I think you mistook my last comment. I do not think compensation is in order! I do feel an apology would be a way to go though - for the attitude of the shop staff! The discrimination I mentioned was refering to when the man has stated that the shop staff jokingly admitted to discriminating him due to his disability! The law is the law unfortunately and even when you do not agree you must comply so... if he was stopped purely for having his daughter with him then that is that, but at the same time shop staff are expected to behave in a certain manner!

I hope so I didn't know how to take the last comment and I haven't tried to offend anyone just give my personnal opinion - which is don't sue, ask for an apology for the discrimination and that I don't feel it is an offence to shop with your children when purchasing anything (inc alcohol). I can't help the way I feel. I can give you an example of this happening - My mother and my 18 year old sister (who does look younger and didn't have ID with her) went to a shop my mother got a bottle of wine and was refused, she took my sister and dropped her off at home and returned to said shop where they still refused as they believed it was still for her and they thought she was 17 as she had only turned 18 a few weeks before! the shop manager basically told my mother she would not be served there again as it could be for my sister! We live in a small town and the nearest shop other than that is 15 miles away so my mother had to go back pick my sister up again (with her ID) to prove she was old enough for my mother to have a drink! Do you understand now when I say where will it end? If my sister had only been 17 my mother wouldn't have been served there for a year regardless of whether she was with her!

Seriously? No I would not give a 5 year old alcohol (if I had 1) I was refering to the guy with the seventeen year old! And I feel I am well within rights to give my opinion on this matter - yes it may be different from others but that is because I am not a sheep and speak how I feel, which is probably the same as the guy who initialy started this conversation! I am not trying to argue with people but I think on this matter we will just have to agree to disagree as opinions can be very different, I realise that you have autism but there really is no need to be quite so personnal!

The form I filled was for when he was diagnosed at 4 - and btw it was my welfare rights officer who advised worst day so if that is not the case I apologise - it makes no impact on my 7 year old anyway as he is a nightmare everyday! I resent your comment about me being a fraudster if you feel my son is undeserving of his DLA I would love for you to come and meet him as all the medical professionals have given their support when claiming for him!

Your right and there probably will be a solution by the time the children are older but situations like this make me furious! What will this country be like in a few years it is no longer innocent until proven guilty everyone is just tarred with the same brush! By the time mine are in their teens I probably won't be allowed a car anyway 'just incase' one of them drives it underage and then I will be forced to internet shop - but of course not alcohol as I have minors living with me!

My welfare rights officer suggested we apply for my middle child with no diagnosis (we think it's ADHD) but we got a flat refusal even though his needs were more signifigant than my eldest who has autism and has higher rate of care and low mobility! We didn't apply for my eldest until diagnosis came back and it sailed through no questions asked - I could have appealed the youngest but I have no idea when or if he will get a diagnosis so decided against until we have more backing! If they have said he will get a diagnosis I would defo appeal as they will then have to repay from original date. Try to get as much support as possible from health visitors, teachers etc. And you will know if you have put enough info in the form by how traumatised you feel after - remember its the worst day - all the bad behaviour and stress needs to be put into words on that form. Good luck!

You would need to make any complaints to your old borough (as they are who you wish to complain about) you would need to write to the head of schools and inclusion and also send a copy to the chief exec (they like to be kept in the loop) If you have no joy then contact the Education Minister its Leighton Andrews that we contact in wales not sure about anywhere else!

Yes he can! Contact your local DWP as you may be able to get a top up of income support aswell and the usual housing and council tax benefit

If your going for a statement then good luck, if she's obtaning anything from low average up you may as well give in (I've been fighting for 1 for my son for over 3 years). They are trying to get rid of statementing altogether as they have brought in school action and school action plus (my son is on school action plus) which basically means they need the help but the school have to fund it! Approach your school and ask what stage your daughter is at and ask for them to get the educational psychologist in to do a review to see where she's at ability wise. If your going for the statement then its best to seek support from an outside agency - we have snap cymru in wales who will come to any meetings with you and help fill in paperwork etc (not sure where you live) but I'm sure you will have something similar where you are!

I have found that every time I have put in a change of circumstances (change of address etc) they have always told me that they are all interconnected and will pass the info on! I being very cautious in nature have always informed them all anyway - better safe than sorry - and I'm glad I have now after seeing this. If you do it yourself the call is logged and there is no chance for human error!

The legoland policy sounds awesome for families like mine with autistic children! Unfortunately I can't deem it fair if it favours 1 disability over another which it clearly does reading that statement! As for the complimentary wheelchair well, aren't these policies supposed to promote equality and independance? I can't see how giving someone a wheelchair and making them rely on someone to push them around promotes either! I can see the point where if you have a wheelchair bound disability it may not be an issue if you need to wait but no one should be forced into a wheelchair where the company claims to disability friendly!

Well if that is the law then it is a joke I'm sorry!! I should not be made to do online shopping, I happen to enjoy going to my local supermarket - I have no childcare and see it as a way to socialise as I live in a small town and all the people I know also shop there - I don't feel I should face social isolation to get my 1 bottle of wine a week! As for leaving my children at home then yes maybe the younger 2 when they are at that age, but my AUTISTIC 7 year old may never be able to be left alone as he does not understand the concept of danger! I stated this in my original comment! If the law states that shop workers cannot sell alcohol to anyone with minors accompaying them then where will it stop? Will we not be able to buy tobacco and lotto tickets? Will we be stopped from getting medication from the doctor? They are trying to turn us into a 'what if' society, 'What if' they are buying alcohol for a minor, 'what if' they will give that prescripion medication to their minor. I am sorry but they may as well stop selling it altogether because the next step will be to prove you haven't got any children 'just incase' you give it to them when you get home!! I completely understand them stopping people with minors that are not theirs with them, but there comes a point when you have to trust the responsibility of the minors parent and look at perhaps fining them if caught instead!

And I believe I am correct in saying that you are lawfully allowed an alcoholic drink when purchasing food in a pub etc from 16!

Couldn't believe I was reading that, leave your child at home to buy alcohol what is the world coming to! @ Nystagmite we live in a society where the law states innocent until proven guilty!

There was absolutely no proof that the alcohol was for the minor! I am not going to pay £5 delivery when the shop is just down the road and there isn't anyone who can get it for me as the only person who helps me is ME! And as far as leaving the children at home - well I am just astounded, did you even read my comment? My son has a disability and I have another 2 small children my partner works a 60 hour week and I have no other support, so are you telling me to leave my 7, 4 and 2 year old home alone? I think you will find the penalty for this is far worse than buying alcohol for a minor!! And btw when you have to deal with a child with autism all week I think an alcoholic beverage on the weekend is a necessity as its what keeps me sane!

There are so many disabilities that go hand in hand with autism that people just assume are part of it, my son has tourettes with his and others I know have lots of complex needs alongside their autism from ocd to dyslexia! My mother has tried getting my 15 year old sister diagnosed as she has loads of issues, she has undiagnosed ocd and oppositional defiance disorder and has been diagnosed with tricotilomania but she has also seen a clinical psychologist about her behaviour basically she either has autism or something far worse as she is a nightmare but all they said was that she didn't need to be stigmatised with a diagnosis and she was a typical teenager (even though she has had all these symptoms from a small child) my other sister has tourettes and my aunt has severe autism (which was diagnosed as mentally handicapped as it was the seventees). People don't understand these things can be genetic and I know loads of people with either more than 1 child on the spectrum or an autistic child and 1 with adhd - It's just sooo frustrating and I feel like telling them to come and take the 4 year old home for a week and then tell me there's nothing wrong!

I had my sons renewal a few months before! I think they give you a while as it's such a daunting form to fill and it takes a good few weeks to process! x

You should get a letter off DLA with a breakdown of what you have been paid and your new weekly amount, and you should get a tax credit letter with a new disability element and severe disability element added on. You can also claim carers allowance as long as you don't earn over £100 a week - regardless of whether your partner is working and you can apply for the family fund for something for the child once a year (means tested charity but dla and tax credits are non taxable so do not count) holidays or computers for example! I know it can be daunting but the amount of money reflects the amount of work! Get in contact with your local social services and ask for a carers assessment - they will assess your needs as well as the childs and can provide respite for you to get a well earned break - my 7 year old gets 2 and a half hours a week and it leaves me time to spend with the other 2! I wish I could tell you it gets better but I cant, what it does is get different, at the moment the tantrums and meltdowns are not quite so bad as he has realised people are watching but when he refuses to move it is getting really hard as he's almost at my shoulder and before long I'm not going to be able to move him manually (then the fun will start!). And after many parenting classes I am happy to tell you it is not bribary if you give for good behaviour it is a reward it's only a bribe if you give before the good behaviour with the intention of good behaviour! Good Luck and btw we all have our days where we want to run for the hills its only natural!

Hi really glad you got the confirmation you needed! Some people don't realise the relief you can get by just being told yes there is a problem and your not just loopy! It's not about the benefits etc you could receive - I have an autistic 7 year old and I knew there was an issue for years before anyone took notice, he ended up in an assessment unit when he was 3 and a half and was diagnosed at 4 purely because I had a meltdown infront of a temp health visitor (mine was off sick) and told her I couldn't cope anymore nothing I did was working and explained all the things he did. She referred him the next day and the educational psychologist told me after 20 mins with him what I knew deep down, he had autism, but would need tests for how severe! He is high functioning so is really intelligent which his pre school had never picked up on (they used to stick him in front of a dvd as soon as he got there) and learnt the alphabet in one day! Now my 4 year old is a totally different story - he decided at 2 sleep wasn't for him and he is literally bouncing off the walls (lucky the school know me as he is covered in bruises) he cannot concentrate or WALK if he walks it is either hopping or skipping or with his toes turned backwards under him (you've got to see it to believe it) and we say he should have a spot in the tv programme destroyed in seconds as we have had to move house so he has his own room after he managed to topple a chest of drawers with a big tv on whilst climbing and he destroys everything he comes into contact with, he climbs everything from kitchen units to windowsills (to swing off curtains) and we firmly believe he is ferral!! He has had an assessment for autism and it has come back negative he hasn't got the usual eye contact and social issues as the 7 year old and when speaking to the educational psychologist it looks far more likely to be adhd but the school cannot diagnos adhd and our gp refuses to refer without confirmation from the school so we are stuck in limbo! And getting back to my point it is far easier when out and about with the eldest as when people verbally abuse me - which many do as I have been deemed an unfit teenage mother who shouldn't have had kids I don't discipline (told to me by a complete stranger with no kids in tesco when I was 25 and my son had a meltdown when they spoke on the tannoy) as I can say don't be so ignorant he has autism and people leave you be, but with the 4 year old there is no explanation I can give as he has no formal diagnosis and it really does look like bad parenting when your 4 year old is running up and down aisles and climbing into other peoples trollies!!

I feel it is wrong to be refused when it is your child with you! I often buy a bottle of wine whilst doing my shop and my children are always with me (my oldest is 7) does this mean when my son is a teenager I will suddenly be refused? My eldest has autism and it is likely he will still be shopping with me when he is much older as he is hard work and no one will look after him for me! As far as buying alcohol for your children the people who do that are much more likely to go without them! I don't see the harm in letting a seventeen year old have a small drink, my mother used to leave me have a half or 2 when I was under her supervision and it didn't do me any harm - infact it taught me to drink responsibly whilst with someone responsible whilst all my friends were stealing liquor from their parents and drinking it under a local bridge - which is very dangerous! As far as sueing goes I don't think that would be appropriate but I would demand a letter of apology simply for belittleing you infront of your child, How are we supposed to command respect from our offspring when we are belittled by shop staff - as they say the customer is always right x

That's really awful! I know there has been a lot of publicity lately about internet abuse and people have been prosecuted so there is hope! I watched a programme recently which focused on people who have set up abuse forums who then go on sites such as facebook and move someone's details onto the forum so all their friends can also abuse said person! Are you sure that it's 1 person who is abusing your wife? You have to tread carefully with people who abuse the vulnerable so easily they could be mentally unstable! x

Hi, Sorry wasn't aware of anyone getting it none of the people I know get it! Did they have to go to appeal?

Hi my 7 year old has ASD (I also have a 4 year old with suspected ADHD and a 2 year old) and unfortunately you will find autism will only get you lower rate of mobility! Some friends only receive middle rate of care so it really is how you fill the form in! As far as the blue badge goes even though there is new criteria stateing that autism should be considered there is still no box for it on the form, you don't receive high mobility (as none of us do) so do not automatically meet criteria and the boxes are aimed at physical disabilities (which doesn't help when you have a child in meltdown). My renewal has just been turned down even though my GP had written that we were a genuine family in need of the badge, as there just wasn't a box to put him into! I have spoken to my local authority (a lovely girl who seemed genuinely upset that she had to refuse) and stressed that the badge is my lifeline and without it we are basically housebound and they have said to put a letter of appeal in writing and then the managers will be able to overturn the decision! Unfortunately this doesn't help in the mean time, it seems there are an awful amount of ignorant people running our country and it's about time the government made a concious decision to help people with autism and their carers, it feels as if everywhere you turn there is a slap in the face waiting for you! Try speaking to your local authority and explaining and get your councillors on board (they are paid to help you) - Good Luck Heidi x