Government must not delay respite care for disabled children - Brooke
February 28, 2007 4:27 PM
Commenting on the fall of the Disabled Children (Family Support) Bill which was to provide respite care for families with disabled children, Annette Brooke, MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole, said:
Short breaks are necessary for families with disabled children to get much needed time off and support
"It is extremely disappointing that the Bill did not achieve its second reading. Despite the lack of support for the Bill from both Conservatives and Labour, we can at least be encouraged that the Government is developing its own plans to improve outcomes for families with disabled children, which will include short breaks.
"I hope that the Government will delay no further on providing this vital service for families with disabled children. Many families are at breaking point, desperately needing respite care, and provision across the country is a postcode lottery.
"I am delighted that the Government has announced additional money to enable the Council for Disabled Children to develop best practice guidance for local authorities on how to provide effective respite care for families.
"We have taken a small step forward in pushing the Government to meet the needs of disabled children and their families, but we have a lot further to go."
The Disabled Children (Family Support) Bill was debated in the Commons on Friday but was unable to continue due to lack of support. Earlier in the day, Annette met with disabled children and their families at an event hosted by the Every Disabled Child Matters campaign, who have been promoting the Bill.
Clare McCarthy, mother of three children, including Matthew, 15, who has Williams Syndrome, said:
"I don't want a medal for having a disabled child, I just want a little bit of support to help keep the family together. Every family needs a break. With our one night off a month I just have a bath, which is such a treat."
Annette, the Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Children, Young People and Families, joined the families for a 'short breaks lottery' drawn by Mencap celebrity ambassador Lisa Scott Lee. The lottery was used to show how families are victim to the inconsistencies in respite services across the country.
Lisa Scott Lee said:
"My experience of having family members with a learning disability has given me a real insight into the lives of families who care for a loved one. It is a full time job and without short breaks a family can soon reach breaking point. It is vital that families get regular, planned breaks to allow them to do the ordinary day-to-day stuff together that the rest of us take for granted."
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
Photo shows Annette with a young person at the Every Disabled Child Matters event held on Friday (photography by Luke Tchalenko).
The Disabled Children (Family Support) Bill would have introduced a specific duty on local authorities and Primary Care Trusts to provide appropriate short breaks for families with disabled children who provide a substantial level of ongoing care. The Bill applies to England and Wales.
The Bill has been promoted by the Every Disabled Child Matters campaign, run by four national organisations working with disabled children - Contact a Family, the Council for Disabled Children, Mencap and the Special Education Consortium.
Gary Streeter MP (Cons, Devon SW) adopted the Bill, which had its second reading on 23rd February 2007.
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