Respite and Help for you and your child

Asking for help from others, can often be one of the hardest things for a parent/carer of a special needs child to do. They may feel that they should be able to cope and they battle with feelings of guilt. It is so important that you try not to feel this way. At the end of the day, asking for help and hopefully receiving it will help improve yours and your child's life

If you have been told that your child has special needs, they are likely to be identified as a "child in need" under the 1989 Children Act

If this is the case, they may be entitled to an assessment by Social Services to determine what support services can be offered.

Getting in touch

The first step in getting help and respite for your child is to contact Social Services. This can be done directly by yourself or by your GP, Child Development Centre or perhaps your Paediatrician. Details of your local social services department should be available through your local council

When you get in touch, or they get in touch with you, you will need to explain why you have been referred. So make sure you have a basic idea of what your concerns are and perhaps what help you may need. For example:

  • Your child wakes several times in the night therefore you and your family get limited sleep as a result you are all exhausted and this affects the family relationship
  • You would like some help with personal care for your child e.g. washing, showering, feeding
  • You feel that you do not have enough time to play with your child due to his/her other needs and would like someone to help free up some of your time to do this and/or play with him/her for a period of time a day/week
  • Your house is no longer suitable for your disabled child and you need some help and advice on making it more accessible
  • You are depressed and run down and cannot cope very well day to day

What happens next?

After your initial call, you should hear from a Duty Social Worker who may send you a form to complete or visit you in person to determine whether you meet their department's eligibility criteria for the services they provide. The initial assessment may consist of lots of questions about your special needs child, your family, your health and things you do to care for your child. Therefore it is good, once again, to be prepared. Keep a diary before hand if you can. The outcome of the assessment will determine whether you are eligible for any support and if not, they will give you details of voluntary local groups that may assist. If you do meet the criteria, there are several ways you may get help and support. The level and degree of this support depends on your family circumstances and your child's needs. It may include one or more of the following:

  • Short Break or Respite - where your child can stay in a recognised respite home or foster carers home overnight occasionally
  • Someone to come to your house to help you with the care of your child e.g. dressing, bathing. Sometimes called Domiciliary Service
  • Link Care (or Family Link) where your child spends time with a family who have undergone the required police checks
  • Direct Payments - paid for by Social Services but employed by yourself, a person who comes to your home for an agreed number of hours per week/month to come to your home. See the Direct Payments section for more detail

If you require help and advice with equipment and accessibility within your home, an Occupational Therapist from Social Services can assess and discuss your child's needs. You may be entitled to a Disabled Facilities Grant which can help towards the cost of providing adaptations and facilities to your home

The Social Worker will draw up a "Child in Need" plan which will outline all current status and provision that have been agreed. This will reviewed within an agreed period to determine what changes need to be made over the course of time (if any).

Need more information?

To get more information on the assessment process, it is advised you contact your local council/social services department, as exact details may vary according to area. In addition, by becoming a member of Special Kids in the UK, you can discuss with other members your concerns and they can assist you with preparing for the assessment based on their own parental experiences.