Assitance with funding for a child with additional educational needs

stiltwalker

Some very good points there daska. Social services are seen mainly as the big nasty but they do also have some very positive services - although they are so stretched you really have to be struggling to get any involvement. We asked them to do a disabled child assessment for DD which they did, acknowledged her level of need and the support she was already receiving and gave us a huge pat on the back for our fantastic parenting, but they couldn't offer us any additional services 'at this point' but 'don't be put of from coming back to us in about 18 months/2 years as the early years support drops away we will be able to offer more!' Well I'll believe that when it happens but in the meantime it's quite nice to have a report from SS saying what a wonderful child she is, how well she copes and praising our parenting skills! to read when I'm having a doubting day.

The Dads point is another good one, it must have taken my OH a good 6-12 months longer than me to accept that this was not just going away. I suspect he still thinks (on the quiet) that once she finally does get the hang of walking that lots of other stuff will just 'go away'. He's also still planning years off when I have times when I don't look much further than next month but I guess that's just his nature.

As for statementing, we're just at the start of that process and we have been signposted to parent partnership for help and support. They are independent of the LA and there are co-ordinators for every area , just google them and find your local one. We've been referred by early years but you can self refer no problem.

kingfisherblue

You can contact your local Parent Partnership through your council - they will help with statements and with many other aspects of childhood disability and schooling (eg, making a reasonable adjustment so that a child can access their school - this can be as simple as allowing a parent to park on the staff car park rather than finding a place to park int he surrounding streets).

Jamie_Carter

kingfisherblue wrote: »

DLA is for care and/or mobility needs, so it is not always appropriate for children with a learning need. For example, my nephew has severe dyslexia. He has no care or mobility needs and is not entitled to DLA, but he does need additional support in school. His parents bought him a laptop, as his primary school assessed him as needing one, but his secondary school has put different support in place for him.

I'm afraid you don't understand the system properly. My son is autistic, and doesn't have any mobility needs at all. But he gets DLA.

Jamie_Carter

kezlou wrote: »

Its hard though to claim for DLA as the process is very tedious, laborious and puts extreme pressure on the child especially when they assessing. This instantly puts me off.

I keep being told by everyone i should claim DLA as my son is on the autistic spectrum so he should easily be granted it. But then i hear other stories where the child is put through rigorous assessment. To be honest if my 8 year old had to go through that he would have a mental and physical breakdown. Something i'm trying to my hardest to stop him from having to experience especially at such a young age.

kingfisherblue - exactly my son has no mobility problems and attends mainstream school. He does know have issues and has complex needs and needs additional support in school.

this is also one of the reasons why i do not think my son would qualify for DLA.

Its so hard to decide which path is the right way to go. you have my sympathies kingfisher. hope you get something sorted out.

You must realise that the people doing the assessments are used to dealing with special needs children. And your son probably won't even know that he is being assessed. So don't worry about the horror stories, as many are just that...stories.

Jamie_Carter

kingfisherblue wrote: »

unfortunately some advisors do suggest this, but if you do fill in a form on this basis (or sign a form that someone has filled in on your behalf), it can be classed as benefit fraud. the forms clearly state that you should use an average day when filling them in. By using the worst times only, you are saying that your child needs that level of care all the time, which is blatantly untrue if you have only used worst case details.

Instead, you should put something along the lines of 'X needs this help most days. However, on worse days he needs additional help in this way, and on the worst days, he needs extra help in this way. Worse days occur around two times a week, and the worst days once a week' - or whatever the timescale is.

DLA can contact doctors and other professionals for further information - imagine if they give a totally different story because you have put down the worst times only. Also, the decision makers do have guides to use when making their decisions, so they can often see if a claim has been exagerrated. (I can't spell that word :mad:)

If you have only put worst days down on the form, you can be found to have supplied fraudulent details and could be prosecuted. It wouldn't be the person filling in the forms that would face this, it is the person who has signed the forms to state that the information given is correct.

With variable needs, a diary kept for a month beforehand is a good idea to send in as evidence.

Please stop giving the OP wrong information.

AS long as they fill the form in honestly, then they have nothing to worry about.

It's people like you who put the OP off going for what they are entitled to in the first place. :mad:

kingfisherblue

Jamie_Carter wrote: »

Please stop giving the OP wrong information.

AS long as they fill the form in honestly, then they have nothing to worry about.

It's people like you who put the OP off going for what they are entitled to in the first place. :mad:

I am not giving the wrong information - filling in the form honestly is what I advised, and I agree that there is nothing to worry about in that case.

However, filling in the form about worst days only is fraudulent.

kingfisherblue

Jamie_Carter wrote: »

I'm afraid you don't understand the system properly. My son is autistic, and doesn't have any mobility needs at all. But he gets DLA.

I do understand the system thank you.

Mobility can be paid at the lower rate for children if they need guidance and supervision above that of a child of a similar age - this includes children with autism. I know of several families with an autistic child who receive low rate mobility for their child.

Mobility can be paid at the higher rate mainly for physical disabilities, but also for someone who receives high rate care, and who is severely mentally impaired and has very dangerous and disruptive behavioural problems. I know of two families who receive HRM because of this, and both children have autism.

This link may be helpful to you:

http://www.autism.org.uk/living-with-autism/benefits-and-community-care/disability-living-allowance/dla-high-rate-mobility-for-children-with-asd/dla-high-rate-mobility-the-law.aspx

ETA: another link:
http://www.cerebra.org.uk/English/getinformation/finance/Pages/DisabilityLivingAllowance.aspx

Part 5 on this link:

http://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/f23.htm

kingfisherblue

Jamie Carter, you might also find this publication useful:

http://www.cafamily.org.uk/pdfs/DisabilityLivingAllowanceLearningDisabilities.pdf

Incidentally, you didn't say whether your child gets care or mobility components of DLA, or both. If he gets mobility, but you genuinely believe that he doesn't have any mobility needs, then you should inform the DWP that you are receiving an incorrect benefit. Having said that, the DWP would only award DLA on information supplied by the parent/carer, and sometimes by doctors, teachers, and other professionals.

I'd also like to add that I am keen for anyone to claim DLA - adult or child - if they have care and/or mobility needs. I just don't like people exaggerating their needs on the forms, as this is dishonest.

lolly_896

kingfisherblue wrote: »

I do understand the system thank you.

Mobility can be paid at the lower rate for children if they need guidance and supervision above that of a child of a similar age - this includes children with autism. I know of several families with an autistic child who receive low rate mobility for their child.

Mobility can be paid at the higher rate mainly for physical disabilities, but also for someone who receives high rate care, and who is severely mentally impaired and has very dangerous and disruptive behavioural problems. I know of two families who receive HRM because of this, and both children have autism.

This link may be helpful to you:

http://www.autism.org.uk/living-with-autism/benefits-and-community-care/disability-living-allowance/dla-high-rate-mobility-for-children-with-asd/dla-high-rate-mobility-the-law.aspx

ETA: another link:
http://www.cerebra.org.uk/English/getinformation/finance/Pages/DisabilityLivingAllowance.aspx

Part 5 on this link:

http://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/f23.htm

BUT mobility isnt the only component!!

shegirl

My son gets high rate mobility too,along with high rate care.
With regards to social services and the childrens disability team,you do not have to be 'really struggling' to get anything from them.The help does tend to lean towards those with higher care needs but you do not have to be 'really struggling'.Those of us with use of the respite centre down here through social services have it because of severity,so our kids can have their own time safely,so we can have a break.'really struggling' doesn't come into it-there is a difference between really struggling and a break being beneficial to the parent and child.For what it's worth to the poster who state they were told how well they're doing,well I get that too and they are often amazed at my coping skills,but I still have respite and can access other services for the benefit of my son- nothing to do with 'really struggling',for his benefit to give him a life!

If you do ever have an interest they can do carersassessments,provide or point you in the direction of activities and workers to enable your child to take part in things they otherwise wouldn't and to do so independent from you (important for them),they can also provide information on funding and many other things.They're not big bad people and it's not child protection.

kingfisherblue wrote: »

I do understand the system thank you.

Mobility can be paid at the lower rate for children if they need guidance and supervision above that of a child of a similar age - this includes children with autism. I know of several families with an autistic child who receive low rate mobility for their child.

Mobility can be paid at the higher rate mainly for physical disabilities, but also for someone who receives high rate care, and who is severely mentally impaired and has very dangerous and disruptive behavioural problems. I know of two families who receive HRM because of this, and both children have autism.

This link may be helpful to you:

http://www.autism.org.uk/living-with-autism/benefits-and-community-care/disability-living-allowance/dla-high-rate-mobility-for-children-with-asd/dla-high-rate-mobility-the-law.aspx

ETA: another link:
http://www.cerebra.org.uk/English/getinformation/finance/Pages/DisabilityLivingAllowance.aspx

Part 5 on this link:

http://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/f23.htm