18year old Daughter

kassi

Hi, I posted similar in the benefits forum, but haven't had much of a reply yet!!
My daughter turned 18 a couple of weeks ago and she doesn't attend college or work.
I feel she has social phobia and anxiety, other's may think its lack of confidence and shyness!
I am hoping someone will be able to help with what type of benefits she may be able to claim?
She doesn't go any where without me and has no friends, she would be unable to get a job as she would not be able for an interview!
She attempted college a couple of times in the last 2years aswell as E2E, but found it difficult and they didnt last long...few days.

So any ideas on where we go from here?

Thanks

TheBottomLine_2

Start with your GP, there's loads of help available but you have to start there. Have a look at https://www.bbc.co.uk/headroom for lots of information about mental health and you can learn about social anxiety disorder.

wolfehouse

i agree- all access to mental health help starts with the gp
and if she is willing to admit there is a problem you are on to a winner
they will refer you on to other services (although there may be a long waiting time)

you would need the gp to support any benefit claim in future if needed anyway.

sunnyone

TheBottomLine wrote: »

Start with your GP, there's loads of help available but you have to start there. Have a look at www.bbc.co.uk/headroom for lots of information about mental health and you can learn about social anxiety disorder.

Your post sounds like you are telling the Op to find information and make her daughter fit the diagnosis rather than the correct way round where you are diagnosed first by a doctor, you dont know whats wrong with this girl and nor does anyone else here.

Popping along to the doctors after reading up on disability benefits that a random interner user has said your daughter has is like saying heres a crib list to cheat the system.

I do hope Im wrong but thats the way it sounds to me.

TheBottomLine_2

No no that's not how I meant it at all, perhaps I shouldn't have mentioned the condition I was just trying to help Kassi understand her daughter's problems. I think it's much better to get the help and try to have a 'normal' life than be resigned to a life on benefits.

ramsas

Obviously money is needed to take care of day to day living expenses so i would advise you to either get your daughter to go to the local benefits office and start the ball rolling with regards to claiming the appropriate benefit and also possibly gain some assistance towards getting into employment or a training course.I appreciate the fact that you feel that she has some kind of problem going on which really can only be addressed by a professional,sometimes life becomes difficult when leaving school and it takes you has a parent to do your best to point her in the right direction, the last thing she needs at her age is to become dependent on benefits for the rest of her life and i would do endeavour to get her to attend Connections in your town to see what courses are available to her.should she have confidence issues, getting onto a training course can help her address the issues she is facing and additionally she will be entitled to financial reward for her efforts.Obviously you need to rule out any mental health problem so a trip to the GP will sort things out in that respect.We can only offer general advice has we see it and i personally would try my hardest to gently nudge her along in the right direction,seriously the way i see it is the last thing she needs is a lifetime dependency on disability benefits.I speak from experience in a small way has my daughter is 18 and attending childcare level 3 course,since she left school i have had to encourage and help her on the way but with good end results.It has been hard at times due to my being unwell but i have persisted and encourage you to do the same.Good luck to you and do not despair or give up because it will all fall in place eventually.

kassi

Thank you all for your replies.

I did take her to the GP but I found him quiet dismissive, but I will try again, and change GP if need be.

I don't wish for her to have a life on benefits either, it's just I'm having to work more and more hours to make ends meet which means she is on her own more and more.
I was thinking if she had some money coming in, it would take the pressure of me a little bit.

Her problems have been going on for years so are not a new thing. She was home tutored in her last year of school as she was unable to cope.
We lived out of the country until 2years ago and she did get some help in the other country but nothing that changed things for long.

She has a connections worker, who has tried to help my daughter, but I think she changed her to another worker and my daughter hasn't seen much of this new one. Anything the connections worker had suggested my daughter never followed through.

I and my daughter put in an application online for income support, as that what the benefit checker said she may be entitled too.
So we'll see what happens.

Thanks again for your help

Indie_Kid

She can only get income support if she's a lone parent or a carer. She'll have to apply for employment support allowance (ESA) if she's unable to work.

sunnyone

kassi wrote: »

Thank you all for your replies.

I did take her to the GP but I found him quiet dismissive, but I will try again, and change GP if need be.

I don't wish for her to have a life on benefits either, it's just I'm having to work more and more hours to make ends meet which means she is on her own more and more.
I was thinking if she had some money coming in, it would take the pressure of me a little bit.

Her problems have been going on for years so are not a new thing. She was home tutored in her last year of school as she was unable to cope.
We lived out of the country until 2years ago and she did get some help in the other country but nothing that changed things for long.

She has a connections worker, who has tried to help my daughter, but I think she changed her to another worker and my daughter hasn't seen much of this new one. Anything the connections worker had suggested my daughter never followed through.

I and my daughter put in an application online for income support, as that what the benefit checker said she may be entitled too.
So we'll see what happens.

Thanks again for your help

If shes under connections tax credits can be paid I read somewhere here but I dont know the basics, it might be worth asking on the benefit board about tax credits for an 18 year old whos registed with connections.

Indie_Kid

if she claims benefits, youll lose what you get for her.

idvi

sh1305 wrote: »

if she claims benefits, youll lose what you get for her.

if shes 18 and not in education does the mum get anything for her? :think:


it sounds like she has at least mild mental health problems, but easily they might not be permanent problems - something maybe counselling, cbt or psychotherapy might sort out so she feels able to go out, make friends and work in a year or twos time.

if its more serious maybe she will require medication or ongoing support from the local mental health team.

as everyone has said, gp is the only way to go for a referral for proper help - and if he/she is dismissive, just see another one. you get good and bad gp's.

to start claiming esa, the doctor would need to give her a sick-note for 13 weeks, which might just be for 'depression and anxiety' or something to begin with, a doc can put that on a sick note even if there isnt a proper psychiatrist approved diagnosis.