Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi, My daughter is 16 and has only just received a diagnosis, last week. My family and I have been struggling along trying to get someone to listen to us all this time. She has been through the CAMHS 4 times and after about a year of various therapies and parenting classes we are quite relieved that someone has finally listened to us. Our daughter has quite violent meltdowns and has been through a few schools as well as being in a small amount of trouble with the police. Could anyone offer us any advice on what steps we could take next please?
I can understand the relief those caring for a loved one with autism feel when you finally get a diagnosis.
There will be others on this forum who will relate better to your daughter's specific problems and age for advice as I presume she has attended normal schools, and can communicate, but may not understand everything said to her.
You will need help from others such as CAB to try and get somebody who knows what the school should do to help you, to go with you to any meeting you attend.
Other wise the school will be an expert to save money and you will be a novice.
I suggest that you write, keep filed copies of all documentation and calls relating to your daughter, to arrange a meeting with your school's head teacher and let them know that your daughter has a now obvious documented handicap and how will they accommodate her.
Make notes during any meeting, they may help you when you write down about any decisions later.
You don't say about any caring duties you have become locked into, because of your daughter's problems. I attended a "Carers UK" meeting for my locality yesterday, They may be able to coordinate help with forms etc. and other contacts applicable to your daughter's needs.
Then obviously you should perhaps firstly, contact your GP to discuss perhaps your daughter seeing a specialist doctor.
Also to see what other help can be obtained from your local authority.
You should make contact with your local authority social services and see if they can help.
Always ask for the name ( or reference Number) of any official you speak to and date and time etc. Even asking them to spell it out if unclear, do it after you say Your Name.
Orderly documents may well assist your daughter in future for others to understand her problems coping.
Don't forget you have an MP should you get problems.