Camphill School Aberdeen says its ambitious expansion plans are helping parents to tackle the cost of living crisis.
The charity has released new figures showing that 48% of parents improved their employment status after their children secured a place at the school.
Camphill offers a unique approach to supporting young people with learning disabilities and a range of complex additional support needs.
The Aberdeen school integrates education, lifelong learning and expert care within a therapeutic environment. Its shared living community is set across three leafy campuses to the west of the city.
In the past two years, demand for Camphill’s services has grown by 250%.
In a bid to keep up, the school has launched a £10 million fundraising campaign. The goal is to expand its day and residential places by 60%.
Helping parents back to work
Poverty Action says families with a disabled child are 2.5 times more likely to have no parent working more than 16 hours a week.
With nearly half of Camphill parents reporting better employment prospects, executive director Alex Busch says the school provides “vital support” in the cost of living crisis.
Camphill mother Kate Monahan is one of those parents. Her son, Wilf, is now a residential pupil at Camphill. His placement has enabled Kate to return to work, part-time, after years as Wilf’s full-time carer.
“I truly don’t know where I’d be without the support of Camphill School Aberdeen,” says Kate. “Being a full-time unpaid carer over many years is so overwhelming. Working was not really possible before Wilf became a resident at the school.
“I’m only now in a place mentally and physically after years of being Wilf’s caregiver 24/7 and fighting for his rights, where I can consider resuming work.”
350 north-east young people can’t access day services
Kate says the family were “in crisis” before they secured a place at Camphill School Aberdeen.
“Many families aren’t as lucky and the current pressures of the cost of living crisis added to precarious, challenging lives will only make things worse,” she says.
Alex says many other families locally face the same challenges. Camphill School Aberdeen estimates that 350 young people aged 16-25 don’t have sufficient access to day services in the north-east.
“This not only has a hugely detrimental impact on those individuals but it also often means that the opportunities for their primary carers to work are significantly hindered too,” says Alex.
“In most cases this makes it very difficult for family members to find employment that works around care needs.
“With the cost of living crisis showing no signs of easing, expanding the number of places we are able to offer children and young people in the region has never been more urgent.”
A more hopeful future
Kate describes life as a carer as a “full-time job of love and dedication” but one that is often underappreciated. It can leave families mentally and physically exhausted.
“During my time at home with Wilf, I was unsupported and isolated,” she says. “I had nobody to turn to who understood what our family was going through.
“I had lost my self-esteem and my health really suffered due to stress and burn-out. My resilience and wellbeing remained rock bottom and are still only partially restored.”
Now, with Wilf settled and happy at Camphill, Kate feels able to focus on the future.
“I am so grateful to Camphill that I now have an opportunity to help support my own family in a very different way,” she says.
Since launching its Building Futures, Transforming Lives capital appeal campaign in February, Camphill has raised £2.3 million towards its £10 million target.
Phase one of the expansion involves Murtle Market social enterprise and a new residential home. The charity still has 38% of funds to raise to complete phase one.
More from the Schools & Family team
Teacher strike: Schools to close across all north and north-east councils
My child was born in winter – when should they start school?
Mock COP27: North students stand in the face of a ‘scary’ future
Conversation