Children’s respite care home in Ormskirk under threat of closure

A CHILDREN’S respite care centre in Ormskirk could be under threat as Lancashire County Council looks to save £179m on its budget over the next three years.

Thursday’s full council meeting agreed a package of measures as it attempts to balance its book.

Among the measures agreed was a review of the council’s children’s respite care homes.

County Councillor Susie Charles, Cabinet Member for Children and Schools, said this move means that one of the homes is likely to close in the next 12 months. No decision has been made on which home that will be. The home in West Lancashire is on Grimshaw Lane.

Former Skelmersdale county councillor Chris Cheetham said: “If you are the parent of a disabled child then respite care is absolutely vital. This is very unfair.”

County Councillor Charles said: “I understand how important our respite care services are to those who use them.

“We are reshaping our respite services to give a better service to families. We want to give them more choice and flexibility, with the option of direct payments and a good range of external providers, as well as continuing to provide some respite ourselves.

“We are involving parents and carers well before we reach the stage of formal consultation on any proposals, and will also be working closely with social workers and our own respite care staff, who know the families very well.

Children’s homes in Skelmersdale could also be under threat. The council is looking at cutting the number of its homes from 15 to 10 by reducing the number of children it looks after.