Useless Carers Assessment! — Scope | Disability forum
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Useless Carers Assessment!

kiwi_1706
kiwi_1706 Community member Posts: 28 Connected
Any advice please?
After three years of trying to secure a social services assessment for my two disabled children, and more years before that of trying to get my husband's needs assessed, as well as my own.... I finally sent in a formal complaint, and we were all assessed. I thought we were finally getting somewhere.
They have come back with two hours of direct payments per week for each child, so I can take them to activities, which only lasts for six months. A request for me to complete a housing application for my husband to move out and live separately, because he's not coping in our current home. And I, apparently, don't need any more than the two hours of direct payments to help me to care for three people, and run two homes, bearing in mind the difficulties around supporting my PDA husband remotely. No respite. No consideration of all the extra work they have just given me (taking kids to activities, completing housing applications, meetings to arrange the housing etc etc). 
And, there was even a question about whether I felt I needed an assessment of my own needs as a disabled person, because I have fibromyalgia, but I am sure they already know I wouldn't meet their thresholds, and that any issues I am having are because I have had to give up on my career, and my own health to care for my family. I am furious at the inference that I would be coping with this situation fine, if only I wasn't disabled! 
Oh and I should mention that we currently live on a boat, because my husband wasn't coping in our last house, and thought he'd be better here... so when he leaves I will have a whole raft of heavy, practical jobs that he has been doing, to add to my existing workload. 

I would like some advice/suggestions before I respond. I feel like telling them I won't be able to care for my husband once he moves out, but make it clear that I will still advocate for the provision of his care, so they know I will be a complete pain in their arses! Not sure yet, if that's something I'm actually prepared to do...

Comments

  • Namaa_Alumni
    Namaa_Alumni Community member Posts: 34 Connected
    Hi @kiwi_1706

    Good morning, I trust you are well this morning, 

    I am not sure if you want advice on getting more care for your children or on getting support to care for your husband or both. I assume both. 

    I totally agree with you that you should challenge your family's care needs assessment, if the care provisions fall short of your and your family's needs.  

    Your local authority cannot say it’s their policy to refuse to provide a certain type of care or to limit support.

    It could be unlawful for your council to say that because of their policy, they cannot give you more than 8 hours of care a week or overnight care.

    The prescribed 2 hours a week offer is unreasonable and it could be unlawful too. 

    You can challenge your family's care needs assessment, by
    1- Making a formal complaint
    2- Asking for an independent review 
    3- Complaining to local government Ombudsman

    We have some excellent advice on challenging your family's care needs assessment on our website. 

    Challenging your social care needs assessment

    If all of making a formal complaint, asking for an independent review and complaining to local government Ombudsman do not work, then I suggest you get free legal help on how to take the matter further and to ensure that you get your family the care they need. 

    We also have good advice on how to get legal help on our website. 

    Finding legal help 

    I encourage you to take a look at our advice on working with PA's, managing PA's and employing PA's. You can find a wealth of information on our website too. 

    Personal Assistants 

    On finding extra support for your children's needs, one of the best places out what support is available for your children is the Local Offer Section of your local authority website. 


    The Local Offer should also give you information about what respite care and short breaks are available to you as a family and tell you what funding you can get for this.

    Please contact your local authority to find out more about your local offer. 

    Contact your local authority

    We have some good advice on finding a carer and funding the care needs of your family on our website, please do take a look. 

    Finding a carer for your child  

    Grants and other sources of money and funding 

    And yes, I agree that you need respite care.

    Please take a look at our respite care advice on our website.

    Respite care 

    I hope you can find the right advice and information to help you get the care your family needs and deserves. 

    Please take care. 

    All the Best 

    Namaa 

  • kiwi_1706
    kiwi_1706 Community member Posts: 28 Connected
    Thank you Namaa. They seem to be thinking about doing something now, so we'll see how things progress after Christmas. It's all been a part of one complaint at the moment, and they have increased the support for the kids (albeit temporary), and my husband... but at my expense really (I now have more work to take the kids to the activities they've funded, I have a lot of extra work to support my husband through being rehoused, and then I will have to run both households, etc)... I wonder whether I would have to put in a separate complaint just about my own support before complaining to the Ombudsman, but I will deal with that after Christmas sometime. Thanks again.
  • Namaa_Alumni
    Namaa_Alumni Community member Posts: 34 Connected
    @kiwi_1706

    You're welcome, 

    I had to deal with social services for 5 years when caring for my dad and it's not easy. I ended up doing most of the work and that was not easy either.

    I wish I knew then what I know now and had taken them to the Ombudsman. 

    I agree with you, that you need to submit 2 separate complaints, only because you don't want to give them an excuse to say that they didn't know whether  the complaint concerned child care services or adult care services. 

    Always seek legal help and tell then that you did on your letter. Cc the social care services too. 

    I hope you get the care your family needs, and most of all, please take care of yourself. 

    Wishing you all the best, and a very Merry Christmas. 

  • Chloe_Scope
    Chloe_Scope Posts: 10,586 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @kiwi_1706, I'm so sorry to hear this. I really hope you are able to get it resolved. 

    Thank you @Namaa_Scope for the great advice!

    Wishing you all a Merry Christmas. :)
    Scope

  • Namaa_Alumni
    Namaa_Alumni Community member Posts: 34 Connected
    Thank you @Chloe_Scope for all your support and encouragement. 

    And I wish you a fantastic Christmas and a the best new year ever.  

Brightness