Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi. My son has just been discharged on section 72 as the facility he was held in did not have any form of support for autism which meant he was not safe in their care. I am now looking after my son 18 full time but also have a full time job, currently signed off sick after the trauma of dealing with suicide attempts and police searches. I have not been in my current job long so am on probation and will probably lose my job, however keeping my son safe is my priority. Please can anyone advise where I can get advice on money we may be entitled to. My head is still in a fog from the trauma and exhaustion so any advice would be much appreciated so that I can find a way to be able to support and take care of my boy? Thank you
Hi there, Sorry to hear that you are having a tough time - I have listed below to some resources that you might find helpful:
As a starting point, you may wish to read over our information on benefits: https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/benefits-and-money/benefits You can also find more information on benefits through the Citizen’s Advice website: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/
Support for autistic adults and children, parents and carers, how to request an assessment or find out about funding for social care please visit: https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/social-care
You may be interested in contacting a local National Autistic Society branch. Our branches offer support to local autistic people and their families. If you interesting in checking if there is a local branch near to you, please follow the link below: https://www.autism.org.uk/what-we-do/local-branches. Our branches are volunteer-led, and as such every branch and group is different. Some are parent support groups, some provide support and information to autistic adults, while others have office premises and run their own a drop-in service. You will need to check with a branch directly for more information on whether they are able to provide a particular service that you are interested in.
Hope you find something in there useful,
SarahMod