Charlotte Atkins: Staffordshire County Council ignored public’s …

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STAFFORDSHIRE County Council has apparently gone to great lengths to consult on the future of Learning Disability Day Services initial briefings, questionnaires, focus groups for carers, one to one meetings, focus groups for service users and market place events over a period of three months.

We were told in the report that went to the county councils Conservative cabinet last week that the consultation adhered to the guidelines of consultation best practice, and all necessary steps were taken to gather as many views as possible.

The response rate of 750 was good, in addition to petitions signed by thousands of local residents.

But, as 80 per cent of respondents rejected the preferred option of the county council to close day centres for people with learning disabilities and farm out support for our most vulnerable citizens, the consultation has been totally ignored. The whole process has been a monumental scam.

What does this mean for around 460 people currently supported by Day Centres in Staffordshire? Their lifeline is being is being stripped away with nothing credible to replace it.

The day centres are a haven for users, giving them a social life and providing the only respite most carers ever get.

The centres have been characterised as taking people with learning disabilities away from their communities. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Most clients do not attend the centres every day, and even when they do, the caring, trusted professional staff help them use local community facilities such as swimming, gardening and sailing.

Thirty per cent of all adults who currently use the day centres, around 140 vulnerable people, are likely to be assessed as no longer eligible for any support.

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Charlotte Atkins: Staffordshire County Council ignored public's ...