Hundreds of mother and father on the lookout for assist with youngsters with complicated wants this summer season are dealing with a postcode lottery of care.
Most depend on faculties staying open through the holidays and organising actions for much-needed respite.
A Sunday Mail investigation has revealed that the variety of summer season courses laid on by councils for Scotland’s 233,000 youngsters with bodily and studying disabilities relies upon fully on the place they reside.
Nationwide Autistic Society Scotland appearing director Rob Holland stated: “We hear each day from households who're working exhausting to boost and look after autistic youngsters typically with little or no assist.
“The dearth of companies heaps additional stress on households and dangers pushing them to breaking level. The provision of quick break companies shouldn't be wholly reliant on the place autistic youngsters reside.”
Many of the youngsters, many disabled, can't attend summer season actions councils run for different youngsters due to their complicated wants.
We found Edinburgh, Dundee, Aberdeen, Falkirk, Fife and Stirling councils have deliberate a variety of actions however a number of others, together with Perth and Kinross and Highland, don't have anything.
Glasgow runs 21 faculties.
The council advised us it's as much as particular person faculties if they need summer season actions for pupils.
Final week mother and father of kids at Isobel Mair Faculty in Newton Mearns, East Renfrewshire, realized a two-week summer season session for all pupils was being axed.
The minimize got here because the Accounts Fee warned that these youngsters don't get correct assist.
East Renfrewshire Council normally extends the varsity 12 months for 2 weeks into July to offer actions for 150 pupils.
However the variety of youngsters being provided summer season locations has been decreased to only 37 as a part of a cost-cutting train.
A petition calling on East Renfrewshire to reverse its choice has already attracted greater than 3600 signatures.
Mum Nicola Kerr, 52, stated the cutback was a blow to under-pressure mother and father.
Her 17-year-old son Christie, who has Down’s syndrome and autism, has attended Isobel Mair for the final 10 years.
She stated: “We’ve been advised by the varsity that we’ll now have to search out different companies over the summer season. However there aren't any such companies for boys like Christie.
“The individuals who employees them are usually not certified. The council is concentrating on the mother and father of complicated wants youngsters as a result of we're a simple goal.
“We're at breaking level daily – that's how it's with disabled children.”
Karen McKeown, 34, from Bellshill, stated there is no such thing as a summer season assist for fogeys of autistic children in North Lanarkshire. Her son Luke, 12, has ADHD and has suffered from PTSD since his dad’s dying in 2017.
She pays for council- organised summer season actions, none of that are geared in direction of youngsters with extra wants.
She stated: “The assist for kids with autism and sophisticated wants in North Lanarkshire is surprising. There's a large postcode lottery. It isn't proper that there are summer season actions for kids in some areas however not others.”
East Renfrewshire Council stated: “We perceive the proposed change to construction of vacation provision at Isobel Mair can be tough for these impacted.
"Sadly, like all councils, we proceed to face extraordinarily difficult monetary pressures.”
North Lanarkshire Council stated it was planning a six-week summer season exercise programme for kids with complicated wants at varied venues.
Scottish Labour schooling spokesperson Michael Marra stated: “These companies are very important. They supply respite, recommendation and assist for each mother and father and youngsters.”
Willie Rennie, of the Scottish Lib Dems, stated: “It’s disappointing the availability of assist is so inconsistent throughout components of Scotland.”
Meghan Gallacher, Tory shadow minister for kids and younger folks, stated: “Entry to those companies appears to be turning into a postcode lottery.”
The Scottish Authorities stated: “We're investing £145.5million in direction of schooling staffing in 2022-23, representing the largest improve to assist trainer recruitment since 2007.”
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