Disabilities facilities grant - For child

Harry71189

Hi, 

I am looking for advice or similar experiences with applying for DFG for a child please (i.e. not means tested) - sorry this is a bit of an essay!

My daughter is almost 3 and has cerebral palsy. She is on the milder side and is mobile - at home she uses her rollator / a trolley to walk around and has only recently taken 5-6 steps unaided (well with supportive shoes on).

We put in a request for a needs assessment around April 2022 (which from memory was asking for help with a downstairs toilet and help making everything level - we have a step out in to the garden and a big door frame in between lounge and conservatory that she can't get over on her rollator) - as we were planning on starting potty training at the end of the 2022 and understand these things take a long time to be approved especially after covid.

We have been potty training now for 2 months which is going well but speed getting to the potty / speed of her noticing the sensation to go in time is holding her back a little. We are not sure if the latter is related to her disability yet - but as it stands I'm not sure she'll ever be able to make it up the stairs in time. Right now she has no qualms using a potty in the lounge but obviously this will change as she becomes more aware and wants privacy.

Now since putting in the application for a needs assessment in April we have already moved ahead with getting an architect to draw plans and have planning permission and structural calculations in place. No work has started nor have we paid any builders etc.

We eventually had the Occupational therapist come to visit us last week. She was here for around 90 minutes and when she left she said she can see that our daughter does have a need for a downstairs toilet but she didn't seem to think the council would help and said something along the lines of "it sounds like you've got downstairs under control" but that she could look at ordering a platform for the toilet upstairs (in the family bathroom). 

The works that we are planning are to replace the conservatory with an extension of the same size and then adding a small 1.4m side extension across our driveway to accommodate a downstairs toilet - so it'll be a wraparound extension. 

We are obviously not expecting them to pay towards the conservatory/extension as this isn't solely for Megan's benefit (although will remove the threshold between rooms and allow her step free access to the garden) - but the impression I got from the OT was that they wouldn't be able to help with anything? Surely if she has confirmed a need for a toilet then there would at least be a contribution beyond paying for the actual toilet itself?

She didn't make any suggestions at the time of where she thinks a toilet could go if not for the side extension - there is no room under the stairs for example as the boiler etc are in there.

She said that she would speak to her supervisor and get back to us - but I was just wondering in the meantime if that sounds right? 

Harriet

poppy123456

A DFG is not guaranteed. You should also be aware that if the work is started before it's agreed then you could be refused.

Harry71189

Hi, thanks for your reply. I know it's not guaranteed - but as she has identified a need for a downstairs toilet plus she is a child so it is not means tested, I don't see how any help would be refused?

And I'm aware once work is started they won't help -but as stated no work has started nor have we paid any deposits or anything to secure a builder.