Mencap ‘devastated’ over threat to respite funding
Tuesday 28th July 2009, 2:57PM BST.
Senator Paul Routier, Jersey Mencap president.
JERSEY Mencap is devastated to learn that funding for its respite home for children with learning disabilities could be withdrawn.
If Health and Social Services go ahead with its plan to cut services as part of the Business Plan it would be reneging on a promise it made to the charity in 2007 to take over the £200,000 running costs of Maison Allo in St Saviour next year.
The charity’s president, Senator Paul Routier, said today that without that funding, the home, which helped to keep families with children with learning difficulties together, could close.
The home, which provides regular respite support for 25 families with children aged between five and 18, was opened three years ago.
Some of those children stay overnight or for a few days to give their families a break and a chance to spend time with their other children.
• See Tuesday’s JEP for full story.
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Yet another example of a politician taking on the role of a mushroom – as i’ve said before unless you work in the finance industry you are surplus to requirements and a threat to society !!!
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here we go again.
this week the babies milk, grand vaux centre and now, mencap.
appaling isnt it.
if you feel these places should remain open and available please contact the folowing
Apryke@gov.je
Ju.martin@gov.je and also E.noel@gov.je
and tell them you do not want to see these social services loose their funding .
rember you may not be using these services , but you or a family member may require them one day .
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I think this is an absolute disgrace!! The states should be ashamed of themselves!! These services provide much needed help and support which otherwise would not be provided!! I worked in this area (not at maison allo) but as a support worker for special needs and i know how difficult it is! They need as much support as possible, not treats of funding being taken away!! The states are happy to spend there money on completely unnessesary things yet the things that actually benefit the community and help families, the states are quite happy to get rid of!! I wonder if any of there children use the respite service because im sure if they did then certain members of the states would have a fight on there hands!! Its a disgrace!!!
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The States clearly need to properly weigh up the long-term costs of cutting such services. While there will be an immediate monetary benefit (no wages, rent etc) such services provide much needed help to people, help that can prevent people from needing long-term medical care and can give them more time to contribute to society as a whole.
The stress placed on parents by having no respite could actually end up costing the States on medication for stress-related illness. That’s just one possible cost implication of closure, I don’t doubt there are others.
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