Anyone Have Experience With The Scottish Social Care System?

cozyplants

I'm going to try to keep this as short as I can. For some back story: when I was 15, I moved to Scotland from England with my parents. My pre-existing mental and physical health problems got worse in the year leading up to us moving and we ended up homeless for a while, which obviously made things worse. When we finally found a place to live in the Highlands, my mental health was very bad and I was in hospital constantly for really serious events. Eventually social services saw myself and my family in hospital and they convinced us (mostly though lying and being unethical but that's a different issue) to agree to a Section 25 voluntary agreement to be looked after in a childrens home. I spent about a year in care but when my most recent placement became detrimental to my mental health, I refused to go back and gave notice that I was moving back with my parents,

This was ultimately the best decison. But when I was in care, my physcial health was amazing, it was just my mental health that was a huge concern. Now I've come home, my physical health has deteriorated after nearly dying from sepsis because that previous childrens home didn't believe how sick I was. I'm now back to when I was at 14, in a wheelchair and barely taking care of myself.

My problem is that my social worker is leaving soon. Because my mental health is good, and I'm not in care, she said she's not needed. When I've mentioned my physcial health problems and asked about seeing an OT, getting carers etc she has said that social services don't do that. I know for a fact that social services help with things like that! I'm 17 and by guidelines they should've started to transition me to adult services, but instead they are just leaving me. With nothing. I don't even get any help from doctors.

I'm looking at info about self directed support, seeing an OT etc. But I'm sure social services can't just leave me?? My needs have changed a lot since they got involved, but just because it's a different issue doesn't mean they can't help me, right? It's like they're trying to say that they'll only be involved if I'm in a children's home, which is rediculous and I'm too old to be placed in child care services even if I need it now!

I'm sorry this was so long. I've missed out more than half the info already. But I guess I'm asking; what support can social services offer me, and how doI find out how to access it if they don't tell me what I'm entitled to?

Ross_Alumni

Hello @cozyplants

Thanks for posting, sorry to hear you're struggling with this and that you aren't receiving the support you need.

I am uncertain of exactly where you stand in terms of what your local authority's social care team should provide you in Scotland, and I'm sorry to hear that you feel as though you've been abandoned by them. Have you considered contacting the care inspectorate about your concerns to see if they can advise?

I would suggest speaking with your GP but you say they aren't offering you much help at all, have you considered referring yourself to a new GP?

cozyplants

Hi @Ross_Scope

Thanks so much for your reply! I actually got a call from my social worker today to discuss support, after she read an email my dad and I sent to various people regarding my health and lack of support. I'm not keeping my hopes too high, but this seems like a step in the right direction.

If this doesn't go anywhere, I'll think about contacting the care inspectorate, however I don't have much faith in them after being in contact with them before. I'll keep it in mind though, thank you.

It's my GP practice in general that are not helping, but living in such a rural area means I don't have much choice. I also think that it would complicate things if I referred myself somewhere new. But I did have a positive appointment with one of the doctors there that is reffering me to neurology, so I will be asking to see him again in the future. Hopefully he is more understanding than other docs I've seen.

Thanks for your help

Tori_Scope

That sounds positive @cozyplants It does seem as though that's a step in the right direction. 

Sometimes it's a case of finding a doctor that's more understanding who'll be a bit more proactive, so fingers crossed he'll continue to be of help. Good luck with the neurology referral!