Parents seek more support for disabled children citing inadequate services. They rallied for better childcare and respite.
Families get money for their kids’ care, but they often must give it back because the needed services simply aren’t available, she explained. Direct payments rely on personal assistants, but low wages make it hard to find and keep these workers.
Many families can’t hire suitable assistants, so direct payments build up in bank accounts. It looks like families have the support they need. Then, families must return the extra money. It’s unclear where that money goes.
Parents protested before the council meeting. They want more care for kids with special needs and want breakfast and after school clubs. Short breaks and respite are also important, and the council must provide support.
Her son needs one-on-one support, and current services are not good enough. A survey asked parents to choose services and let them pick “targeted” or “specialist” options. Parents did not want to make that choice.
Respite care gives parents a break, but these services are also lacking. Drove Road site has a waiting list. The city rents that site to other councils anyway. Parents want daycare and holiday clubs at Drove Road.
They also want respite and staff training. An emergency respite bed is also needed there. Staff shortages cause some respite cancellations. Families with SEND children deserve equal childcare, and they need extra respite care too.
This is a legal requirement, she stated. It helps kids thrive, and it lets parents work and study. They can spend time with other kids. It keeps parents physically and mentally well, which means they can continue caring for their children.
Councilor Emma Daniel said budgets weren’t cut and said direct payments are now easier to use. They added £500,000 to the SEND budget yearly. There are more holiday services for SEND kids now.
She knows parents worry about holiday sessions. Kids with severe disabilities need more staff. Officials are working with families on this, and they are staying within the existing budget. The council supports this priority.
Budgets will be reviewed soon. A meeting is planned in early March. SEND Us A Break and other groups will attend, and they will create a work program for short breaks. There was confusion about budget limits earlier this year.
Staff thought there was an overtime ban at Drove Road, but this was not true, according to Daniel. It took a week to fix the confusion. A young person uses the site now. Another flat is for use by Sussex councils.