Complex needs cuts are discriminatory, say parents
- Published
Jayne Sangster, whose son Cameron has autism, thinks it is discriminatory that his complex needs summer sessions have been cut from four per week to nothing
Families of young people with complex disabilities are calling for equal treatment amid complaints that councils across Scotland are cutting summer activities for their children.
Only three out of 32 said the number of opportunities offered for complex needs was the same as for mainstream.
Parents insisted the summer groups were vital for their children's mental health and development.
But many have been cut in favour of open-to-all activities.
BBC Scotland contacted all of Scotland's local authorities, and only three could confirm they offered an equal number of activities.
For Jayne Sangster in East Ayrshire, whose son Cameron has autism, ADHD and epilepsy, the lack of support is "obviously discriminatory".
'A safe environment'
Until 2019, Cameron's specialist school in Kilmarnock offered a four-week summer scheme which allowed children to play in a safe environment over the holidays.
This service has now been cut, and replaced with activities that all young people in the area can attend. But many parents of children with additional support needs say their children are excluded from these events due to their complex needs.
"They've offered things like badminton, boxing and football camps. These are things that our children are just not able to participate in," Jayne told BBC Scotland.
"We've gone from getting approximately 40 hours during the summer holidays to five. We've been left out and neglected again."
A petition Jayne started online to reverse the cuts has amassed more than 1,850 signatures.
Patrick Foy loves sport but is only able to attend two summer club sessions per week
She said the new activities were not comparable to what was offered before the cuts because those groups took place in a familiar environment with staff the children were familiar with.
She said: "Any normal 14-year-old would be able to go out and play with their friends, or would be able to go to the park, and participate in activities that have been offered.
"Unfortunately, we don't have that luxury. Cameron needs to be supervised at all times for his own safety."
East Ayrshire Council told BBC Scotland that due to Covid it had not been able to provide a full provision since the summer of 2019.
A statement said: "Prior to this, we relied heavily on the support and goodwill of staff willing to forego some of their own summer leave to help deliver this programme.
"This year, regrettably, we simply do not have the same number of volunteers available, and this has prompted us to review our summer programme, whilst fully utilising the volunteers that have come forward."
The council added it would look to make improvements in the future where possible.
The issue is not isolated to East Ayrshire.
Although he loves playing sports, 13-year-old Patrick Foy from North Lanarkshire can attend just two summer club sessions a week, compared with daily groups for mainstream children.
Patrick has autism and global development delay, which his mother Jacqueline believes should not stop him from having the same opportunities as other children.
"I'm not looking for special privileges for him, I'm looking for the same privileges and treatment as every other child in North Lanarkshire, or the country, gets," she said.
"There was a sports club that I tried to book Patrick into and I couldn't because he'd need support, so in terms of inclusivity he can't be included because he needs a wee bit of extra support which isn't there.
"There's no money, there's no budget, there's no resources, and there's no staff," she added.
"This is what you get told all the time and as a parent it's really soul destroying."
Heather Brandon was told a holiday club did not have the provisions there to help her son
Heather Brandon, whose son Derryn has autism, ADHD and Tourette's, said she also tried to take her son to a North Lanarkshire club open to all children but was told they "didn't have the provisions there to help him".
"You see all these other kids out having fun and interacting with other kids, and then you've got my wee boy on the sidelines," she said.
North Lanarkshire Council told BBC Scotland that it provides "one of the most comprehensive approaches to supporting children who need it most" during the holidays, and said parents in the area had requested "longer sessions, but fewer of them".
Parents in other local authorities have contacted BBC Scotland with similar stories, including Natalie Innes in South Lanarkshire, who says she has to take her son Aaron to Edinburgh and Glasgow for him to be able to swim and ride bikes.
"He's a sociable wee boy, but the facilities are far and wide and it stops him from socialising in his home environment," she said.
"I just want more inclusive spaces, and more funds to utilise the facilities we have already."
Natalie Innes from South Lanarkshire has to take her son Aaron to Glasgow or Edinburgh to be able to swim
South Lanarkshire Council said it "offers leisure opportunities including swimming and cycling for children and young people with a broad range of additional support needs", and would "encourage parents to get in touch with any concerns".
National Autistic Society Scotland's acting director Rob Holland described the situation as "deeply concerning".
"We understand that schools and local authorities are under a huge amount of pressure, but the reality is that this is an investment in the futures of autistic children and young people.
"It goes a long way to supporting them to develop skills, knowledge, and build relationships."
- Published28 June 2021
- Published18 January 2021
