Child DLA re-application advice please

Zziggi

The new style Child DLA forms do ask that you send any occupational health or care plans with the DLA forms.

Penny-Pincher!!

Yes-I had to send in info with DD's application.

PP
xx

Zziggi

Zziggi wrote:

The new style Child DLA forms do ask that you send any occupational health or care plans with the DLA forms.

But i don't understand what is classed as a "care plan"

can anyone tell me please?

rls1973

re-applying for dla


sorry to hear you're going through it. you have enough on your plate dont you.

i'm sure the confidentiality thing is strict isnt it?

i have just done this, took 2 months to get a reply: which was, we were to go from high/middle rate down to nothing! dd must be the first know cured case of the condition she has! (sorry, its only being sarcastic and facetious that gets me through it when talking about the department of work and pensions,)
(aka the department of w****** and P***** :rotfl: )

(and any other govt.dept. too come to think of it,lol!)

appealed/complained, found out they had not even contacted the childrens centre at our hospital where dd has had her treatment for most of her life!! :mad:

have got them to write a report about dd, send it myself (do their job for them!)
:mad:

another 2 months later (so now its 4 months!), i have just today got a letter saying oh yes, she can have lower rate for both after all.
:beer:

so it must have been their mistake originally or they would have made us go to tribunal etc.? (i've looked through this letter with a fine tooth comb and cant find the word sorry anywhere, lol)

anyway, sorry to rant on, my point is: always check they have actually contacted who they are meant to contact, it's not done automatically. if they havent, they you do it, then at least you know its done.

also, my other tip would be: get Citizens ADvice or a solicitor to do the form for you in the first place, i wish i had! that's the advice i've seen on lots of other forums, that seems to get a better result and quicker, as they know exactly what to put. it also removes a lot of the stress off your shoulders. anyway,all the best with it.

xx.:)

rls1973

Zziggi wrote:

But i don't understand what is classed as a "care plan"

can anyone tell me please?

i believe this just means what the occupational therapist is going to be doing with the child, e.g. if difficulties using hands, one thing on care plan would be 'practising using cutlery, use playdough to practice' or if the problem was behavioural for example, it might be what medication they are to be given, or if difficulties walking, what daily exercises to be done, (adapt to suit)

i didnt know what this meant either, i asked the physio and the o.t. to actually give me something on paper, now we have a sheet of diagrams of the exercises we do , and the o.t. will write down everything to give you as well, even the things that seem obvious will need writing down. hope it helps.

rls1973

Zziggi wrote:

Sorry to hear about your problems DD&D. You'll need all the energy you have to look after your 2 DSs but yet you also have to find the energy to fill in the DLA forms.

I don't know about you but i would feel extremely uncomfortable that they write to the school. Why is it the school's business to know you have applied for DLA? I think it is fine to write to medical personel but not the school IMHO.

Has anyone noticed the difference is the forms recently? Not only is it now only ONE (longer) form BUT there are subtle differences in the way they ask for information which would appear to the unaware that some info you would have previously given in now not needed. I'll give an example:

old form - "does your child need help with medical equipment"
new form - " does your child need medical equipment"

i think there is a subtle but important difference. Especially when you can get DLA for your child for the extra help, support and supervision you give you child. The new forms no longer prompts you to describe the help that you give. Having said that, it didn't stop me telling them what help i gave....

Zziggi

yes i have noticed when filling the form in, it seems even more than ever designed to trip you up basically.

also, i have read on other forums where people have had a look at the form that school have to fill in, and that is also making it v. difficult for them to help you, i.e. it is only yes or no answers, like it's black or white with no shades of grey. as you said, school dont usually get the full picture anyway do they? by the way, this same person said you can (under freedom of info. act) get to see any/all of the reports filled in by other people, for your childs dla application.

also on another forum, someone said that their GP had just written 'no problems' across the form they were asked to submit, when this person saw this and went in and asked them about it, they admitted it was because they didnt know who this patient was, so just wrote that instead because it was easier. so beware, always check out what has been written on these reports if you have any problems with your application, you never know. (some disabilities/conditions do not mean you see your gp a lot - we dont ourselves, dd has all treatment at hospital, yet dont think our gp would know us if he saw us! it's not that kind of condition, doesnt need prescriptions etc. ) so always check this out.

yummymummy_2

I just wanted to add that it is worth knowing the DWP look for certain words to be used in the application. This is because certain terms have been established in case law. So if something isn't described in a certain way, they can ignore it. I find the following article helpful:

http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2004/10/28/46856/What's+in+a+word.html?key=SUCCESSFULLY+CLAIM+AND+ATTENDANCE+ALLOWANCE

D&DD

Zig I think the thing that annoyed me most about them asking the school was the attitude of the Senco.She insinuated because of all our hard work at home and the fact I have not left my son to stagnate (we hired a tutor,follow a special diet,constantly do floor work and all other therapies..)she thought we might lose his claim and most importantly (SHE felt..) his money..I was so cross as I said it seemed like she felt I would rather have the money than see my son reach his full potential :mad: I would far rather my boy never have to struggle like he does than to have any income from his disablities..I must admit I went off on one which I have yet to live down
Also the form is very vague..does he have help to eat,dress,use the toilet..Its all of the above or he chokes/eats what he reacts to,puts clothes on inside out upside down or just stays naked..and comes home soiled everyday where he has no help at school as he doesn't wipe!! Unfortunately the sence doesn't see this,so will she say no to help with everything??I couldn't put his teacher down as we've had 3 this year and his latest one who started on Wednesday for the new term just left...ho hum..

Zziggi

rls1973 wrote:

yes i have noticed when filling the form in, it seems even more than ever designed to trip you up basically.

also on another forum, someone said that their GP had just written 'no problems' across the form they were asked to submit, when this person saw this and went in and asked them about it, they admitted it was because they didnt know who this patient was, so just wrote that instead because it was easier. so beware, always check out what has been written on these reports if you have any problems with your application, you never know.

This is something similar to what happened to my DH. His GP got a form from the DWP but didn't explain why they wanted the info so the GP fillied it in very vaguely. After being turned down for DLA we got hold of this info from the DLA people prior to appeal. We went back to the GP and asked him about this (especially as the GP had been very supportive and understanding previously). The GP said he didn't know what the forms were for (he thought maybe just to authorise IB) so he was vague. Once we explained what they were for he wrote us a very supportive letter detailing my DH's problems and the GP ALSO write in the letter that he wished to retract the form he wrote because he filled it in wrong because he didn't know why they want the info. BUT when we sent this letter to the DLA people REFUSED TO ACCEPT THE GP'S NEW REPORT. They said he'd just "changed his mind" because of pressure from us (despite them previously having hospital, OT etc etc info all supporting OUR version of his illlness) .:mad: :mad: Actually this was NOT true. SO the moral of the story is they don;t always accept it even if you send updated information!!!

Zziggi

rls1973 wrote:

i have just done this, took 2 months to get a reply: which was, we were to go from high/middle rate down to nothing! dd must be the first know cured case of the condition she has! (sorry, its only being sarcastic and facetious that gets me through it when talking about the department of work and pensions,)
(aka the department of w****** and P***** :rotfl: )

(and any other govt.dept. too come to think of it,lol!)

appealed/complained, found out they had not even contacted the childrens centre at our hospital where dd has had her treatment for most of her life!! :mad:

have got them to write a report about dd, send it myself (do their job for them!)

I just wanted to point something out. The DLA forms ask for info on who you would like them to contact for further information. However the DLA people DO NOT HAVE TO CONTACT THOSE PEOPLE YOU HAVE LISTED. If the DLA people feel they can make a decision on the claim without the info, then they do.

Then when you ask for a reconsideration/appeal they DLA people take the view that it is up to YOU to provide those reports/information to help prove that their original decision was wrong.

My OH in his latest renewal was in this possition. The DLA people contacted no-one (not GP, not consultant, not OT, - NO-ONE!!!) and reduced his award. We contacted them and asked them to write to the GP or consultant or OT as they have all the info. The DLA people refused to do this and stated that it was up to us to get any info as the onus is now on us to prove they were wrong and not that they have to justify their decision (as could be interpreted from them now going to the GP/consultant/OT (and of course having to pay for the reports).


It all boils down to the issue of money and not the issue of making fair decisions on claims....