Tell me about work schemes or communities for the academically bright with significant EF challenges

[TiredSoTiredSoTired]

Is there anything for the kids/young adults who are technically really academically bright, musically talented, great at languages or maths or science or whatever... but who honestly couldn't organise their way out of a paper bag?

DS is 9, diagnosed with AuDHD, medicated as much as possible. Is top of the class in academic subjects and doing grade 7 on two instruments. Composes music that's honestly not terrible, loves playing difficult chamber music, can sightread anything. Plays chess like a fiend. Loves chatting to adults and reading novels. Handwriting is practically illegible despite years of daily practice. Can fall over while standing with two feet on the floor. Socially very immature. Can't focus at will - can either hyperfocus or stare vacantly out the window. Cannot follow two-step instructions to do anything practical, cannot get dressed, put shoes on, or eat a meal without constant supervision (can't eat at all unless medicated for ADHD, borderline ARFID), would forget his own head if it wasn't screwed on. Has been walking out into the road without looking since he learnt to walk. Has absolutely zero ability to organise himself in a timely fashion, despite years of scaffolding.

I honestly can't see him even functioning in secondary school let alone going to uni or holding down a job, or driving.

Is there anything like a Camphill community or a significantly supported work scheme for these kinds of kids?

While many on supported internships have learning disabilities, not all do. There are some academically able DC who go on to supported internships. Although an EHCP is needed - which if DS doesn’t have, you should request an EHCNA.

Scope offers some employment support. Although it isn’t an ongoing supported employment scheme. The support is more limited than that.

Ambitious about Autism also offers some employment support.

In terms of finding employment there are some schemes to help with that, depending on where you live. For example, Mencap has a supported employment scheme in Sutton (which isn’t just for those with an LD). Several areas have a Connect to Work programme. Some parts of Manchester have Working Well. In Stockport there is Pure Innovations. What schemes are available changes regularly, so you would need to wait until DS was older before looking at these properly.

There are supported living placements who accept DC without an LD. I think it is too early to look at any specific placements. What is available and the cohorts they cater for changes too quickly for it to be of any use when DS is 9.

All I would say is how my ds's were at nine is so very different to how they are as young adults so it maybe premature to look at supported living arrangements at the moment. What I would say to do is to invest your time to getting him the best support you can for the current time and certainly to help with the transition to secondary. So if he does not already have an EHCP then you should apply for this and make sure there is support in there to help him develop the social skills, overcome handwriting problems (could he type instead?), the following multi-step instructions & his other difficulties. I think ds1 was well into his teenage years before he learnt to look properly when crossing a road but passed his driving test this year - just one example of how skills can develop with time.