Social Services duty

[fran1phil]

I am at my wits end now, as my son who has ASD/ADHD + Conduct Disorder (age 16); is so much in need of therapeutic intervention (Social Skills, Behaviour Therapy etc) - which is not being provided to him. I had been desperate for him to receive help, I had to make the decision to have him accommodated by SS; as they would not provide any help for us/him at home. Despite my numerous requests/pleas made to them; as I feared his safety on the street and in Social Situations (still do!). He was assessed by the Maudsley Hospital in November 2012 and they made recommendations; yet Social Services still not implemented any of them.

One recommendation had been for Residential School via Priory or Cambrian Group. Waited approx. 7 months for LA to identify and refer him, it had taken so long and my son was accommodated in the area of Enfield - this has proved disastrous as he was befriending young people in the Tottenham, Wood Green and Edmonton areas, going out all hours and getting involved in crime. He had been set upon by 3 polish guys in Tottenham one night and told to scarper by one of them, claiming that his mate had a gun. I was mortified by this and needed to get him away from that area asap!

I then agreed (against my better judgement) to agree to him going to the only Residential School Placement the LA had identified in all that time, which was The Priory Pines, in Co Durham (300 miles from home). It had been a fairly drawn out assessment etc and he was offered a place there, I travelled there with him and his Social Worker and Care Worker on 7/6/2013 - much to my amazement the placement at this 'highly specialist educational provision' had failed within the first week! He had been totally misunderstood and he had been upset, angry and frustrated - had been disrupting the other young people already placed there and led one of them astray, by acquiring (Christ knows how?) alcohol and sharing with another yp. Final blow, was in my son and other boy arguing with staff and my son, apparently had hold of a 'chopstick' which he had been 'waving around in a threatening manner' at staff, making them feel unsafe? They then called the police and my son was arreasted and taken into custody, the school refused to have him back and after 2 nights in police custody he was driven another 30 miles north, to magistrates court in Peterlee.

At this stage, Social Services were to find him alternative placement/accommodation. He was left in the Court Cells all day - awaiting his fete in Court, having been charged with Common Assault (this can be for threatening behavior apparently!). Anyway, by 4pm Social Services contacted me to say they were unable to find him a placement, and as a result he would be likely to be remanded in custody until such a time they are able to identify a placement for him.

On hearing this, I could not allow that to happen - it was inhumane! I said I would provide a bail address and he was driven home, arriving about midnight.

Its awful, I feel a whole year wasted - no closer to getting him any help and also I feel even more disempowered than I had a year ago!

I now need to go into battle with the Local Authority/Social Services, my only objective being for my son to receive the help and support he needs. I need to establish my best way of somehow 'demanding' the support and help my son is entitled to. But not sure how I can go about it, I want prompt decisive action and decisions iin order for me to implement relevant support and intervention, but getting them to foot the bill?

I feel now it unlikely that the LA will ever find a Residential School for my son, last time took long enough and they had assured me that this school could meet his needs; yet as far as I am concerned they failed him at the first hurdle, I have known mainstream school's with better expertise and handling of negative situations. I am at a loss as to where exactly their 'specialism' actually existing in the first place. I am further appalled to discover - nothing I can do about it; as Independent Schools not governed by same legislation as mainstream etc. Its disgusting, my son just has a string of failures, each one impacting more and more on his self esteem. He is not functioning at all as one might expect of a 16 year old, has a few 'mates' with similar deficits and generally going nowhere - who he hangs out with. He has no interests in anything anymore and I cannot remember the last time he showed any excitement or enthusiasm about anything at all!! I know a lot of that can change, with the right help and support //interventions - but funding is the barrier for me!

Any advice would be so greatfully received, I am at a loss where to turn, I feel I have done all I can and yet failed to secure him any help at all.

 

Thanks

Nadia Phillips:mad2: