Introduction and appeal

Where do you begin and on what grounds.

When so many things are wrong clearly something should be done but how?

I would imagine a class action would have to be about one thing with many parties involved.

What recourse does a parent have in recording their complaints and getting heard.

You can submit a complaint directly and if not satisfied with the way it is dealt with continue it into an official complaint. This is not that easy or straightforward though.

I would suggest to anyone that even though it may be fruitless it is still worth doing. If for no other reason than it provides you with some tangible written evidence that at that point in time you had an issue.

One problem with any complaint or discussion you wish to raise is that all meetings and even complaints filed are made very narrow in focus. Just like the patient when he goes to a Doctor must have one ailment only. Another appointment is required for the next ailment. So when you have meetings with the Doctor, Nurse, physio, teachers you might like to discuss many things. You may want recourse on past events etc.. None of this is really allowed, so narrow is the agenda that they move things in the direction they wish and at the speed they wish. Often and I am speaking from just having come from one such meeting today, these meetings will end up having consisted of an exchange of pleasantries by the professionals and statements exchanged of which they all know in advance. Mostly nothing has been concluded, it is a formality a bit like parents night put on for the parents. 

You can complain, but they are not there to register your complaints and won't do so.

You can explain, they will reassure you that's fine but they are not there to register your explanations and won't do so.

You can co-operate, this they like more, provided that it takes them in the direction the intend to go anyway.

So again by what mechanism does a parent have to effectively and speedily pick up concerns, have them addressed and logged for posterity. Also what recourse is there for hearing critisisms of the services being provided.

There is no effective feedback method, just long winded and narrow focused complaints procedure and a very narrow focused meetings for the purposes of demonstration of parents.

Next time you leave such a meeting ask yourself

what action is occuring that was not previously going to occur?

what descisions have been made in this meeting?

Don't be surprised for the most part if the answer is none to both. 

I feel very strongly that the Government are knowingly or unknowingly setting us up for a fall.

Central Government make promises and pledges to help children with Autism.

The local authority can't possible cope financially in honouring these promises so it reneges by simply not diagnosing. Problem solved and scr*w the parents.

'Sorry Mr and Mrs smith but we are going to take you on a magical mystery tour of our services. We won't lie to you, we will simply not tell you the truth. May also totally misslead you sometimes and when the penny does drop, and it will drop, we might get a bit nasty. All the same the joke is on you because we have done this time and time again. The Autism rate has skyrocketed but our budget has'nt. Must mean were getting better and better every year.'

I would prefer no services, no promises, just correct and ethical medical diagnosis quickly and information on how parents could really help their children. It would save so much stress and nonesense.

And another thing, when you do finally reach that holly grail of Autism and get the diagnosis. You will find that the people that are recruited to supposedly help your child have no specialization at all. Straight from a recruitment site for autistic carers for a Government position 'no experience neccesary'. Very few places exist with any proper training or any depth of knowledge about autism. The Local authority certainly can't afford them.

If you want something done right, better to do it yourself eh... 

Where do you begin and on what grounds.

When so many things are wrong clearly something should be done but how?

I would imagine a class action would have to be about one thing with many parties involved.

What recourse does a parent have in recording their complaints and getting heard.

You can submit a complaint directly and if not satisfied with the way it is dealt with continue it into an official complaint. This is not that easy or straightforward though.

I would suggest to anyone that even though it may be fruitless it is still worth doing. If for no other reason than it provides you with some tangible written evidence that at that point in time you had an issue.

One problem with any complaint or discussion you wish to raise is that all meetings and even complaints filed are made very narrow in focus. Just like the patient when he goes to a Doctor must have one ailment only. Another appointment is required for the next ailment. So when you have meetings with the Doctor, Nurse, physio, teachers you might like to discuss many things. You may want recourse on past events etc.. None of this is really allowed, so narrow is the agenda that they move things in the direction they wish and at the speed they wish. Often and I am speaking from just having come from one such meeting today, these meetings will end up having consisted of an exchange of pleasantries by the professionals and statements exchanged of which they all know in advance. Mostly nothing has been concluded, it is a formality a bit like parents night put on for the parents. 

You can complain, but they are not there to register your complaints and won't do so.

You can explain, they will reassure you that's fine but they are not there to register your explanations and won't do so.

You can co-operate, this they like more, provided that it takes them in the direction the intend to go anyway.

So again by what mechanism does a parent have to effectively and speedily pick up concerns, have them addressed and logged for posterity. Also what recourse is there for hearing critisisms of the services being provided.

There is no effective feedback method, just long winded and narrow focused complaints procedure and a very narrow focused meetings for the purposes of demonstration of parents.

Next time you leave such a meeting ask yourself

what action is occuring that was not previously going to occur?

what descisions have been made in this meeting?

Don't be surprised for the most part if the answer is none to both. 

I feel very strongly that the Government are knowingly or unknowingly setting us up for a fall.

Central Government make promises and pledges to help children with Autism.

The local authority can't possible cope financially in honouring these promises so it reneges by simply not diagnosing. Problem solved and scr*w the parents.

'Sorry Mr and Mrs smith but we are going to take you on a magical mystery tour of our services. We won't lie to you, we will simply not tell you the truth. May also totally misslead you sometimes and when the penny does drop, and it will drop, we might get a bit nasty. All the same the joke is on you because we have done this time and time again. The Autism rate has skyrocketed but our budget has'nt. Must mean were getting better and better every year.'

I would prefer no services, no promises, just correct and ethical medical diagnosis quickly and information on how parents could really help their children. It would save so much stress and nonesense.

And another thing, when you do finally reach that holly grail of Autism and get the diagnosis. You will find that the people that are recruited to supposedly help your child have no specialization at all. Straight from a recruitment site for autistic carers for a Government position 'no experience neccesary'. Very few places exist with any proper training or any depth of knowledge about autism. The Local authority certainly can't afford them.

If you want something done right, better to do it yourself eh...