Domiciliary Care Allowance

My son is 6, diagnosed autistic, and I receive the DCA. I think it depends on your decision maker.

I filled out the form, but at every box where I needed to give additional information, I referred them to an attaching document. The boxes were simply too small to say everything you need to say. So I typed everything out on a document that ended up being nine pages long.

So, for instance, my son is in mainstream school, is speaking and doesn't appear to have an intellectual disability as long as he is taught visually rather than verbally. He sleeps well, and eats okay (picky on consistency, but there's enough variety). So on first look, a decision maker might think that he doesn't hit the bar for the DCA.

But you just have to give lots of detail. Obviously include his diagnosis report, and make sure your GP fills out the second form so that it reflects the level of care set out in your form. I sent on my nine page accompanying document to my GP, so that he'd have a really good view of my son's needs.

And really, don't hold back on the form. Of course I hope, that with the right therapies, my son will be able to live independently as an adult. But that won't happen without the therapies. And the therapies won't happen without the DCA. So I gave a warts and all view of our daily life. We can't do days out with the older siblings unless both parents are there, as my son might take it into his head that he doesn't want to see Santa/the aquarium/do the forest walk, and someone has to stay with him. My older children don't get to do all the activities they want to do, as we simply can't afford them when we are paying €90 an hour for speech and language and occupational therapy. If we eat at another person's house, I need to bring food that I know my son will eat. He still wears nappies at night. He needs an SNA at school, and has struggled to make friends. He has fine motor skills challenges, needs an SET at school. We have more meetings with the school than we would for a neurotypical child. Our childcare options are vastly limited etc etc etc. Just be really honest and give loads and loads of information. The whole process can be a little traumatic, like going to therapy. You have to give an honest view of how your child's needs have affected you, and the rest of your family.

When I finished the form I was sort of horrified by the way I had portrayed my child, who is generally a happy, smart, affectionate little human. But the DCA don't want the balanced view, they want the downside. So that's what you have to do.

Found it. Gareth Noble was the solicitor. Not sure if he's still involved.

Any luck with your application? We have recently sent in a second application after being refused last year and again on appeal. We had some advice from a legal entity who said that our initial application should have never been refused. It’s awfully frustrating and upsetting. Do you know what the turn around time is at the moment for first decisions?