs as he needs a particular sort of person - sense of humour, patience, intelligence, not just kindness & definitely nobody head-tiltingly patronising! And I’d like them to be quite young as my YP has no friends and is not in education so quite isolated. Any suggestions/tips/experiences? Social services woman is nice but I feel a bit railroaded to use their agency and no have a personal budget. Thank you!

Both have pros and cons. If you want direct payments push for them. If you do go down that route, some people have success advertising at their nearest university and colleges. Others find someone via local special schools.

As an aside, does DS have an EHCP? If so, you should request an early review. If not, you should request an EHCNA.

Thank you. The EHCP is another matter. His last one was pre pandemic and nothing in it has been actioned. The LA wants to withdraw it because he’s not in education. But we can’t find a suitable course. He hasn’t got enough GCSE grades for an academic course because he can’t do exams.

Has the LA issued a cease to maintain notice? If so, have you appealed?

Is there anything in F that is detailed, specified and quantified? If so, that must be provided.

Have you looked at specialist placements and supported internships?

If there isn’t a suitable placement and it is inappropriate for the provision to be made in a college, have you considered EOTAS (or you may have heard is with a C on the end as well or instead of S when talking about young people and sometimes has an I instead of an A)?

Hi yes they have and we immediately appealed. The problem with part F is that it was full of things that don’t exist or they say they cannot provide such as a home tutor to deliver a personalised curriculum for three hours a day plus 30 mins a day support ‘delivered by teaching staff’ followed by ‘provision in a small setting’. There’s a lot of stuff about teaching life skills with no suggestion as to who should be teaching this (his parents - us - I guess!). It also stipulates daily mentorship/buddy ship to deliver all sorts of social interaction, mindfulness and relaxation strategies and social skills, 30mins of daily exercise, cooking lessons, travel training (there’s loads more!). The LA has consistently refused to implement any of and says he needs to be at a college to unlock any support but none of them will take him!

Have you requested an expedited hearing on the basis DS isn’t in full-time education? As an adult, DS can be assessed for legal aid in his own right. Have you looked at that? That can fund independent assessments if necessary.

DS does not have to be in college if that isn’t appropriate. EOTAS is possible. If any of F is DS detailed, specified and quantified but the LA is refusing to provide you need to threaten judicial review, then seek a pre-action letter if that doesn’t work. Some of it doesn’t sound detailed, specified and quantified, but if it was, it could work away from a school. Tutor, exercise, mindfulness, cooking, travel training, mentoring and other PfA are all possible provision that could be part of an EOTAS package and it can include professionals because you cannot be compelled to deliver provision. It only works if F is watertight though. Otherwise it isn’t enforceable.