accommodation problems

Hello,

My 19 year old son is currently in residential care.  The care is classed as 'supported living' for individuals who have mental health problems.   He has been at the home for about a year.   

This wee I was told that the managers of the home did not think the placement was suitable for him.  They feel he  needs more specialised care.  Currently he has meltdowns, self harms and dresses inappropriately for the weather.  Things came to a head a bit last week when he got a bit upset and rode off dangerously on his bike.

My son is a good deal younger than the other residents in the home, and his profile is a little different.  He needs prompting and he loves to talk, but he also finds the group work that forms the core or the therapy in the home, difficult to manage.  He has a diagnosis of Asperger syndrome and is being assessed for psychosis, but his assessment is inconclusive.

The problem is, he rejects anything to do with autism and I am afraid that he will reject any alternative provision on the basis that it is too 'specialised'.  He cannot come home due to problems I have mentioned on previous posts and he cannot live independently.

I just feel a bit stuck.  Has anyone any ideas?

Thanks

Parents
  • Is there a possibility of him having a care worker or someone who can visit him daily / a few times a week, to work with him? I've heard that PIP can be used to pay for private carers but I'm not sure how all of that works - anyone ?? A carer could help with prompting re. the activities he finds difficult and also advocate for him on the days when group activities become too much for him.  

    Does your son have a case worker or someone who worked on his behalf during his application for supported accommodation? If so, this person should have knowledge of his Asperger's diagnosis and it may be worth involving them again in trying to reach a compromise with the home's staff re. group work / therapy which would seem counter-intuitive to your son's diagnosis. Not that your son CAN'T take part in group work at all, of course, but for there to be some leeway, taking into account that there will be times he finds this more difficult to do than others. Perhaps an agreement that he need only take part in some, rather than all, of these activities?   

Reply
  • Is there a possibility of him having a care worker or someone who can visit him daily / a few times a week, to work with him? I've heard that PIP can be used to pay for private carers but I'm not sure how all of that works - anyone ?? A carer could help with prompting re. the activities he finds difficult and also advocate for him on the days when group activities become too much for him.  

    Does your son have a case worker or someone who worked on his behalf during his application for supported accommodation? If so, this person should have knowledge of his Asperger's diagnosis and it may be worth involving them again in trying to reach a compromise with the home's staff re. group work / therapy which would seem counter-intuitive to your son's diagnosis. Not that your son CAN'T take part in group work at all, of course, but for there to be some leeway, taking into account that there will be times he finds this more difficult to do than others. Perhaps an agreement that he need only take part in some, rather than all, of these activities?   

Children
  • Thank you for the reply.  I also feel that it would be better for everyone if my son had additional support in the accommodation that he already has.  It was incredibly difficult to find any accommodation for him and, despite his problems, my son has made one or two friends at his home and gets on well with the staff.  he also is tentatively starting voluntary work and college in the local area.

    However, the home say it is 'against their ethos' and their 'open door policy' to provide the high level of support that my son needs.  They also stress that he has taken some serious risks.

    I feel the home are wrong to take this stance, but I also feel a little impotent.