Supported Living/ Residential Care

[ellcee]

My 21 year old son is currently at a residential college He is due to leave summer 2012 (or sooner if cuts lead to removal of funding). So, I need to sort out what will happen when he leaves college. He has very severe learning difficulties, severe epilepsy, mobility issues and other associated problems.

He does have a social worker. Being cynical, I feel that over-stretched social services, however well intentioned, will only tell us what they want us to know and what they have had the time to organise/research.

I therefore know that I need to put in a lot of time and effort finding the best outcome for him and fighting for funding. However, I feel lost as to where to start. Does anyone have any tips or advice? Know of any good or bad organisations or homes? Advantages/disadvantages of different scenarios eg. residential care v. supported living (I know he will be happier living with a small group of people similar to himself)? Know of any organisations that could advise? etc etc It's even more confusing when the Government seem to keep changing the rules every 5 minutes (and usually not for the better!).


Thanks in advance,
ellcee

[ellcee]

Hi everyone,

Please, does anyone have any advice, tips, information, insights that would help me to find my son somewhere to live where he will be safe, secure, happy and fulfilled?

Thanks ellcee

[susieq]

Hi Ellcee

sorry, but I can't really help as I have no experience to offer. However Charles47's son has recently moved out of the family home into his own place (and is doing really well ) - perhaps if you sent him a pm he might be able to give you some advice.

Are there any organisations / charities that support people with similar difficulties to your son's ? Perhaps they could offer you some insights ? Or maybe the residential college where he is now living might have some ideas ?

[pamr]

we have set up our severely disabled daughter in an apartment with another disabled lady. to fund this they receive direct payments and independant living fund. they rent the apartment and each have 24/7 care from personal assistants. They receive housing benefit which pays their rent. They still receive income support and DLA personally, which pays for their utility bills food, and clothes and any other incidentals like hairdressing, chripody etc.

It was a mamoth task to get it all organised, and we had a lot of help from our Learning Disabilty Team. and a lot of, i have to say, perserverance from parents, saying what we wanted, not what we were told was available. also a lot of hands up, and 'we cannot cope with them at home any longer' attitude.

it has been the most successful thing i could have imagined. our daughter comes home sundays for lunch with the oldies. of course, there are issues from time to time, but thats life. i have issues with my two very able sons as well. good luck.

[ellcee]

Hi all,

Many thanks for your replies. All advice is useful and helps broaden my ideas of what might be possible.

I think my next job is to write a brief pen-portrait of my son as a summary to provide to various organisations. I have heard on the grapevine that locally, several new senior managers have recently been appointed in social services and are currently "formulating policy".

regards,
ellcee