Castletown mother says lack of respite care for disabled young children in Caithness is 'abysmal'

The lack of respite care services for disabled young children in Caithness is "abysmal", according to a Castletown mother.

Elizabeth Jones has a six-year-old son who is autistic she claims he is not getting the help he needs and is entitles to.

Ms Jones said her son, Ollie, attended No Limits Caithness – a charity which offers activities for the disabled – three days during the October holidays and every second Saturday, but has never been to Thor House which used to provide overnight respite care.

"When I contacted Thor House I was told they are just not doing that now. We are entitled to overnight care and have funding in place but there's no one to provide it," she said.

Ms Jones pointed out that a similar facility in Inverness is "up and running again" after the coronavirus pandemic and offers such a service but it would not be practical to send Ollie there.

"It would be preposterous sending him all that way for overnight respite care," she said. Ms Jones, speaking at a meeting of Thurso Community Council, explained that her son, who has disturbed sleep patterns, has to share her bedroom. He has a small area which measures eight by four feet.

"The lack of services for children like Ollie is abysmal. It is not good enough," she added.

Thurso and Northwest Caithness Highland councillor, Karl Rosie, pointed out that Thor House has staffing issues and is facing difficulties planning its respite services following the Covid crisis. A review of care services is being undertaken, it was stated.

Community council chairwoman Thelma Mackenzie said respite care will be included in the review but added: "The community needs answers. At the end of the day this facility was set up for respite and day care."

Cllr Rosie said self-directed support could be an alternative solution.

Iain Gregory said the Shared Care Scotland website says Thor House provides a range of services for people with learning disabilities, including a four-bedroom respite unit, providing short stay respite breaks for adults and children.

"There is no doubt that you qualify for the service but you are not getting it," he stated.

Billy Sinclair said he was "sick of hearing about reviews" and said they generally mean that nothing is done.

"Why do we need a review in this case when it is obvious the service is needed?" he asked.

On the lack of respite care services, he acknowledged the difficulties caused by the coronavirus but added: "The staff were there before Covid so where are they now? You would think they must be able to recruit them."

Peter Todd said Highland Council has had two to three years to put measures in place to reduce the risk from the coronavirus.

A Highland Council spokesperson said: “Thor House currently provides residential care for children and young people. A review of provision is under way both in terms of Caithness and across Highland as a whole.

"While this review is undertaken, the alternative residential provision is in Orchard House in Inverness. Parents also have the opportunity to access a needs-led assessment for Self-directed Support and through this they can employ someone to care for their child in their own home or in the carer’s home to provide them with respite.”

As previously reported, Matthew Reiss, a Thurso and Northwest Caithness Highland councillor, said respite care at Thor House has been stopped since the coronavirus pandemic and people have been told to go elsewhere.

He called for the service to be reinstated immediately "for the sake of families".