PARENTS have raised concerns over the future of services for children with additional support needs following cuts to the area's health and social care budget.
Inverclyde Integration Joint Board last month approved a two-year Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) budget which will see a £5.2 million reduction in spending.
This includes service reductions within children and families, which will hit community support for youngsters.
Bosses say they will 'redesign' services for disabled children and young people and move towards 'greater use of community alternatives'.
This has left parents of children with additional needs fearing for the future.
Heather Reid, of the ASN Parent and Carer Group Inverclyde, is concerned they will be left to make use of other services which are not suitable for their children.
She told the Telegraph: “What the budget is saying is it’s basically put up or shut up.
“Our children are being told they just have to fit in.
“When you’ve got children with disabilities, it’s hard enough as it is.”
Heather has previously struggled to find suitable services for her four-year-old daughter, Ella Rose.
When learning to swim, Heather took Ella Rose to lessons designed for babies as she would be allowed to get into the water along with her.
READ MORE: Inverclyde HSCP budget with £5.2m in cuts is approved
She said: “I now just have to take her myself and try and teach her, so she’s not getting proper lessons.
“It’s a huge problem, and taking money away isn’t helping.
“I’m not expecting them to solve the problem, because I don’t believe any one entity can, but taking money away definitely doesn’t help.”
Pamela MacDonald, a mother of two ASN children, recently launched a specialist playgroup at Port Glasgow New Parish Church after realising how many families in Inverclyde were in need of support.
Pamela said: “Even if I can help eight to ten families a week who just want to have a space to come and chill out, I’m happy with that.
READ MORE: ASN Stay and Play group launched in Port Glasgow
“It definitely shouldn’t fall on parents alone to set up these groups.
“They need support from the HSCP, they need funding, they need training – all of these things would be beneficial."
Inverclyde Council told the Tele that the two-year budget approved would provide the partnership with financial stability, the ability to plan for future funding challenges, and the capacity to deliver savings over 2024-26.
A spokesperson said: “We welcomed all contributions to our budget-setting consultation and are grateful to those who took part.
“The forthcoming redesign of children and families service will include setting out how to improve outcomes for all children and young people, including those with complex needs.
“The savings agreed over the next three years are part of the wider children’s residential budget.
“As part of this work, we will look at how community-based supports can be further developed, in consultation with families and local partners.
“Although this will continue to include short-breaks, we plan to move away from traditional models of residential respite and use a more personalised approach which gives more choice and varied options to reflect children’s individual needs.
“This will also tie into work around transition planning and will look at how community-based supports can better meet the needs of children and young people, including those with ASN, across Inverclyde.”
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