A centre offering short breaks for young disabled children in Birmingham is set to close within weeks unless funding can be found.
The KIDS facility in Wylde Green runs short break services for youngsters, allowing parents and carers a much-needed respite.
But cash-strapped Birmingham City Council is set to withdraw vital funds from March 31, stating it could not ‘continue to fund organisations simply because we have done so previously.’
Almost 2,000 people have now signed a petition to keep the centre open. To force a debate at the city council scrutiny committee, the petition must garner 10,000 names.
A joint statement from KIDS and Councillor Alex Yip (Sutton New Hall) has been posted on the online petition page.
It said: “We are the only centre that provides this service in Birmingham and there is no suitable alternative available to the children we currently support.
“Short breaks are among the most fundamental services for supporting the health and well-being for families with disabled children.
“They give families a break from caring for a disabled child, while also offering a chance for children to do activities they enjoy. They hold families together and can prevent them from reaching crisis.”
It added: “It is a statutory obligation for Birmingham City Council to provide suitable short break services. However, at present none of the services listed in Birmingham’s Short Break Statement 2018 offer the same service we do, and are all for five plus years.
“Our service supports a specific group of children who have high needs and do not have a loud voice in decision making.
But the council said it would ensure that children who currently received a break would not miss out.
A spokesman said: “Our Short Breaks Funding, despite having been reduced due to ongoing government cuts, will continue to support seven services across the city which deliver a range of support for disabled children. This complements in-house respite provision as well as holiday provision and childcare. We will ensure no child who receives a short break service cannot get it elsewhere.
“The funding for KIDS mainly covers stay and play and nursery provision, with short breaks a small part of it. We cannot continue to fund organisations simply because we have done so previously.
“All two-year-olds with disability living allowance are entitled to free childcare and all three and four year-olds can access the Early Years Entitlement of 15 hours free childcare rising to 30 hours.”
But parents and carers are continuing to back the petition.
Teresa Culverwell said: “Disabled kids and their families desperately need a break. KIDS charity fills that much needed gap. As a carer I know such provision also impacts on the whole family’s health and well-being, which local authorities tend to ignore.”
Tracy Austwick added: “The service was a life saver for us, so I know personally how important it is to keep this for other families who need help and support.”
Loretta Haughey commented: “Short breaks provision provided by KIDS UK West Midlands was a life changer for us as a family.
“It’s a vital service that will leave some of our most vulnerable children without the support and stimulation they so desperately need. Sad times.”
To sign the petition visit https:// www.change.org/p/protectkidsfunding
