How long does it take for a decision once you make a claim for DLA?

I posted the forms on Friday (1st April) to make a claim for DLA for my dd who is 12. As of yet she does not have a diagnosis just a referral to CAMHS. She has very bad behaviour and needs alot more monitoring than most kids her age particularly as she doesnt seem to sense danger. She also has some very disturbing behaviour (her father has borderline personality disorder and my mum was skitzophrenic).

My question is how long does a dla claim usually take to be looked at, is there a time limit? also will they write to me to tell me they have received the forms so that I know? I hear alot of cases are being turned down now so im not holding out too much hope.
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Comments

  • Tehya
    Tehya Posts: 501 Forumite
    Hi,

    The first time we claimed for my husband (2 years ago) we didn't hear anything until the award letter came. The didn't tell us they had received the form or that they had asked his GP for a report. He wasn't required to have a medical either.A calender month exactly (8th April to 8th May) from the date they received our form we had the letter informing us of his award which was HRM and MRC for 2 years.

    We have just gone through renewal (this time they did send a letter of acknowledgement within a few days and on that asked us not to call unless 8 weeks had passed without hearing from them) and just like last time exactly a calendar month (2nd March to 2nd April) to the day he's been awarded HRM and MRC but for an indefinite period.

    Everybody will have a different story though I think it can depend on the are you live, the decision maker and even the illness or condition and obviously the amount of help and care you say the person needs.

    Good luck with your claim though, I know it's not easy having a child with any form of mental or physical illness.
  • teabag29
    teabag29 Posts: 1,898 Forumite
    I dont think i will be awarded it because i have a feeling the school will conflict what i say about my dd. Although they have had numerous dealings with my dd for stealing off other pupils, shop lifting, not getting along with others and being disruptive in class they refused to refer her to the education psychologist on suggestion of the g.p saying her problems are emotional not educational and other children are in higher need (even though she is on the sen register). Then for 2 mths the school and doctor were passing it to and fro between them until eventually the gp rferred her to camhs. Seems nobody wanted to be the one making the referral.

    Anyway have recently had my dd report through from school which says she is well mannered and attentive and attendance has been excellent and she works safely etc etc. This is the total opposite to what i have said in the form because my dd has no sense of danger, she runs out into main roads and doesnt see the harm, jumps out of top floor windows and much more. Also her attendance has not been excellent as she has been truanting school again placing herself in danger at the local park (she has done this on atleast 3 occasions that i'm aware of).

    Everything the school have written about her is not a true reflection of how she is. She does have a jekyl and hype character and 1 side of her is very loving kind and friendly but the school have made no mention of her other side which they have seen, therefore if dla contact them i'm likely to be turned down me thinks as it will look like im lying.
  • Tehya
    Tehya Posts: 501 Forumite
    edited 5 April 2011 at 3:12PM
    Some schools are guilty of doing that, I have worked in several primary schools for over 14 years so have seen it happen though luckily not often. I think they do this so it doesn't look bad on them. I have though seen a HT change a report that the class teacher has written so as not to have the child excluded. HT was suspended in the end.

    My advice would be to start gathering your evidence now the more you have the better, it may turn out that you don't need it but at least you'll be ready if you do. Evidence can be a conbination of medical, teacher assessments, witness statements from anyone who helps you with her even a neighbour. Have you got the backing of your GP, as I think that is pretty vital.
  • teabag29
    teabag29 Posts: 1,898 Forumite
    I have started doing a diary of dd behaviour. The doctor was adament that an education psychologist report was needed first as camhs often refuse referrals until this has been done but school refused so he reluctantly made the referral to camhs. He hasnt said much about her behaviour, tbh he's about 70 and has trouble hearing. He gave me all of 20 seconds to explain things so i didnt get to tell him as much as i wanted he just wrote down bad behaviour but there is so much more to it than that and therefore if he doesnt let me tell him he cant tell dla when they send forms to him.

    For example dd talks to herself constantly, hears ppl in the house saying things to her that hasnt been said (only yesterday she attached ds for calling her gay....he never said a word to her she just jumped up and started attacking him), she soils on her bed (purposely) if told off, she urinates in her wardrobe all over her clothes (she is 12 years old btw), her whole hygiene is very poor and i have to battle with her to bath or wipe herself after the toilet etc. She has a very vicious side and cant get on with other kids and lacks empathy for anyone she hurts. She constantly steals (from every school shes been to) and lies and makes up terrible stories although im beginning to wonder if she actually believes the things she says. She has imaginary friends that she talks to although she is often shouting at them. She has no sense of danger and will run out into the road, jump out of windows (a 3 storey 1 once because she wasnt allowed to play out at 6am), has set her matress on fire, leave windows wide open in the room she shares with her 2 younger siblings, painted her sister white with paint, often puts herself in dangerous situstions....the list is endless. She also has an obsession with food which is becoming very worrying also.
  • teabag29
    teabag29 Posts: 1,898 Forumite
    The head of year teacher who has had dealings with dd has said (as has my mum) that its as if dd doesnt know what she is doing wrong (despite it being obvious) or why she does the things she does. She also has trouble distinguishing fiction from reality i.e. she believes what happens on tv is real and cant understand how the pregnant soap character is not pregnant in real life its just for entertainment. She has a very low opinion of herself and needs lots of encouragement and reassurance and when angry will harm herself by headbutting furniture etc. Doctor doesnt know half of this as he wouldnt let me get it out and whenever i tried he just talked over me and said yes bad behaviour grrr
  • Tehya
    Tehya Posts: 501 Forumite
    It sounds like you need some serious help. A diary is a great idea as it can be submitted as evidence for DLA but also to show your daughter's GP and CAMHS, I've kept one for the last few months because I knew my husband's renewal was due. Would it be possible to record some of your daughter's behaviour, if you don't have a dedicated camera maybe with a mobile phone?

    Keep pushing for the appointment, offer to take a cancellation if necessary.

    I really wish you luck with this, I know how hard it is coping with a child with mental health problems. I didn't even realise there was anything wrong with my son until he tried to take his own life. He has severe depression along with delusions and at the time regular suicidal thoughts. The young person's mental health team were great and made sure he had all the help he needed. He's transfered to the young adult team now and they are not as good but his treatment is still going well and fingers crossed no more thoughts of suicide.
  • earwig
    earwig Posts: 1,097
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    hi i have a dd same age as yours she has been at camh now since around the age of seven my dd like yours is an angel in school what the school tell me she is like and what we get at home is two different things like your mine hears voices has strange thoughts many phobis ocd and acute anxity to the point where she will not leave the house with out an adult as she is convenced is will be murdered if she gose out alone she has carried these thoughts since she was seven

    my dd has had a master at times and dosnt have much interest in life other than watching telly i to have history of mental illness in the famley so you have my sympathy i know how hard it can be

    i get low rate mobilty for dd renewed this year and have been getting it since she was nine i dont get care rate for her as she can wash and dress herself it took six weeks to get the letter but the 1st time it was refused on grounds that it wasnt a long term disabilty and the school said that she had no isues at school so it wasnt affecting her long enough to qulify i should of appeld against this but didnt

    i left it for a few years untill the consultant at camhs told me that i should re apply i did this and seven weeks letter i got the letter to say that it had been awarded this time for two and half years and like i said it was renewed this year again for the same amount of time

    the trouble i find with schools and my dd is that although she look normal and acts normal at school people tend not to belive that she is as bad as she is they are always going on how well she is doing and she dosnt do any of them thing at school at all and i think great its just me beeing a crap mum then cause she dose all this stuff at home

    my dd consultant said that the reason my dd is bad at home is that all day at school she has had to act so peaple dont find out her isues and that when she comes home she is like a persure cooker ready to go bang it not that she dont feel it at school it that she has become so good at hideing from school they just dont see it

    hope it all works out for you xx
    i cant slow down i wont be waiting for you i cant stop now because im dancing
  • teabag29
    teabag29 Posts: 1,898 Forumite
    earwig wrote: »
    the trouble i find with schools and my dd is that although she look normal and acts normal at school people tend not to belive that she is as bad as she is they are always going on how well she is doing and she dosnt do any of them thing at school at all and i think great its just me beeing a crap mum then cause she dose all this stuff at home

    I can totally relate to this, I feel as though it must be me doing something wrong and i'm a bad parent as she is fine when she's at school.
  • adviceforall
    adviceforall Posts: 682 Forumite
    Could you write your gp a letter saying all what you have written here about her problems, when I renewed my DLA earlier this year ( took 5 weeks) but first application took about 12 weeks I wrote a letter about what was going on and asking that I was called for an appointment when/if they had a form from DLA, instead my Go rang me to say he had filled it in ( I had not discussed my mobility problems with him as I had been in contact with other problems that filled the appointments lol) but he said he had taken the information from my letter and used that to help him. I was a bit worried cos it was another dr that was more familiar with my mobility problems etc but I had my HRM renewed and also got LRC both indefinitely.
    Good luck
  • teabag29
    teabag29 Posts: 1,898 Forumite
    I have rang the surgery and asked reception to put a note on dd's file that when form comes in I need to be called in for an appt to go over the problems i'm facing with her. Reception have made a note and both receptionists are aware of it and said they will keep an eye out for the form arriving so hopefully that will help.

    I'm really annoyed with the doctor as he said alot of camhs referrals get turned down until an education psychologist report is done (taking around 18 mths in my area) as alot of behavioural problems are to do with learning difficulties. He asked what kind of problems i have with dd and gave me all of 20 seconds to speak and then wrote down bad behaviour when infact its so much more than this, its very disturbing behaviour, food obsession thats getting out of control, mental health history etc. When camhs see just bad behaviour written down they more than likely will turn down the referral and camhs only accept referrals from the gp in my area so dont know what i'll do if that happens :o(
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