Kirk backs out of talks with group over city day care

THE Church of Scotland has opted not to join a group looking at services in Glasgow for adults with learning disabilities.
The group was set up following a decision by Glasgow City Council to close three day-care centres – Berryknowes, Summerston and Hinshaw Street – which carers insist are vital.

The remaining four council-run centres will remain open for around 200 people with severe learning difficulties.

That means 320 vulnerable people will no longer have access to council-run day care.

Carers have been fighting to persuade the city council to keep the three centres open.

Instead, social work bosses have set up a group called a public social partnership to look at services for people with learning difficulties. But it has now been revealed that CrossReach, the social arm of the Church of Scotland, has pulled out of talks.

A letter to carers from acting chief exec-utive Calum Murray says: “I have been involved in a number of meetings with Glasgow City Council and other third sector providers which have been helpful in forming CrossReach’s decision on this matter.

“I wrote to Glasgow City Council on behalf of CrossReach and confirmed we would be withdrawing from discussions in relation to the public sector partnership.

“Please be advised CrossReach fully appreciates the impact of service closures on service users, as well as to the wider family network.

“The views of service users and carers was a major contributing factor in the decision not to continue to be part of the discussions.”

A Crossreach spokes-man said it is “comm-itted to working with Glasgow City Council as a social care prov-ider and still does oper-ate within Glasgow”.

Carers have asked other charities and service providers to boycott the new group until the decision to close the three day care centres is overturned.

A city council spokesman said: “There are now 13 partners including support providers signed up to the public social partnership and we are all fully committed to achieving the aims of the partnership.

“We would urge carers and service users to get involved in the partnership as it will give them the best opportunity to shape services in a way that fits their own lives.”