Thanks to Hazel for sharing this open letter to the council with VentnorBlog readers. In her own words. Ed
Can I please take the space to give a parents point of view to the council?
We understand your need to make cuts, we are not fools, you have been handed a poison chalice by the government you represent, a government which should have ring fenced the services to all the most vulnerable.
Any mistakes in judgement you may have made, I feel sure have been made in good faith, but you didn’t really listen to us, the consultations you made were inadequate because of lack of understanding of what problems we had.
This not only includes the handicapped but the elderly, those with mental health problems … all in fact of those with special needs, whatever form those needs take.
Our never-to-be-grown-up children have varying needs
So many parents have a vulnerable child who may not have critical needs but certainly need a great deal more help to give that child quality of life.
My own daughter has special needs of the critical kind, I also am very aware that those of us who have children – and I use the word loosely as these are our never-to-be-grown-up children – have similar problems no matter how severe or slight the problems are, they still are vulnerable and need help.
When decisions about the quality of care to be offered are made, it is vital that those decisions should be made by those who have some understanding of what the problems are and how best to address the care to all, to each according to their needs.
Often, there’s little understanding of situation
As a parent I was told at one stage that my daughter could be taught to use the bus to enable her to get from Freshwater to Ryde, a journey that would mean two buses and a long walk, this for a girl who cannot cross the road without supervision.
There are many similar stories, the main problem seems to be lack of understanding, they are all lumped together instead of being looked at as individuals which they all are.
My daughter’s needs are covered
I am happy with the personal budget my daughter has, it has covered a reduced service to a day centre, reduced because of her need to have a one-to-one service, the cost for a day and a half amounts to over eight hundred pounds a month.
Her transport, which used to be free, is also calculated, plus finding her activities to cover the day and a half she has lost. Her stays at Westminster House for respite now costs nearly two hundred pounds for a weekend.
All of this has been calculated and agreed, I have to make up the money required but am happy to do so. In other words those critical cases receiving personal budgets have been well looked after by the council for which I thank them.
I freely admit I had grave doubts, but actually this has worked out far better than I feared, so I have no personal axe to grind.
Many others not so fortunate
Many parents have not been so fortunate, because their children have either been in residential care and lost their day service or living at home, with nowhere near as much support as those deemed critical.
Set up working panel
Might I therefore ask the council that whatever changes now must be made would you consult us properly, will you put someone in charge of decision making who really understands the problems parents face and will listen to our needs which, I must stress will be different for every one of us.
My suggestion is that you set up a panel to address these problems, a panel that should include parents, care workers and managers.
I hope this is not too much to ask.
Image: Fox Tongue under CC BY 2.0
