2017-08-24 12:49:56 +0100
To: Telford Council
Improved holiday provisions for all special needs children in Telford and Wrekin
There is not enough services or support offered to children or families with special needs around the borough during school holiday periods. All special needs children should be able to access a designated playscheme with trained and qualified staff on a regular basis. If excursions are available drop off/ collection should be at the playscheme provision. One venue for everything would help so much with transportation, anxieties etc.
The standard of the current playscheme, trips etc is not in question... Everyone I have spoken to has a positive view of all the people who work in this area but there is just not enough of it and it is not fairly provided to all.
Why is this important?
To support families with complex children during school holidays giving routines, consistency and respite.
Having a provision like this would improve mental health and wellbeing of everyone involved.
Parents are exhausted and children have no where to go that is suitable for their needs. Even if they do have access to the small amount of trips and playscheme available it is small and not consistent throughout the entire school closures.
Parents who are employed are unable to go to go to work as there is no permenant or regular provision suitable for their child.
We are not able to send our children to just any holiday club or child minder... They are extremely vulnerable persons and have to have all of their needs met and understood.
Our son is 5 and a half years old. He was placed at The Bridge Assessment Nursery for almost 2 yrs so was able to access a holiday playscheme for a couple of hours twice per week for 4 weeks. We were grateful for this little bit of respite at the time even as small as it was, but as our son has now moved to another special school there is no permenant holiday provision at all. Not having respite for a family with a special needs child is so difficult. Our children need routine and consistency and don't understand why school closes for 6weeks+, this accentuates all of their difficulties.
How it will be delivered
Through meetings with the Telford and Wrekin Commisioner for Vulnerable People.
