Cotswold Chatterblog

Cotswolds MP Geoffrey Clifton-Brown recently met with members of Cirencester SCOPE, officers from the charity and parents of disabled children, to discuss the issues in relation to the future of disabled nineteen year olds when school ends and the lack of Respite Care for parents, carers and the disabled individual themselves.

The meeting was extremely well structured and whilst tea and cakes were provided the emphasis was on a “working tea” through registering the needs of a disabled family. Those in attendance explained to the MP the realities faced by disabled children and carers across a spectrum of issues including earlier planning in schools transportation, equipment, services, education, housing and funding.

The discussion embraced the cradle to grave development of people with a disability and the affect on families, carers, parents and siblings can be very dramatic, but with strategic planning and a little more common sense there are really sensible opportunities to improve the quality of life of people with a disability.

Commenting on the meeting Mr Clifton-Brown said “this was a very constructive meeting for both myself and SCOPE. The difficulties I have heard today are a reality for a number of my constituents. I am looking forward to moving on from this meeting and helping to tackle the challenges”
“I was touched by some of the examples given by those I met who care for disabled children: the difficulties of an autistic child shouting at you in a supermarket: the cost of specially adapted toys and perhaps above all else, the effect a disabled child can have on his or her siblings”

The final message from Ann Stuart, the Chairman of Cirencester SCOPE was “Failure is extremely expensive. Crisis management is not the way forward. If parents give up, the alternative is not worth thinking about”

Source; Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP (Cotswold)

www.geoffreycliftonbrown.com

Tags: charity | cirencester | cotswolds

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