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Help son 16yrs

emnet

My son was given an Aspergers diagnois on 23rd Aug 2013. We were told that in 2 weeks we would recieve the full diagnosis in the post and that this would also be forwarded to social services.  I for sure have not recieved anything and for sure have not heard from social services. 

My son has no friends at all and has not had any since he was in yr5/6 at school. He has just begun a college course that as it is only one bus away he can get to alone. This is due to me being there to support him with transition and anxiety for his first 6 visits to the college, thus he now feels able to go alone(for now) Experience tells me this will last as long as nothing unpleasant happens during a college day or on his journey there- when it does we have to start all over again. I have lost lots of earnings due to needing so much time off work.

He is rubbish with money and cooking means alarms go off. he has anxiety issues with new people and places.  

I am very concerned for his future living independently seems pie in the sky and having friends seems to be an impossibility.

My question is what help is there out there for him/us please?

  • Hi - I'd put supported living on the plan, even tho it may be a long time before anything at all happens about it.  Local government has to make big cuts year on year so the fight gets harder on an annual basis.  Hopefully at some indefinable time in the future the financial situation may improve and with it the funding for social services.  Good luck

  • Thank you, I am indeed pushing for the diagnosis to arrive. I suspect that the thought of living with anyone but me or indeed living alone would be a frightening prospect for him. I am not at all sure that I wish to discuss it with him at all at the moment as college is a very new experience and I would not wish to add stress. 

    I have been told that a care plan would be drawn up and that it's tough to get things added in the future and thus supported living would be a wise thing to have on it even though he only 16.  Is this correct please?

  • The social workers will do assessment of needs and your son and you will get a support worker. The key here is the quality of your social services. Good luck

  • Hi - I'm presuming you're pushing them for the diagnosis, ringing up, writing etc.  Once you and social services have received it then I think you need to discuss with your son, first of all, what he wants in the future. Does he want to stay at home or would he be interested in supported living?  If he was and you got the autism specific care provider he would need then things could move forward.  He could, for example, share a house with 1 or 2 others or by himself with appropriate staffing.  I'm afraid that especially with all the cuts to public services that you'll have to keep pushing those you are in contact with.  Step by step may be the best way to approach everything.  It shouldn't be like this and that's putting it very mildly.