Nightmare

[helenrw200]

I think I'm stuck in the middle of a nightmare !

My youngest son who is diagnosed with an ASD is wanting to go to UNi this year. As a disabled student he should receive extra funding and support, you'd think this would be straightforward wouldn't you ? Wrong !

He was diagnosed at age 10 , everyone I've spoken to wants a recent diagnosis, the child and adult mental health service in Coventry won't give one unless he goes through all the tests again. Now autism is not something you grow out of , so why should he have to be subjected to it all again ?

I have about a million pieces of paper relating to his SEN's and diagnosis , but can I find the current SEN ? Nope.

He's set on UNI but is incapable of sorting things for himself, and I'm about to murder somebody in authority !!!!!!!!

Helen ( sorry just needed to vent )

[Bothered & Bewildered]

Dear Helen,

What a nightmare!! In Spain we have different national and regional associations who look after the welfare of disabled persons, so when a parent is faced with a hurdle like yours, they have the legal and financial resources to act in the person's best interest. I found contact information of a similar organisation in the UK. They might be able to intervene on your son's behalf or offer some kind of help in dealing with health services.

The National Autistic Society
393 City Road
London EC1V 1NE
44 (0)20 7833 2299
Fax 44 (0)20 7833 9666
nas@nas.org.uk
http://www.nas.org.uk/

Check out this link: http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=941&a=9986


I'm here for anything you need. Just let me know how I can help.

Love, BBB

XXX

[helenrw200]

Hi BBB and thanks

Yes we have had help in the past from the NAS and we do have a good autism support team in Coventry, but things are not being helped by the amount of red tape that nobody seems able to cut through . Of course they assume that young adults ( he's 17 ) are mentally able to manage student loans and grants, but my son has the mental and emotional age of a 12 year old, even his disability benefits have to be paid in my name, and all of a sudden he's expected to cope with form filling and managing budgets etc.

Mind you it would be a really big help if he'd make his mind up about which UNI he wants to go to ! I have to set up support systems for him and I can't do that until he chooses, something he keeps putting off. It is hard enough understanding the UCAS points system over here without also being bombarded with forms and having to attend countless assessments .

Between my son, the local council, and the student finance body I am being driven slowly mad lol.Now I know how a dog feels when he's chasing his tail....

[1cor13v13]

Helen

Have you tried his last/previous school? They are used to giving references and will keep information about past pupils with statements etc on file. It might be a useful avenue to pursue. They should not charge you either.

[helenrw200]

Yes the school are happy to pass on information, my son is still there until he finishes his A levels in June, but that's not good enough for the LA , they want a recent dx and it has to have been done in the last year . According to reports I've heard the government are throwing money at disabled students, wanting to get them into UNI, but when you actually try to get any help, the whole thing goes down the pan.

So far I've been told he is entitled to

A laptop, because he has dyspraxia and struggles to write legibly along with cost free internet to access lecture notes online.

A maintenance grant to help with housing costs as the UNI he will be attending ( hopefully ) do not allow disabled students to take part time work during the semester.

Disabled students grant to pay for any extra care he may need during lectures.

None of the above are means tested and are grants not loans

And of course a student loan, which is both means tested and repayable.

The problem is you have to start with the student loan, which can't be done until March 5th, he has to accept accomodation by end of April, even though he doesn't have to make a final choice until May. He is going to need a fair amount of support in his first year and I can't do any of that until the rest is sorted. And to top it off, he now doesn't know which UNI he wants as he's had 4 offers. Sigh.

[winnie]

My nightmare is just that my son,also was diagnosed at age 10 with high functioning autism. I tried to get financial help for him through our local SS adminisistration and he didn't qualify for benifits due to our income level and he turns 18 in 3 weeks so they told me to come back then. he has low social skills and doesn't understand what working and earning a living is all about.I comend you for trying to help get your son a good education. My sons writing skills are very poor and in my state and county they don't have the resourses to help. i didn't even get funding for a laptop so he is a little behind. the only thing they offfered was extra time for him on testing in which was not much help. sounds like they offer more than I'm getting from our county so good luck. for you and your son.Autisim is a growing problem and I believe many school systems are not addressing the issues of this type of disability. I'll soon find out how far our state will go to help my son financially . some of our programs are based from county funding. good luck to you.