Families in Ealing are celebrating after their campaign for a new respite centre paid off, with plans agreed for a £1.5m purpose-built facility.
The centre, with six bedrooms, staff accommodation and a garden play area, has been earmarked for Northfields, Ealing.
Delighted: campaigner Siobhan Bryar, with her son Laurence
Families in the London borough fought in vain to prevent the closure of Heller House, a respite centre in Southall for 10 to 18-year-olds with special needs.
12,000-signature petition
Campaigner Siobhan Bryar collected a 12,000-signature petition to protest against the closure.
Bryar, whose 22-year-old guitar tutor son Laurence has high-functioning autism, hopes the victory will inspire vulnerable families around the UK to challenge council cuts.
Maths tutor Mrs Bryar said: “We’re delighted that they’ve finally seen the light. We did get a lot of hope when we looked up on the internet and saw people who had actually won their case, rather than suffering the huge cuts that are happening all around the country.”
But she says families would prefer Ealing to build the new centre at an alternative site in Northolt, unless the plans for Northfields are changed to offer a larger dayroom space for the children.
Purpose-built: a three-dimensional view of the planned respite centre
Respite centre planned for 2018
Ealing Council’s cabinet agreed the new plans on Tuesday (22 November) and opted for Northfields to enable the respite facility, planned for 2018, to be built alongside the Log Cabin Children’s Centre.
The Log Cabin has an adventure playground for children with additional needs and disabilities.
When Heller House closed in July, arrangements were made for the nine families using it to have respite elsewhere in Ealing or neighbouring boroughs.
Councillor Binda Rai, cabinet spokeswoman for children and young people, said: “This is a very exciting solution which will give families high quality, modern respite facilities designed to meet their children’s needs in the borough.”
• Related: Family take action over respite closure
Published: 24 November 2016
