Lack of support from social services - what now?

Indie_Kid

This will be long. I apologise:

Registered partially sighted in 2007 and was told that someone from SS would come out to explain what happens next and what I would be entitled to.

This happened and I was offered no assessment or any form of help.

As time went on, my sight has become worse. I have no depth perception and my colour vision is becoming worse and worse.

I contacted social services a few years later due to the above. All I was given was a mobility cane, some advice on the steps outside and about 30 minutes of mobility cane training.

Diagnosed with Autism last year and was told to get an assessment from social servies which took some time to sort out. The first lady I saw, said I need help with relationships. Without going into too much detail, it's to do with inappropriate behaviour towards others. I am still waiting for this.

I was then seen by someone else who was meant to be helping me with dily living skills. It was clear she didn't understand my needs. For example:
- she thought it was ok to force me to deal with loads of strangers
- she thought it was ok to take me somewhere noisy

I refused to attend one of the groups on the basis that there were too many people there. She then decided to discuss my personal financial in front of everyone.:mad:

The subject of housing came up and she helped me fill in a form. I was put into band D, which means I have some housing needs; but am not a priority. She said it's because I have somewhere to live. Therefore, am not in need of housing. My parents house is unsuitable for me now.

The subject of work came up. She told me I must get a job. DWP have found me unfit for work and have put me into the support group. Just how can I work when I'm constantly ill, can't deal with strange people, can't deal with noise of a lot of light and am in constant pain? If I was to work, the adjustments I need are unreasonable. When I had a temporary job with MDEC, I was much better health wise and they did go out of their way to ensure I could do my job. Back then, it was only needing an extra break every hour and needing the computer set up changed slightly.

Anyway, I then asked if my support worker could come to a meeting with me at college. (I don't express myself well and often get misunderstood) It turned into her and another woman (who is disability support; but is clueless about disabilities:mad:) telling me I don't have Autism, it's just anxiety and I just need to go to Mind to get some counselling. Needless to say, I was quite !!!!ed off that 2 people who hardly knew me, claimed they knew more than my parents, who claimed it was clear from at least the age of 12 that I probably do have Autism.

After this, I was then passed on to someone else. She sent me a text asking when we could meet up. I gave a date and received no reply. I then received on the morning of the appointment, telling me I have an appointment in 25 minutes.:mad: Call me unreasonable here; but I need at least 24 hours notice. 25 minutes simply isn't enough time to catch a bus into town.

After this, SS refused to work with me.

A few months later I contacted SS again and was put in touch with someone else. Around this time, I started to become really ill. I was given an appointment and said I couldn't make. I was asked if there was any public transport I could get. I said no. I don't know that area at all. I had a vague idea in which area of Plymouth it was. But wouldn't be able to plan the journey to get there.

I was told I need to identify my own care needs - something I am unable to do.

I got a reply regarding the appointment I couldn't make and was told it was cancelled and that SS would only work with me once I've moved out. But if I haven't learnt any living skills (budgetting, cooking, etc) how can I move out? My parents aren't really in a situation to help me due to the hours they work.

What are my options now? I urgently need to move out due to the house being unsuitable; (which a disabled facilities grant is very unlikely to solve) but no-one is willing to help me.

notanewuser

In what way is the house unsuitable?

Triker

sh1305 wrote: »

This will be long. I apologise:

Registered partially sighted in 2007 and was told that someone from SS would come out to explain what happens next and what I would be entitled to.

This happened and I was offered no assessment or any form of help.

As time went on, my sight has become worse. I have no depth perception and my colour vision is becoming worse and worse.

I contacted social services a few years later due to the above. All I was given was a mobility cane, some advice on the steps outside and about 30 minutes of mobility cane training.

Diagnosed with Autism last year and was told to get an assessment from social servies which took some time to sort out. The first lady I saw, said I need help with relationships. Without going into too much detail, it's to do with inappropriate behaviour towards others. I am still waiting for this.

I was then seen by someone else who was meant to be helping me with dily living skills. It was clear she didn't understand my needs. For example:
- she thought it was ok to force me to deal with loads of strangers
- she thought it was ok to take me somewhere noisy

I refused to attend one of the groups on the basis that there were too many people there. She then decided to discuss my personal financial in front of everyone.:mad:

What are my options now? I urgently need to move out due to the house being unsuitable; (which a disabled facilities grant is very unlikely to solve) but no-one is willing to help me.

Maybe this has something to do with some of the issues you're experiencing?Its very difficult to work and put in services for people who have unrealistic expectations regarding what is actually available and how fast things move.

Indie_Kid

notanewuser wrote: »

In what way is the house unsuitable?

Steps to the house. I struggle to go down them now. Parents did paint stripes on them, as suggested. But this makes little difference.

Indie_Kid

Triker wrote: »

Maybe this has something to do with some of the issues you're experiencing?Its very difficult to work and put in services for people who have unrealistic expectations regarding what is actually available and how fast things move.

It's nothing to do with that. Hardly reasonable to expect help, is it?

notanewuser

sh1305 wrote: »

Steps to the house. I struggle to go down them now. Parents did paint stripes on them, as suggested. But this makes little difference.

Can they not be modified in some way? Add a ramp or whatever?

nannytone_2

social services cant make your life 'liveable', you have to meet them at least halfway.
they dont just appear and solve all your problems.

i am very lucky. i live in an area of the country that has not only refused to make cuts to social care budgets... it has actually increased them.


i am blind and have aspergers. i also have a PA funded by social services.
that doesnt mean i can sit back and hace no responsibilty for the events in my life, in fact it is the opposite.
i strive harder because now i feel responsible for someone elses liv;ihood!

i live alone, but social services probably feel, that while you live with parents, most of your day to day needs are being met.
try writing things down rather than confronting people.
issues can then be sealt with clearly and calmly

Indie_Kid

notanewuser wrote: »

Can they not be modified in some way? Add a ramp or whatever?

I don't think we have enough room to do that. A handrail was suggested. But again, there's no room.

Just because I live with others, doesn't mean my needs are being met. Both parents work full time and can't really help with everything I need.

nannytone_2

i do understand the needs of the blind/partially sighted.

the steps in and around your home are not going to move!
once you learn the layout, there shouldnt be an issue.
when i lived in a property with stairs, i regularly walked about without any lights at all because i was so familiar with the layout.
my ex partner needed to turn lights on.

i deel you are making issues where they may not exist.

no amount of funding will restore your sight and so you need to learn to adapt

Indie_Kid

nannytone wrote: »

i do understand the needs of the blind/partially sighted.

the steps in and around your home are not going to move!
once you learn the layout, there shouldnt be an issue.
when i lived in a property with stairs, i regularly walked about without any lights at all because i was so familiar with the layout.
my ex partner needed to turn lights on.

i deel you are making issues where they may not exist.

no amount of funding will restore your sight and so you need to learn to adapt

You clearly don't understand the needs of blind and partially sighted people. My sight problems are far more complicated than having poor vision. It's nothing to do with learning the layout. I see you missed the part where my colour vision and depth perception are pretty much non existent now?

I learnt the layout years ago. Doesn't stop me from falling down the steps at all.

You understand your needs - no-one else's.

None of you know my needs; so stop acting as though you do. Just be ause I haven't mentioned it, doesn't mean I don't have a certain issue.

jacques_chirac

nannytone wrote: »

i do understand the needs of the blind/partially sighted.

the steps in and around your home are not going to move!
once you learn the layout, there shouldnt be an issue.
when i lived in a property with stairs, i regularly walked about without any lights at all because i was so familiar with the layout.
my ex partner needed to turn lights on.

i deel you are making issues where they may not exist.

no amount of funding will restore your sight and so you need to learn to adapt

All advice which you could take yourself, but instead you choose to rely on someone else. What makes you so different from the OP?