Eligible for UK special needs services?

Hi,

I cross posted this in the Visa and Citizenship forum but thought I'd also try here too.

My husband and I lived in London a few years ago on a Tier 2 visa. We moved back to the States when I became pregnant with our son.

My husband is now considering a job opportunity in London again but we are trying to decide if this would be a good move at this point in our lives. Our toddler is specials needs (diagnosed ASD) and receives services through Early Intervention.

My understanding is that with a visa, our son would not be eligible to access public funds for special needs services? Would we have to get services privately? This would be costly as he currently receives ABA, OT and Speech.

After we moved back to the States years ago, I decided to apply for citizenship at the Italian consulate. My son and I were granted citizenship through jus sanguinis…granted because both my parents are Italian citizens.

Since my son now holds an EU passport, would that make him eligible for any special education services in the UK? Any help that could be provided would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Ria

Yes, your son will be able to access things like OT and speech therapy here   In the UK, services such as OT and speech therapy are provided by the NHS. EU citizens living in the UK and most visa holders (with the obvious exception of visitors) are eligible to use the NHS. I'm not sure about England, but where I live ABA isn't offered as a stand-alone service through the NHS, though most therapists, teachers, etc may use elements of an ABA program.  There may be private organizations that you can contact about ABA. 

If/when you decide to move, and you have a good idea of a particular area, it might be helpful to contact the Education Board of that area to get an idea of schools, etc.

Health, Education and Social Services are considered a universal provision for all children particularly for those children in 'need' (s17 Children Act 1989).

Some authorities are more developed than others and more changes are underway with regard to the Education, Health and Care Plan currently being piloted. For eligible children, this will mean a single plan and the possibility of managing a personal budget across services.

Before you move over, look on the council websites for information about schools, early support/intervention and social services (short breaks) and use that to help narrow down a place to live.

Thanks so much for the information. Would it be possible to get access to the Parents of children with special needs board? Thanks again!

I have a friend who is starting a business for families who have children with special needs.  I don't want to post anything about it here, but if anyone is interested, please PM me and I'll direct you her way - she is planning on starting a website with access to various services and with helpful tips.