Disabled Facities Grant or some kind of cheap contracting work?

blue_monkey_2

I was wondering if anyone had applied for a Disabled Facilities Grant at all? Basically my son has behaviour problems, ASD and a form of ADHD, I do not usually go out on my own with him and I am finding this a bit limiting and as the kids have nowhere to ride their bikes I wanted a path that goes around the back garden so the kids could ride out there. My DD is 6 and cannot even pedal a bike as she has nowhere to ride it. Hubby & I took the kids up the park this week as he was off work and DS ran off - he is just too fast for me to catch, the older he is getting the worse he is, so taking them up there to ride bikes on my own is a no-no so I've come back to the path plan so that the kids can get some fresh air and exercise. I am sick of them being in the house all the time - they need to get out in the fresh air. We need a bigger trampoline as well but that will come later in the summer.

I've been quoted £1500 to put slabs around in a circle around the garden (if that makes sense) and to widen the small bit of path path we have in already in but I wondered if I could get a grant for this or cheap contracting work to get it done. Does anyone know anything about this? I am joining a support group in a few weeks time so maybe I'll find out more then but thought I would turn to you guys and ask if anyone here knew anything.

I am having a real headache as we just moved (same area but near a bigger town) and the doc I was seeing has now said we are too far away (depsite being in the same district) and he has signed us off and written to another paediatrician asking him to take my son on. I am so cross about this as they never told me, it just came in a letter, so I am now waiting to hear from the new paediatrictian, I've a new GP, new Teachers, it is like starting all over again and I am not sure if I am coming or going at this stage.

Any help would be great. Thanks.

blue_monkey_2

Thanks Ms Pig, I notice on the council website it says I have to go through Occupations Health - not sure what I do to contact them though, That will give me something to sort out once the kids get back to school. DS wants to ride his bike to school but as it is just 100 yards and is over 2 roads there is little point so it is not even like we have a walk to school.

I wonder if I could get that stuff that you lay on the grass and the grass grows over instead. We have that for our front drive and for 20m x 2m of it we paid just £130 including delivery. The only thing is that it gets slippery while it is wet. Thanks for your reply, they do state on their site that gardens can be adapted so I'll have more of a root around once the kids are back at school.

Broken_hearted

You could do it yourself for a fraction of the money. I'm sorry to say there are much greater needs and not a lot of council money to go round, our council will drop kerbs and provide ramps/handrails for outside nothing more.

blue_monkey_2

Broken_hearted wrote: »

You could do it yourself for a fraction of the money. I'm sorry to say there are much greater needs and not a lot of council money to go round, our council will drop kerbs and provide ramps/handrails for outside nothing more.

Yes, I know I could and I am sure I could if I had the physical strength and know how to be able to do so then I would. My husband works full time and more, I also have to fit laying the path in around the housework, caring for my child who cannot be left unsupervised, and around the small amount of work I do from home.

The website states the money is there and it is not means tested for children under 19 but we have to apply via Occupational Health - even people on high incomes can apply, we are in HA property on a low income so why should we not apply? That is like not bothering to claim anything at all such as DLA, the money is set aside already. All I want is for the kids to be able to get out into the garden, ride their bikes and get some fresh air. We cannot go to the park like other parents and their children can. I've even had my son run off from me in an instant, he leapt the barrier surrounding the park and landed about 4ft in front of a car but luckily the car was going slow. I'd love to be able to take them to the park on my own but I cannot, I do not have people to help me as no family nearby and my son is faster than I am so it is dangerous for us to go out with no-one to care for him. But such is life. If I could get cheap contracting I'd be interested in that as well, likewise I do not have anyone to help us lay the flags but I do not have £1500 at this moment in time to pay someone.

So if the money is there I shall apply for it - as it says we can on the website - the same as other people can do if they need it. If they see we are in need then I guess we will get it but this forum is here for asking about the help we are eligable for - not to be told to not bother applying as there are people in greater need than us, what is the point in this forum if everyone has that attitude.

As I noted before, if there was a cheaper option I would look at that but the quote we got (in fact they wanted 5k to sort out what is here as it is HA and has not been looked after but we are getting there) the whole of the concreted area we have is falling apart and it is dangerous for the kids as they trip on it because of the holes but I'll be happy with just the path so they can ride their bikes in the garden.

GlasweJen

How about getting in touch with the people who run community services in your area? Someone I know had some men on community service slab her garden for wheelchair access, they were supervised at all times and done a great job but this was about 7 year ago.

sad_dog_lady

try asking they can only say no, then ask again, also ask family fund, the paid for my sons room to be extended and re plastered etc

Broken_hearted

GlasweJen wrote: »

How about getting in touch with the people who run community services in your area? Someone I know had some men on community service slab her garden for wheelchair access, they were supervised at all times and done a great job but this was about 7 year ago.

Thats a great idea.

Broken_hearted

I wasn't having a go blue monkey I was trying to help. We applied for a grant years ago which was awarded by the council but turned down by social services. The stress they put us through nearly pushed me to a full breakdown.
We still havn't got a bedroom for DH or a washroom, although we do have a toilet and sink downstairs. Outside I built a patio area and repared the drive, I am a small woman who has a full size adult male to care for.

blue_monkey_2

That's OK. I like the idea of the community services, I shall have to find out. I am also starting to go to a support group in Jan so I'll get some more ideas from there. I am also happy to do work for someone else in 'payment' for the hard work just being done (ironing, housework, book keeping, that kind of thing) but being new here we are still get to know what is where. I guess we were quite lucky as he has his own room, last year we was made homeless and the week before the bailiff was due a house we applied for (on the points thing) was given to us but the council doc had already said DS had to have his own room so we are starting here with what we need. Hopefully we will be here forever so once done that is it.

When we moved here there was this huge piece of concrete in the middle of the garden which was dangerous for the kids so I got rid of that by breaking it up but it physically killed me, I have problems with my back anyway but this was too much and being stuck on the sofa with a bad back is no good to me. There are also some huge concrete posts in the garden that even my husband cannot move so he has pushed it over and it has stayed there, don't know how we will get rid of those as there are 3 of them but they are right next to the path. I am going to have a look when the kids get back to school to see what my options are and hopefully the support group can give me some advice but I do not know anything -DS does not even have a paeditrician at the moment so everything is really frustrating as I am stuck in limbo waiting for the next stage. The contacts I did have regarding his condition I no longer have so this is why I did not think the family fund would be of help. We have had the GP for 4 months but he has not seen my son either so I did not know what to do and this is why I thought the grant would be the better option than the family fund.

hilstep2000

I have had two. One for an inside stair lift, and the other for an outside stair lift, which is being done at the moment.
I had to go through my OT, and we have a local group called "In touch" who do all the paperwork.
Ask your local Social Services dept, as it varies from Council to Council.

blue_monkey_2

Thank you, I will give that a try too and see what they say.