Next Tuesday, 3rd September is Salford Youth Day, which, according to the Council, is "a day for Salford to celebrate the positive achievements of its young people and bring together the community…"
But what about young people with disabilities? Their parents are currently fighting Salford Council over plans to cut the current system for short breaks for these young people. And they won't be finding much to `celebrate' on Salford Youth Day.
Every local authority in the country has a legal duty to provide short break care for families with children who have disabilities. The breaks give the kids a little holiday, while giving their parents/carers some valuable time to spend with their other children, catch up on household chores or take some time out for themselves.
Currently the young people go to The Grange, a state of the art facility which both they and their parents/carers love. Now Salford Council wants to kick the current users out of The Grange, put the under 14 year olds with foster carers and lump over 14 year olds in with adults at Granville House – a move that is seen as, well, sick…
"If you had a mainstream daughter who was 14 or 15 and you were going through problems in your life so they put her into care, and six months later they said `We're going to stick your daughter in with adults, it will be ok won't it?'…all hell would break loose" says one parent "So where's the difference? Is the Council saying `We can put disabled adults and children together and nothing will happen'?"
Another parent added "You're persecuting our children for the way they are because they are more needy than anybody else." (For the full story see previous Salford Star article on The Grange – click here).
Salford City Mayor Ian Stewart will make the final decision on the future of these children with disabilities on 23rd September, following a recommendation from John Merry, the Assistant Mayor for Children Services on 9th September.
Parents of children with disabilities and their supporters are determined that Ian Stewart will not be allowed to remain unchallenged while he swans around Salford on Youth Day trying to harness positive publicity for himself.
The Save The Grange group have called for as many Salford people as possible to join them to lobby Ian Stewart at his youth fest…
Save The Grange
Ian Stewart Lobby
Tuesday 3rd September 5:30pm
Eccles Community Hall
The Town Hall
Church Street
Eccles, M30 0LH
See also previous Salford Star feature on the day the Save The Grange group went to Salford City Council meeting to try and make their case – click here.
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