living in his own home

[Chinesemanpal20]

my son is 27 autistic with severe learning disabilities he still loves at home with us does anyone know can he live in his house with carers although it would be 24 hours care if and when me and his father are not around to care for him

[CoyoteU]

He can possibly live in supported living but I am not sure how you sign up for that sorry. Look at Daisy Chain they do homes for people with Autism and they maybe able to help .

[Chocolate-heals-all]

He’s legally entitled to live in his own place with full support from the local authority. I know of two families each of whom have arranged for their young adult to get 24-hour support in his own flat. But it’s a challenge to get that happening.

You can go online to get the contact details of the duty social worker for your local authority. I just did it by doing a search on Google using the name of my local authority and the phrase “adult social care” Then I suggest you ring or email - whichever you prefer - or fill in their online form - and ask them to assess your son’s needs under Section 9 of the Care Act 2014. Here is a link to the text of Section 9. You can read the whole Act by clicking forward and back.

legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/20...

In my experience they won’t take any notice - if you ring - unless you hit the option “I am concerned for the immediate well-being of a vulnerable adult” or some such wording.

They will write a care plan, saying he’s fine because he’s with you, unless you make it very clear you are not willing to take responsibility any more and that they need to act now while you still have the mental and physical energy, so you can work with them to implement a transfer to supported living or supported accommodation.

There is a lot of complicated detail, and it’s probably a good idea to ask a local learning disability charity or autism charity to support him and you. I have found that Mencap are good, although sometimes they are over-stretched and say they can only help with this particular matter and can’t assign a staff member long-term mentoring. But they might find you a volunteer. Your local carer charity might help, also.

I am in the same position as you, trying to find appropriate support for my son to live independently. It’s a minefield, because some settings are staffed by people who are unskilled or uncaring, and some are managed by individuals who are more concerned about the well-being of the organisation than the well-being of any individual service user. There’s a chronic problem of under-funding. Check the reports by the Care Quality Commission, and ask family members whose loved ones are in a given setting.

[Annonymouse in reply to Chocolate-heals-all]

I think this is a good summary. We went through this a few years ago. Our son is now in his own place with 24/7 support from a care company called Dimensions paid for by the Council with a contribution from our son's benefit income. I don't have much to add, except I think these things helped us:

- we had a very supportive social worker

- we're in Wiltshire where I believe funding for social care is not as short as it is in some other counties

- we had the support of an advocate for our son who understood the system, the Care Act, the Council (I don't remember if it was Dimensions or the social worker who put us in touch with the advocate)

- Dimensions seem to know what they are doing

Good luck.

[natalievbailey in reply to Chocolate-heals-all]

Don't choose any of the places for supported living in Buckinghamshire which where all the people employed have massive of issues. The one in Dorset is absolutely awful too.

[Balamorym]

Yes he can, either in a home he owns or a rented home. He can get direct payments from SS to pay for care or arrange for a care company to do it.

[parasiticworm]

I'm really lucky with my support provider as only had a few bad experiences with them in 14 yeras.