Supported Internship

[Pamlaar]

How do working parents cope with getting their SEN teens to a supported internship when they have never travelled independently before.

My daughter has now left her SEN school (finished year 13) with the intention of starting a supported internship. Was getting home/school transport. Now nothing.

Currently no placement for September as the place that had agreed to take her has now pulled out.

Very little information or communication from internship company. Feels like no support whatsoever.

Do I have to give up work? Is there any support at all for working parents?

[Alfeeee]

A couple of suggestions:Have you looked at the 'Access to work' scheme? This may help with travel costs where public transport is not feasible.

Has your daughter been assessed for any sort of social care package? My son has learning disabilities, was assessed for social care needs and receives 'Direct payments' to employ a personal support assistant to help him with things like travel, shopping etc. When he started his supported internship, the PA would go on the journey with him and meet him for the return journey until he was comfortable with doing the journey himself. 3 years later he is employed, part-time, by the same company and absolutely loves going to work and is a valuable member of their team. It's so worthwhile.

[Pamlaar in reply to Alfeeee]

Thankyou for your reply. Are the direct payments and assessment via the LA?

[Alfeeee in reply to Pamlaar]

Yes they are - does your daughter have an allocated social worker? If not (my son didn't until I found out about all of this), try contacting the duty team for adult social care (I assume your daughter is now over 18?). Everything seemed to fall over a cliff edge at the age of 18 but with some persistence, hopefully you can get the help you need.

[Porbander in reply to Pamlaar]

Sorry Pamlaar try Project search GSK

[Pamlaar]

Yes she is 18. No, no social worker. Thankyou, I’ll try to contact them. I feel like we are falling deeper and deeper into a cavern.

[Porbander]

Hi Pamlaar , I am going through the same , my son is 26years old , has been at home for 4 years without anything, I recommend try Ambitious with Autisum they have more internship for younger people, also try care trade they have quit a lot of support with children have difficulties with travel. All the best hope this helps.

[Porbander]

Hi I am raxa I am not getting any support from social worker , he sets in his room and watches tarot cards online, chats to them , they asks for money.

[sl20]

Hi PamlaarHave you looked at your local further education college? My son went from school to college and was there for a total of five years doing different sen programmes all of which were for young people with additional needs. The last year he did a supported internship where he worked with support for three days a week and then spent one day at college. He had support through this placement for travel training. I did have to travel train him to get to college though which I did at the weekends with him. It is very difficult to work with a sen child I found it was even harder once he left college. I hope things work out for you both.

[Pamlaar in reply to sl20]

Thankyou, it’s so difficult. She’s not very confident and every new step is huge for her. I had planned to start travel training but we still don’t know where to yet.

[sl20 in reply to Pamlaar]

It is a huge step from school but hopefully she will find the right place to go. For my son college gave him time to learn to travel on the bus independently and be in an environment which was in between work and school. We had a few hiccups along the way but he is now confident on travelling on his own to somewhere he knows. Trying to get paid employment didn’t work out for him but he now works a few days a week ( unpaid) which he really enjoys and gives him a sense of achievement.

[Kieran_Mencap]

Hello & thank you for getting in touch, please find information that might help here:

mencap.org.uk/advice-and-su...

You could also contact the helpline on 0808 808 1111 or complete a web form.

The link to the web form is mencap.org.uk/contact/conta...

I hope this information helps

Kieran