EDCM urges councils to pledge cash for respite care

Members of the Every Disabled Child Matters (EDCM) campaign group are to contact local authorities across the country asking for guaranteed spending on respite care, after the case of Riven Vincent highlighted the plight of families struggling to look after children with complex needs.

Vincent, who lives in South Gloucestershire with her severely disabled daughter, posted a message on the Mumsnet website earlier this week saying she could no longer cope and was considering placing her child in care.

“I called my social worker to tell her I wanted to start looking for a full-time residential care home for my six-year-old daughter, Celyn, who has severe quadriplegic cerebral palsy and epilepsy,” Vincent explained.

“I’d just received a letter from social services saying there was no chance of any more than the six hours respite care we receive currently.”

Following intense media reaction to the case, the Prime Minister David Cameron wrote to Vincent promising her help.

But Christine Lenehan, EDCM board member and director of the Council for Disabled Children, argued that many more families also need assistance.

“We are confident that Riven’s case will now be addressed as a matter of priority, and we very much hope a solution will be reached which meets her family’s needs,” she said.

“However, we want to make sure that all the families in the country that are quietly despairing because they can’t get short breaks have their issues addressed as a matter of priority — before they reach breaking point.”

Lenehan said despite the government allocating an extra £800m for short breaks over the next four years, councils may still divert the funds to other areas of their work because the money is not ringfenced.

She said: “Over the next few weeks, we will be writing to local areas to ask for evidence that they plan to spend this funding on providing vital support to families with disabled children.”

A South Gloucestershire council spokesman said a meeting has been arranged to discuss Celyn’s requirements.

The spokesman added: “South Gloucestershire council understands the difficulties facing parents of disabled children, particularly those with complex needs such as Celyn’s.

“The council has worked with local parents of disabled children to increase the range of services to meet the local need, including short breaks, which are an important aspect of support to keep children at home.

“We recognise that there are times when difficulties can appear overwhelming and we hope that we can resolve the present difficulties in the best interest of the family.”