MP Sir John Hayes is asking the public to back his call to save a Spalding facility providing respite care for families with disabled adults.
The threat of closure still remains for Cedar House, a specialist unit many families have described as a ‘lifesaver’, where specially trained staff can look after their loved ones who have special needs.
An outcry from families led to the council apologising and saying it would extend a contract with its current operator, the Making Spaces charity, to hold a consultation.
That has now launched and the authority is offering options including the closure of both or just one of the sites.
It could also carry on appointing an outside body to man the facilities or take on running it, although it says it would end its Shared Lives scheme where adults with disabilities are matched with approved carers.
The Voice has spoken to several of those who use the service including Karen Ridley who says not having Cedar House available to look after her 32-year-old son Daniel at times during the COVID-19 lockdowns led to her having a heart attack.
While the council says it’s listening, she told The Voice that parents are still after answers.
She said: “There still isn’t any clear information on what they want to do with our children and where they want to put them.
“There is nothing in Spalding that provides respite at the level required.
“An old people’s home isn’t a place for someone like Dan.
“He won’t understand where he is, he would need one-to-one care and he doesn’t like noisy places.
“He can’t talk, so can’t express what he needs. If he gets upset, he is likely to lash out and he self-harms by hitting his head etc.
“It just isn’t a suitable place for people like Dan.
“He gets upset by changes, and people he doesn’t know.
“He likes routine and consistency.”
Carol Beeton, whose 25-year-old son Ben spends a night a week at Cedar House said she’d had a more positive conversation on the consultation though his social worker.
“We looked at Swallow Lodge before but because of Ben’s behavioural issues they said they couldn’t accept him there,” Carol said.
Council officials and councillors insist the move is not a cost-cutting measure, but originally said closing the two sites would save £343,324 a year.
South Holland and the Deepings MP Sir John has urged the public to back his campaign to save the Spalding centre in particular.
Online petitions at www.change.org ‘Stop Cedar House Respite centre closure in Spalding’ and ‘Save Lincolnshire’s Remaining Adult Respite Centres’ already have 1,233 and 1,767 signatures respectively,
But Sir John (pictured) wants those who don’t have access to a computer to fill in the coupon printed below to show their support for the site.
“There is a strong argument not to close Cedar House, not only for the individuals who are cared for there and their families, but also as a point of principle.
“It’s very short term thinking and is going to cost them more in the long run putting them in different and non-specialist accommodation all over the place.”
Sir John is asking those who support Cedar House to cut out the below form, fill it in and send it to his constituency office address at Project Cedar House, 24-25 Westlode Street, Spalding, PE11 2AF.
