Support for 18 Year Old Son

SaLoGo

My son is 18 years old and has Autism and Attention Deficit Disorder. He is quite independent but does have some difficulties. He's just finished his 2nd full time year at college and has enrolled on a part time (3 days, 18 hours) course to start in September.

Now that he had 4 spare days a week I thought this may be the ideal time to look for a part time job. (Particularly now the Child Benefit, Tax Credits & Single Person Council Tax Discount are about to end as will his pocket money!) He is very keen to start work and wants to get his own place one day. Is there any support out there to help him into work. We've always done everything on our own and have never really looked at the support that might be available to him, but now I feel kind of lost and have no idea where to start.

Can anyone advise what support might be available please?

DomRavioli

Disability employment advisor at your local job centre - there may not be one at every job centre, but if you pop in, they can usually help you along. You don't have to be in receipt of benefits to see them either.

Does he have a social worker from the LD department? They can usually signpost to local organisations who can help - most large towns and cities have them, a quick google might help? CAB might also have some contacts as well. You don't say where you are apart from South Yorkshire (its quite big!) so I can't help you any more.

Spendless

SaLoGo wrote: »

My son is 18 years old and has Autism and Attention Deficit Disorder. He is quite independent but does have some difficulties. He's just finished his 2nd full time year at college and has enrolled on a part time (3 days, 18 hours) course to start in September.

Now that he had 4 spare days a week I thought this may be the ideal time to look for a part time job. (Particularly now the Child Benefit, Tax Credits & Single Person Council Tax Discount are about to end as will his pocket money!) He is very keen to start work and wants to get his own place one day. Is there any support out there to help him into work. We've always done everything on our own and have never really looked at the support that might be available to him, but now I feel kind of lost and have no idea where to start.

Can anyone advise what support might be available please?

I might be wrong, but I think I've read that the benefits you've listed can continue to be paid upto 'child' being 20. I believe it is to do with the level of course being studied Eg if it's equivalent to a Uni degree, you wouldn't qualify, but in that case the student would be eligible for loans instead. As you don't mention this and talk about college instead, I think it's possible that what you're claiming could continue. Here's a link for what qualifies for CB, where it mentions they must be accepted onto the course before they turn 19

https://www.gov.uk/child-benefit-16-19

Your son can continue to search for a part-time job around his studies even if you are able to continue claiming. I *don't think* this will affect anything you receive, but you can double check (there's a benefits board higher up the forum, if you can't find the relevant info).
https://www.gov.uk/child-benefit-16-19

If I'm correct, it would at least give you some breathing space, between him finding some work and you losing any money that you receive to support him.

SaLoGo

DomRavioli wrote: »

Disability employment advisor at your local job centre - there may not be one at every job centre, but if you pop in, they can usually help you along. You don't have to be in receipt of benefits to see them either.

Does he have a social worker from the LD department? They can usually signpost to local organisations who can help - most large towns and cities have them, a quick google might help? CAB might also have some contacts as well. You don't say where you are apart from South Yorkshire (its quite big!) so I can't help you any more.

We're in Rotherham. He doesn't have a SW but I have contacted the council as someone mentioned that he could have an assessment to see if he qualifies for any support. I'm hoping that even if they can't help they could point us in the right direction. I haven't stepped foot in a JCP in years! Do you need an appointment or could he just pop in? He has just finished college for the summer so has plenty of time on his hands!

Spendless wrote: »

I might be wrong, but I think I've read that the benefits you've listed can continue to be paid upto 'child' being 20. I believe it is to do with the level of course being studied Eg if it's equivalent to a Uni degree, you wouldn't qualify, but in that case the student would be eligible for loans instead. As you don't mention this and talk about college instead, I think it's possible that what you're claiming could continue. Here's a link for what qualifies for CB, where it mentions they must be accepted onto the course before they turn 19

https://www.gov.uk/child-benefit-16-19

Your son can continue to search for a part-time job around his studies even if you are able to continue claiming. I *don't think* this will affect anything you receive, but you can double check (there's a benefits board higher up the forum, if you can't find the relevant info).
https://www.gov.uk/child-benefit-16-19

If I'm correct, it would at least give you some breathing space, between him finding some work and you losing any money that you receive to support him.

Thank you for the links. I didn't realise that we would have the tax credits/child benefit beyond this year, I presumed that they would all stop the summer after his 18th. His course is level 1 so not quite a degree. By the looks of it we will still have the financial support for another year, which would give us some breathing space. It would be great for him to have a part time job while he's doing this part time course to get him used to being in the working world before it becomes necessary!

WeAreGhosts

I got support from Scope when I needed to find work. I can't find the actual programme I was on, but they might have some ideas: http://www.scope.org.uk/

Also the NAS: http://www.autism.org.uk/services/work.aspx

Ames

I don't know how it works in practice but the help Remploy offer (yes, they still exist) sounds fantastic.

SaLoGo

Ames wrote: »

I don't know how it works in practice but the help Remploy offer (yes, they still exist) sounds fantastic.

I had a quick web chat with them but you need a referral from the JCP. Think we may need to take a trip to the Jobcentre

System

What about giving VAR a try , he could try a variety of jobs with support although avoid the stables at Barnsley my daughter had an awful experience with them.
Wilkinsons have a recruitment drive at the moment all areas .