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Isn't it just magic when you finally sit down in front of someone who understands, and doesn't minimise and misinterpret! So pleased to read your post. Hang on to that hope, Vester. Hugs and prayers from us for the months ahead.

Thank you chocoholic :) It certainly is a magical feeling after years of fighting.

Must be a weight lifted. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Fantastic. So difficult to get anyone to understand the trials and tribulations x

Unfortunately due to the changes with the ASF we are now facing yet another massive fight to get continued support and therapy...just as we have started to see some small but positive steps :( To say I am angry is an understatement. Our treatment package was from the outset 3-4 years, a watered down version will mean 6 plus years and a much slower path. Whether our family will survive as a result waits to be seen especially as we head towards secondary school, puberty and teenage years.

This cap is really messing with people's plans made when it first came out. I really think we need some concerted effort to get the cap lifted and make people make proper decisions about where the need is. Also, AS only funds therapy. So many of us need so much more in terms of practical support.

Vester, this is great to hear. We had our post-adoption assessment on Friday and hope to have our ASF unlocked in the New Year. We had read about Family Futures, but our social worker is suggesting Southwark Carelink as we would get more for my money. I'm guessing you would advocate going straight to FF?

Really pleased !

FF are very good and gave us hope after all hope had been lost. We went not even knowing if our son would make any connections (or could) with the team and our marriage in pieces. After 2 years at CAMHS with an attachment/adoption specialist that made no connection and only made matters worse we were at the very end of knowing what to do and not prepared to 'try' something else first. However, we are now left with a very diluted therapy package as a result of the ASF changes that I fear is going to have too little an impact. FF are very expensive, I think they could charge less without it affecting their service, but they support and help the whole family which is a much needed service. Too many 'affordable' therapy packages only deal with limited members of the family and only one approach because that is all £5k will pay for in a year. That approach may be very effective for early placement to help build from the start the bonds and trust via theraplay or for the third of adoptions that 'need a bit of support' but it doesn't touch the third of adoptions that are in crisis with severely traumatised children. I don't know anything about Southwark Carelink, I would suggest meeting with them and discussing your families needs and seeing what they offer before going ahead with them. There are lots of 'cheap' alternatives but they are cheap for a reason and often overloaded by the LA as a result and then not able to provide the level of support needed. Good luck!

Good advice. I think we have decided that we will be going to Family Futures. I'm wary of wasting time in what is already a long process. I don't know how we'll fare in terms of funding beyond ASF... PS When I said "great to hear" I was responding to your original post, not the comment about changes to the ASF, which is definitely NOT great :-(

My AS who is 10 is going for an ASD assessment next week that is if we can get him there! Going to the Doctors is a huge task for him so this will not be easy - we have not told him what it is yet He has picked up from other kids that Autistic is something to tease kids about unfortunately Anyone give any advise as to what to expect - what happens in the assessment?? of

There are some very different routes to autism diagnosis. My children were older than yours but we experienced differences in approach from the hospital paediatrics child development department compared with CAMHS, so I hope your route is a supportive one. There are different tools, my daughter’s assessment was based on ADOS and was a holistic evaluation carried out by a team of several different specialists. It took several visits over a few weeks (more than expected) but they were meticulously piecing together the detailed pieces of the jigsaw. She’s very happy to just be herself and happily engages in conversations and games. All the way through there was recognition of individual abilities and strengths – it was unexpectedly refreshing for autism to be seen as the everyday normal. The diagnosis was very sensitive and full of positive, affirming messages for the child. The diagnosis package also contained child-friendly resources. My daughter was fine with it. I ended up in floods of tears! I hope it goes well for you and yours.

I advise you to go throught the list of symptomes and write at least three examples by every symptome. Sometimes you might think first 'no he doesn't do that', but look again, he has for example eye contact but does it feel good? has he the right facial expression with them? etc. Look from different sides, write down as much examples as you can think off, they will interview you as well so be prepaired. If you have to think out answers there and then you might forget stuff. The child will be assessed without you, including IQ test.

Thanks guys ....all good advise xx