Overnight SEND respite centre due to close

Protesters, pictured outside County Hall in Chelmsford, believe there are more families who will be affected

A respite centre for young people with special educational needs and disabilities is set to close following a vote by councillors.

Lavender House in Colchester is providing overnight accommodation for about 14 people.

Essex County Council said the decision would save £54,000 per year and would mean it could increase capacity at its other overnight care centre at the Maples in Harlow.

Lorraine Woodhouse, whose 16-year-old son uses the service, said travelling the further distance to Harlow was "unacceptable".

Lorraine Woodhouse (sitting beside fellow parent Gary Knowles) addressed the Conservative cabinet at Essex County Council

"I am absolutely devastated," said Ms Woodhouse.

Her son, who is severely autistic and cannot talk, can become aggressive and distressed during car journeys.

"Lavender House really has been the lifeline for us. These kids need routine and there are just not enough of these services about."

Discussions about closing Lavender House have been ongoing for a number of years

The council suggested closing Lavender House during a review in 2014 and again discussed it in 2019.

About 400 families took part in its latest consultation that closed on 31 January this year.

A report said Lavender House was running with one young person 86% of the time between October 2022 and March.

It said more equipment and more investment, due to the age of the building at New Farm Road, was also needed.

The local authority said provision at the Maples would increase to a maximum capacity of eight beds and would open seven nights a week in term time instead of five.

Essex County Council's Conservative cabinet member Beverley Egan said families would be supported

The council said seven families opposed the Lavender House closure - who they hoped could choose from new providers in the private sector who had opened up in north Essex.

Campaigners believe there are more families who would want to use it in the future.

"It's just so devastating," said Gary Knowles, whose 16-year-old son has been going to Lavender House for a decade.

"In two or three years' time, it will be bad, and then it's very difficult to reopen an establishment like that once it has closed."

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Beverley Egan, cabinet member for children's services and early years, said the council will subsidise other projects for young people, such as caravan holidays, activity clubs and "specialist foster carers".

"We will be working with each family so that nobody goes without and they get the provision that their circumstances require," said Ms Egan.

The council's Conservative cabinet voted to close Lavender House - with effect from 30 June - at a meeting at County Hall in Chelmsford on Tuesday.

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