i have only just discovered that carer's have rights.

[lizjones]

My son is a non verbal austistic man aged 31yrs.I have been so wrapped up in careing and fighting for his rights in education/social services over the years and just doing what is nessesary to get from one year to another on benifits most of the time.8 years ago i went to work as a retail manager whist my son was at collage 18 months ago i gave up work to care again.
I believe there has been T.V campains /newspaper articals about rights for carers,as i did not consider myself to be a carer it was not of interest to me.
I found out about a carers grant last year and after a carers assessment was allowed ??200 grant for a holiday ,and apart from carers allowance was the first financial help i have ever been given i have never had respite or a holiday/break without my son.
My question is Why did the socail services ,adult care, not tell me about this?
I cannot believe the money i have saved them over many long years of struggle.
I am outraged to think there may be others in the same situation,i have been trying to get information from Cornwall council of how many autistic people are in the area and how many carers but it seems there is no register or records of these figures.
as a first point of information sharing there should be a local and national register of carers,regardless of whether or not they have had a carers assessment.Our local G.p.S have a key role to play in this.
________
MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARY

[Alix8]

I agree, there should be, but there isn't. SS don't tell people things because then it would mean more work for them. More paperwork, and more hassle. They leave it to the carer to ask, but we don't know these things because we spend our time doing more important things, like arranging appointments, washing and feeding our piglets, keeping a roof over our heads and food on the table.....and even when we do know about these things, there is all the forms and the waiting to contend with, then the inevitable knock back on the first try. Took me 3 attempts to get AA for my mum, by the time she was allowed it she was dead. Same amount of trying for my dad before he got his AA as well.

They aren't called the SS for nothing

[pollyanna3]

Welcome Liz
Like you I'm new to this Forum. I am a carer for my daughter 27,blind, mod.aut. communication probs, mod.learning diffs, medical probs. I have had very little input from Social Services, my choice! Over the years finding/maintaining the right school/college placement has taken up most of my energy; it is only now I am looking around for support/advice in planning for the future. Our Council are in the process of setting up a Carer's Centre - do you have anything like that it Cornwall?
I hope you will find support/advice from other members of this Forum.