Families' fears over closure of autism services in Northamptonshire

Diane Jones said her son Elliott had built up a good relationship with the staff at the Diamond Day Centre in Irthlingborough

Families have said they will lose a lifeline when services supporting people with autism shut next month.

National Autistic Society (NAS) announced a day centre and other support in Northamptonshire will close.

It said all providers of social care were facing huge challenges and while demand for support is going up, funding was not keeping pace.

Northamptonshire's two councils said the charity had asked for more money "without clear justification".

The Diamond Day Centre in Irthlingborough, the residential and supported living services which includes Heath Rise and Sheep Street in Wellingborough and the Northants Outreach Service, will close in November.

Diane Jones and her husband are full-time carers for their 25-year-old son Elliott, who is autistic and has severe epilepsy.

She told BBC Radio Northampton they had "built up a really good friendship with staff" over the seven years her son had been going to the day centre.

Mrs Jones, from Wellingborough, said: "They gave us seven-weeks' notice, but it took us three months to find and then it takes [Elliott] around three months to settle into a new place, so it just isn't enough time.

"I cried for two days when we first found out and then the third day I was just really angry and knew I needed to do something."

Mrs Jones, along with other parents and families, have set up Save Irthlingborough Daycentre Group and earlier this week started a petition.

Elliott Jones, who is autistic and has severe epilepsy, has used the day centre for seven years

Jackie-Lee Seaman's, 35 year old brother Martin, who has severe epilepsy and is autistic, attends the centre five days a week.

She said: "He is losing lifeline, his bit of freedom. It's the only time he goes out and it's also a bit of respite for my mum."

Some of the families are set to meet privately with the NAS.

Steven Rose, of the National Autistic Society, said: "We are incredibly sad and sorry that we have to make these extremely difficult decisions, but we have no other choice."

He said the social care system "needs significant investment and reform".

"Our priority is to support those groups as we navigate this period of change," he added.  

Diamond Day Centre in Irthlingborough is one of the services run by NAS set to close

In a joint statement, North Northamptonshire and West Northamptonshire councils said NAS "demanded significant fee uplifts without clear justification", in January.

They said: "Together, the councils have tried to on multiple occasions engage with NAS to resolve the funding issue however have found that NAS have been unwilling to provide information needed to assess the request for an increase in fees, which has resulted in threats to terminate contracts.

"While both councils are committed to providing quality services and ensure a fairness in payments, it is also vital we are mindful of our responsibility on spending the public money and creating a fair pay balance across all providers.

"The requested uplift was far greater than what has been agreed with other providers and was not financially viable."