I really am being driven bonkers by my attempts to elicit help from social services; does anybody know how to play the system? Briefly, I have tried since 2010 for social services to pay some attention to our family and have been supremely unsuccessful. I did get a carer's assessment in 2013 which resulted in direct payments which I use to pay for a carer (useless, but better than nowt and a nice person) to come in via an agency. But I've been looking after my mum who now has moderate/severe dementia and my son, now 16 with a learning disability and probably mental health issues too for over a decade and I just can't keep going.
The Older Adult Mental Health Team of social workers have taken Ma off their books, saying that as I'm a carer I'm under Adult Social Services and so should Ma be for continuity of care but neither of us have a social worker. I've just phoned up social services to ask for a review as a carer only to be told that "not being able to cope" isn't reason enough for a review.
Can anyone tell me how the system works before I just walk out of the house and leave the two of them to the tender mercies of the social services?
The Older Adult Mental Health Team of social workers have taken Ma off their books, saying that as I'm a carer I'm under Adult Social Services and so should Ma be for continuity of care but neither of us have a social worker. I've just phoned up social services to ask for a review as a carer only to be told that "not being able to cope" isn't reason enough for a review.
Can anyone tell me how the system works before I just walk out of the house and leave the two of them to the tender mercies of the social services?