FAILED.
Over and over again. That's how the parents of the most vulnerable and complex needs children of Sunderland feel about this local Labour lead authority.
- disregarded
- excluded
- unaccepted
Have you ever heard the saying 'you couldn't make it up'? Let's bring you up to speed on the absolute calamity of services for disabled children within Sunderland City Council. A briefing on the duty of care that by law under the children's act (1989) they are obliged to adhere to and provide, and their continuing failure to do so.
Every local authority, by law, is expected to provide a range of services to disabled children, including overnight short break respite care. These services allow primary carers to take a rest from the relentless duty of caring for a special needs child at home. The toll that this care takes upon families is unseen, unheard and often undiagnosed. The effect it has on relationships, siblings and mental health is devastating and unmonitored.
But, all these families need is to care for their child at home, with a little break now and then. The overnight short break respite, that their council is supposed to assess them for and provide
Labour lead Sunderland City Council owned a facility at Sea View Road West, adapted and embraced by the community, managed by a wealth of qualified and experienced staff. The council attempted to close it down in 2013. After a parent led protest, the council did a u-turn and kept it open until 2016, when they leased the property to a charity and leased another property at another charity, Grace House North East, after which Sunderland city council children's services were placed into special measures by a Conservative Government.
When the horror story darkens...
- The leased space at Grace House North East was run effectively by Sunderland Care and Support (SCAS) until a due renewal.
- At which point the lease would be transferred to Together for Children (Tfc)
- The C.E.O 's of the public and charity sectors failed to negotiate continuity of service.
- Grace House closed its doors, and the disabled children of Sunderland were thrown out, bereft of care.
FAILED AGAIN.
- What those parents received in June 2023, was a letter, stating that their assessed care would end in November 2023.
- No alternative provision, no assessment, no assistance, no support, no hope.
- SCAS offered redundancy to their qualified staff.
- Tfc offered inadequate 'alternative packages' to families.
Your Labour Lead Council did this to our families and children. Your Labour employed chief executives did this to our disabled children.
How can you read this and let it happen?
Sunderland Conservatives
- Are bringing a motion to full council to agree to a package of measures designed to improve the care and support available to disabled young people
- That a wider review of respite care is undertaken to ensure that a range of support is available.
- That in future the council is better prepared for the provision of short break respite care.
- Sunderland Conservatives have worked with affected families and children to bring this policy to the council chambers.
- Labour councillors have not replied to emails from affected families. Across our City.
Give us a Break
The Give us a Break organisation was formed by parents and families of affected children to campaign and protest about the injustice of their situation. Supported cross party the motion presented and debated must lead to cross party support. Otherwise, the needs of these families will once again be:
FAILED.
WATCH THE COUNCIL MEETING HERE
