[HJW]

Hi there,

I am interested in finding out about the need for private daycare and respite care centres for special needs children in London & Southern Home Counties (UK).  I would welcome any comments anyone has on the following:

- Have you faced any difficulties finding a suitable day nursery to cater for your child's special needs?

- Do you have an option of respite care for your special needs child in your area, to allow you to have a break overnight or at weekends?

- What makes the perfect child care facility for your special needs child?

Thank you in advance for your comments.

Kind regards,
Hanna.

[Speeds]

Hello and welcome

I think that in general there is a lack of care that meets people's needs in the UK.

The trouble with anything private though is usually the cost is prohibitive.

At the moment if I need to spend a day away (including overnight) from my family it costs me:

£45 in childcare costs (more if it is not a school day)
£120 to look after my husband which doesw not include the carer travel and food

and that is a bare minimum as although both are dissbled they do not need truly specialised care.

[paula]

Blimey - that is expensive! Can't really help as not in your area but good luck with your research!

[JAYNE]

There is a need for a provision that caters for children with special needs. I live in Cambridgeshire and there is very little choice..and what is available is subject to very strict criteria.  I would love just to have a drop in holiday scheme for parents/carers/children with special needs and siblings..but nothing. I have contacted the National Autistic Society but again nothing in my area! In fact, I am thinking of starting up one myself so my son and his siblings would benefit. I would even like a saturday club too!  But maybe..watch this space!...   

[Julie]

Jayne - in our area we have an organisation called Coping With Chaos (there is a website if you are interested to see what they do).  They cover the whole of Dorset, but realistically it benefits those in the close facinity.  This is exactly the way that they started - with a group of Mums fed up with not being able to go out to places in the the holidays so they decided to organise a charity organisation to do this.  It is absolutely brilliant - non-profit making and purely run on charitable donations and fundraising.  It is how I met Paula who runs this site.  They employ students in the school holidays to help look after the children, which give parents a couple of hours to relax and talk to other parents in the same position as them.  It means that we don't have to worry about people judging our children and us as parents when we go to places, as we're all in the same boat!  Each time we go to a play session, we are asked to contibute just £1 per child.  We pay £12 a year to belong to the club, but this entitles us to be part of a 100 club where there is a monthly draw.

If you can get something like this going, it would be absolutely brilliant for those in your area.  They also provide a youth club for the older children plus other services to help parents with the many obsticles that we have to encounter too.

Lots of luck to you.  If you want to get some advice from Coping With Chaos, I am sure that they would be happy to speak to you about what they do (but at the moment they are a little busy entertaining our children through the Summer Holidays!!)

[jiff]

hi I'm Megan
i live in Birmingham west midlands, at the mo I'm setting up a daycare / night-care sieves. 4 children and there families with special needs' i would love 2 here from any one who would benefit from this as i have been informed that its NOT NEEDED, i have been wanting 2 do this 4 many years my love as always been working with children with special need, and i am feeling very sad at the mo as i no that there r many children and there families who relly do need this, i think it most be because i am going 2 be a private day care / night care provider' i just relly what 2 offer a home from home care 2 all who need it. if any one can tell me if this is needed it would be great.
many thanks megan

mjmorgan26@googlemail.com
          MJs
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