Special needs support in the UK

[Peanut78]

Hi All,

My son has a neurological condition which causes motor planning delays. It is not a "serious" condition, or threatening to his health (by this I mean it probably falls under the category of having a mild - low moderate learning difficulty. This means he has some issues with gross and fine motor. And most significantly he has a severe speech delay.

We are currently living outside the UK and have a health insurance package which provides 2 x weekly speech therapy and 2 x weekly occupational therapy from private service providers. It also covers seeing the paediatric neurologist (whenever we feel the need). Furthermore, my husbands job provides educational grants for private schooling and additional learning suppport for my son (whatever shape or form that may take when he starts school).

My husband is keen to relocate back to the UK (in which case he changes jobs and we loose all our current entitlements with private health care, education grants etc), but I am very worried about what services will and won't be provided for my son on the NHS and within the British education system (including in nursery). I have seen other posts in the past from girls in the UK (whose children had more difficult conditions than my son) who were waitlisted to even see a speech therapist for ages, and then only got to see them a limited number of times? Also, what can I expect in terms of speech/ language/ learning support in nursery/ school?

Basically I want to gauge whether we are better off continuing as we are for my son or moving back to the UK...?

Any experiences/ advice/ tips?

Thanks

 

[elsielouise]

Hi

As a former head teacher and the parent of a child who has accessed the NHS for fairly straightforward reflux issues, i would advise that the NHS "entitlement" for non life threatening issues is weak to say the least. We waited over six months for a referral that took three days privately. This was speech and language to check no issues where arising due to his reflux.

From a medical p.o.v we now use private sector only and my son will also be educated privately.

The biggest issue is the lack of consistency across the country. In some areas you will be able to access outstanding education provision that will meet your needs perfectly, but a few miles down the road the provision may be categorically unsatisfactory. It is the same for the NHS.

Sorry got to go tantrum issue..

 

[elsielouise]

Dealt with... Was DH struggling with bedtime. Trying to go earlier tonight because of BST.

Anyway. Not much else to say really other than, in your position I'd look at where you may locate to specifically before making any decisions since provision so varies. Private health and education is excellent but it does cost so depending on the detail of your relocation you could find very different decisions are to be made.

Hth

 

[Marleysgirl]

We are currently living outside the UK and have a health insurance package which provides 2 x weekly speech therapy and 2 x weekly occupational therapy from private service providers. It also covers seeing the paediatric neurologist (whenever we feel the need). Furthermore, my husbands job provides educational grants for private schooling and additional learning suppport for my son (whatever shape or form that may take when he starts school).

Reading the above, I'd be inclined to shout STAY WHERE YOU ARE You're definitely not going to get that level of support from the NHS without a fight. Believe what you read on here - we normally write about success stories, think of how many other parents out there are fighting and not blogging.

 

[ClairHawkins]

I agree with the ladies NHS care is a little patchy, There is only one speech therapist in my area and she is overrun (fantastic at her job) and only has so much time.

 

[Tegans Mama]

We are currently living outside the UK and have a health insurance package which provides 2 x weekly speech therapy and 2 x weekly occupational therapy from private service providers. It also covers seeing the paediatric neurologist (whenever we feel the need). Furthermore, my husbands job provides educational grants for private schooling and additional learning suppport for my son (whatever shape or form that may take when he starts school).

Reading the above, I'd be inclined to shout STAY WHERE YOU ARE You're definitely not going to get that level of support from the NHS without a fight. Believe what you read on here - we normally write about success stories, think of how many other parents out there are fighting and not blogging.

I agree with this entirely. I won't say I'm unhappy with Tegan's care on the whole, but you wouldn't get care as thorough here.

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

It mostly depends on county but I am currently debating whether to sell my soul right now just to pay for my sons private assessments. I find NHS great in some areas but not mental health. They are over worked and you turn into a sum of how much money you cost them and they dont care about you.

School support is something people have to fight for