A family in Inverness say they are at “breaking point” after the only respite service available to them was put on hold indefinitely.
Andrew Greig and his wife Kim have two children with profound disabilities and learning difficulties and have both given up full-time work to care for them.
The children, Andrew, nine, and Charlotte, seven, are pupils at Drummond School in Inverness and attend Special Needs Action Project (Snap) a charitable service for children and young people in the Highlands.
Andrew has also been offered one night a week respite at The Orchard in Inverness, a safe place for those who often run away from home and carers.
Inverness respite centre cancels respite
But now the family has been told that place is on hold and believe this is because young adults are taking up “emergency” beds at the care centre.
He said: “When the beds are full at The Orchard, it means those children who access the service for respite on a regular basis are unable to be accommodated.
“It is just heartbreaking for Andrew as he feels safe there. He is a runner – and the staff provide a phenomenal service, and he feels relaxed and really enjoys going there.
“He is a boy who likes routine, and with the school on summer holidays he needed his respite to keep him going. He doesn’t understand what is happening, so we have tried to explain by saying the service is on holiday. But he is struggling.
“We have been told, by the hard-working staff, the situation is temporary, but the same thing happened during Covid, and when it comes back this time it needs to stay open.
“The children who attend The Orchard deserve better. Parent and families fight for all the support they get – it is provided because it is really needed for them, as well as the kids.”
Giving families a voice
Mr Greig says the latest blow comes on the back of years of fighting for services for children with disabilities.
He said: “I feel like I am constantly writing letters to MPs, MSPs and councillors to try and save services for children with disabilities, and sometimes I wonder why Highland Council are not putting the needs of our most vulnerable children first.”
“I want to give families a voice, because we are all exhausted from cuts in Drummond School to removing funding from Snap, they don’t have the energy,” he said. “I was shaking when I got this letter, as I could not believe there was another battle to fight.”
Mr Greig said due to Andrew’s “very specific” care needs, it is not simply a case of finding another respite centre.
“If I had a £1million I could not find a suitable place like The Orchard for him,” he said.
“Without The Orchard we, and dozens of other families, are left without any respite support. And we need it, we all do.”
‘This is a temporary measure’
A letter sent to Mr Greig from respite service The Orchard, which is operated by Highland Council, states: “There are several issues which have impacted on our ability to become fully operational and offer a respite service and the result has been a reduction in our capacity to do this.
“Our current situation finds us in the extremely unfortunate position of having to cancel all current planned respite – a decision which has been very difficult to make and one which will, we are aware, have a huge impact on families, particularly during this holiday period.
“Please be assured that this is a temporary measure, and we are doing everything possible to resolve this as soon as possible.”
A council spokesman issued a statement in conjunction with NHS Highland.
He said: “Significant service delivery challenges – particularly in terms of staffing – have resulted in a pause to short-break (respite) provision at The Orchard care facility.
“The provision has not ceased permanently or closed.
“We are working extremely hard with all colleagues including NHS Highland to resolve these issues to reinstate short break provision as quickly as possible to meet the needs of the community.”
