Hi, my son has Special Needs and is currently in receipt of what is referred to as the basic care package where he spends one night per week and one full weekend in every six at a children's residential care home in Sheffield. He has been going for nearly two years now after we had fought for nearly 12 years to get this help. My husband and I were both on the verge of breakdowns. We still are to be honest, even with the extra help, so you can imagine how devastated we were when in was revealed in the Sheffield Star that the home (Rushey Meadow) was to close as part of the council's (Lib Dems) forthcoming cuts.
Neither us nor any of the staff had any idea that this was going to be proposed so you can appreciate how devastating this blow has been to us all, especially to read it in the local newspaper as well. This respite home provides a vital resource to families such as mine The only way families of children with special needs manage to keep functioning is by having regular breaks from caring, comfortable in the knowledge that their child's individual needs are being met in a caring and loving environment by the skilled and highly dedicated staff.
I and many of the other parents don't know how we are going to cope if this proposal goes ahead. We are attending a meeting with the councillor in question tomorrow and hope to have some questions answered but if anyone out there has any advice they can offer us we would all be very grateful. We are desperate not lose Rushey Meadow as we need it plus our children love going there, they have friends there (it's their only social life) and it is consistent. I don't think that the people making these devastating proposals have any idea, whatsoever, how they are affecting our lives and our vulnerable children's.
Thank you if you can offer us any support.