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ASF - what a joke!

BermudaBlue May 15, 2018 15:21
We've been trying to get help for AS2 for years. Four years ago we tried the paediatrician route (he already had one due to other needs and disability) and paediatrician suggested a sensory assessment by the OT. The only OT trained to do this on our area was off long term sick, so the referral was not accepted. Once she was back a new referral was sent in - 9 months after the first. This was also not accepted (we thought we were on a waiting list, but we weren't), as our area had decided that only very young children who were undergoing assessment for ASD could be given a sensory assessment. AS2 was too old - but was by this stage being assessed for ASD (and a sensory assessment would have been helpful). We've done our own training. We've seen every trauma/ adoption guru speak and read all the books. Mostly just got on with it ourselves. We then gave up the local NHS OT route, and over two years ago applied for ASF - except that it took 6 months for Post Adoption SW to come out and take down details. It should have been sorted within a few weeks, but it actually took 6 months before the finding came through. By then, the therapist who was going to do it was booked up until July 2017. She talked to me, and met son at home, was prevented from seeing him in school as the teacher said it wasn't convenient, I answered a detailed questionnaire, teacher refused as it was too near the end of term and she didn't have time(!) Autumn 2017 (now 18 months after first applying for ASF) we got a partially complete form as school still hadn't done their bit. Therapist had only seen AS2 for half an hour. Therapist and local social services in dispute about payment. Therapist eventually gets paid £800 for her report, says she is too busy now to meet with us, and doesn't want to do any more work for our SS anyway. Report is just a regurgitation of what I told her. Recommendations are very general, and not specific to AS2. There is £200 left of the ASF money. A meeting is held to see if another group of therapists can take on AS2's case (we send copy of £800 report to them). That was March. Just had letter from (new - never heard of her before - Post Adoption worker - apparently we'd been transferred!) to say the left over £200 has had to be paid back. She is going on maternity leave. Our case is closed. We can apply again for ASF if we want to. As2 has not benefitted in the slightest. We have not benefitted in the slightest. A therapist has earned an easy £800. Such a joke! Disgusted! :( Hope some of you out there have had a better experience than we have.
Edited 17/02/2021
Larsti May 15, 2018 16:37
Very frustrating Bermuda Blue. We didn't have a good experience the first time we applied the SW seemed to view herself as some sort of gatekeeper for the money (as if it was LA money) In the end we gave up an paid ourselves. Then next time we wanted to apply (for funding for Dash to go on a Talkadoption camp) we asked for a different SW. The new one is utterly brilliant. We have had 2 camps paid for by ASF and Dash has just started therapeutic life story work funded by ASF. One time when she visited she did say that she would have to close our case unless there was something specific we wanted support with. She couldn't just keep us on her caseload indefinitely. So she asked what we needed support with. It may have been at that stage we said lifestory work. That has taken a while to arrange. My impression is that where something can theoretically funded by health, there is a reluctance to apply for ASF for it (eg OT) I may be wrong but that is my impression. Certainly when CCG said no to funding for Dash to be assessed by Maudsley we found that SW kept saying 'health have said he doesn't need it' and my DH kept saying 'NO, they have said they won't pay for it which is quite a different thing'. We were fortunate to be able to pay for it ourselves. Not just that we had the money, but that the Maudsley would accept us paying privately. It is extremely frustrating navigating all these things. Can only say, try again!
Edited 17/02/2021
Scafell May 15, 2018 17:48
Our recent experience not quite as drawn out and frustrating as yours Bermuda blue, but definitely accessing the ASF has become a lot more difficult. LAs don't seem to have the resources even to process the assessment and paperwork quickly.
Edited 17/02/2021
Daydreamer May 15, 2018 18:30
That's so frustrating BermudaBlue My son was assessed by OT - report identifies a lot of sensory seeking behaviours and self-harm. I was invited to a Sensory parenting course which was useful but like you I have read a lot. Then OT discharged managed to get a CAMHS referral - their letter sets out all his problems - then we were discharged again! I thought PAS might be the way to go but it took 5 calls and several emails to get any response - I now have a phone appointment tomorrow. I was hoping for sensory integration therapy ....
Edited 17/02/2021
Serrakunda May 15, 2018 18:43
Setting aside issues like the cap on payments etc, most of the issues seem to me to lie with the LAs. It took a year from approaching the LA to us actually starting therapy. But it took the LA nearly 9 months to get the application to the ASF. Once they had the application it was approved very quicky, and then we had to wait for a slot for the therapist to start. We had life story work which was worth all the aggro getting the funding and the pain of doing it. But we were lucky to find a good therapist. The issues seem to me to be more about the LAs and adopters being able to find out who the good therapists are in their area.
Edited 17/02/2021
erutrun May 15, 2018 20:11
I agree. The LA initially refused to give us the application form to apply to the asf. A referral should have been sent in January, we all (including our sw thought it had gone in but no and still we wait...
Edited 17/02/2021
Gilreth May 16, 2018 10:16
We had a good experience with our referral for sensory assessment a year ago. SW did child assessment in early January - agreed what was needed applied to ASF and we started sessions in late March. So dependent on SW - there are some in our area who need nagging to get anything done - and also LA or in our case RAA.
Edited 17/02/2021
chestnuttree May 16, 2018 12:48
That sounds terrible. We got funding very quickly. We went through our VA. They talked to us and later phrased what we had said in the correct way for the ASF forms. We added our bit, it was send to the LA and that was that. Since then we have had several top ups. Did you go with a VA or an LA? If a VA, maybe they could help? Or could you somehow minimise the LA's work, so they just have to send the forms on?
Edited 17/02/2021
BermudaBlue May 16, 2018 15:45
That is a point, Chestnuttree. We adopted via a VA. Only he now has a disability social worker from our LA. So it was that SW who contacted the LA post adoption team for us in the first place. We never thought to go back to the VA who approved us! If I can muster the strength I will give them a call. Thanks.
Edited 17/02/2021

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