Paper Based Assessment

MissKitty1973

Hi all I am wondering if anyone can advise, yesterday I got woken up with a private number on my mobile and a female on the other end introduced herself as a nurse from DWP and would I be able to clarify one question I am my son's appointee as my son is 16 and is tranferring over from DLA to PIP, he has complex neurodevelopmental disorders as well as suffering from high levels of anxiety. She stated she just needed to ask one question as she had enough information from "the very detailed application form" her words not mine and the evidence provided which included my son's EHCP to be able to make a paper based assessment.  The only question she wanted to know was that due to my son's anxiety is he able to leave the home, to be honest I was awoken up and not very prepared I also have diabetes so I kind of rambled but I answered that with a vast amount of support, encouragement, prompting and reminding he is able to leave the home but it takes a great deal of time to get to that point and he only leaves the home with an adult supporting him, I did mention that in anticipation of needing to leave the home, he constantly feels he needs to toilet and that he requires to know constantly before we leave how long is the journey, is he going to be out long, why do we need to go out etc etc I did state that if left to his own choice he wouldn't leave the home without support, I feel I have messed up his application as I didn't state he needs accompanying because he has no awareness of danger although that has already been discussed in his application.  My hubby thinks I am overthinking it all as I had the phone on speaker phone and he stated she only wanted to know the details if he can leave the home or not  and not about how he is once he is out if that makes sense.  I also mentioned that whilst out we do have to take a spare set of clothing as he can vomit and we frequently have to pull over because the journey due to his anxiety can get too much for him.  To be honest she didn't really even state which question she wanted clarification on only basically asking can he leave the home or not.  The only thing which concerns me is that I asked her what evidence she is using to inform her decision and she stated his care plan, and I think his application form and I think she stated the additional information I sent in.  His EHCP does not go into detail about danger awareness etc although it does state he needs prompts, reminders to carry out activities of daily living, such as eating/drinking, getting dressed, showering with a vast amount of information in relation to his speech and language disorder and communication difficulties, his anxiety, sensory difficulties etc etc and that he is working academically at Keystage 1-Keystage 2.  

poppy123456

That was quite difficult to read due to know paragraphs but i'll do my best to answer your questions.

They would have been referring to activity 1E following and planning a journey. If he's unable to go out the majority of time, even with another person then it will be this descriptor he should score points for. This would be 10 points and standard mobility. Those that satisfy 1E can't satisfy 1F.

Just so that you're aware, it's likely to have been the assessor that rang you and not DWP. The assessor doesn't make decisions. They write the report, return it to DWP and then a decision maker will make the final decision.

Once the report is written and returned a decision can take up to 12 weeks. If successfully awarded the PIP will start about 7 weeks after the decision is made.