'Professionals' is written such as a result of our encounters with many of them who I firmly believe are in the wrong job.
We have seen many who are excellent, well informed, care, experienced and who have helped us. Sadly they have not been the ones who have left the marks.
We have three children, and have moved area, both factors which have increased the numbers of appointments I suspect, but regardless of that, here is a list in as much order as I can remember:
GP- numerous times
Police
Health visitor
Occupational therapist with post graduate sensory integration training - private
Social services safeguarding team- at my request after physical injury and threats in our home from my son
Audiologist- NHS
Occupational therapist with post graduate sensory integration training- private- for different child
Online counselling for child
NSPCC- I approached them for support and do NOT recommend anyone does this. There are far better support networks out there who are less harmful.
CAMHS initial assessment- twice, for two different children
Family support worker- supposedly Early Help worker
Elective Home Education officer- informed of our existence in their locality by interfering family support worker
School nurses
ASD assessment team- privately funded
Social services safeguarding team- when I told the early help worker not to bother, she reported me to them!
Group counselling for child
Younger mind 1:1 counselling for child
Occupational therapist- NHS
CAMHS- concerns over mental health of child
CAMHS- initial assessment for third child
Social worker- did an assessment and met our children, then went off for six months
ASD assessment team at CAMHS - NHS
Younger mind wellbeing 1:1 sessions for different child
Speech and language therapists- NHS
Social Worker (at time of writing we have met our social worker once, briefly, and are waiting for a phonecall to arrange a meeting.....she has until Wednesday then I will be emailing her boss's boss)
ASD assessment team- privately funded
On top of these there is also Young Carers who are doing 1:1 work with one of my children, a care farm which my children access, hospital optician appointments and other medical appointments linked to other care and support needs.
Plus, local short break services open to all children with additional needs and disabilities because they cannot access mainstream extracurricular clubs and activities without support (I find the name 'short breaks' a cruel joke if I am honest but they are literally better than nothing), private swimming lessons (neither of our two with PDA can have group lessons and need the right teacher in order to get along at all), and carefully chosen other activities that will further their education and interests, whilst not causing too much anxiety or sensory overload. Plus, of course, the constant managing of our children's needs and anxieties, piles of paperwork that accompany every single request for support or help, fending off phonecalls and emails from people who always contact us at the worst time.
Our experience with the NSPCC and Family Support Worker was terrible. They met together, without us knowing, a few times, and discussed us, without us knowing, coming to incorrect conclusions and contacting people they had no right to contact, causing immense stress and putting our child in danger. A full complaint has been sent as a result and this is why my advice not to contact them stands.
If you have a child who is in danger from abuse then there are other charities and agencies who can help you, including Stop it Now! and Women's Aid. There is much anecdotal evidence from other families who have had similarly negative experiences unfortunately.
As with everything in life, some people will have had positive experiences where we have had negative and vice versa. I accept that and would not argue that that is not the case.
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