Users of the Local Area Coordination (LAC) Service, which is provided by charity Enable, were recently informed that the HSCP plans to re-invest the service’s £160,000 funding into “support that meets the changing needs of the people they support”.
As a result, service users were told that the LAC will be coming to an end, leaving some of the most vulnerable people in East Renfrewshire, including families caring for children with complex additional support needs, without its help.
The plans have prompted a considerable backlash among parent carers who said the local area coordinator has helped their children become more independent and their families negotiate an often-complex terrain of services, appointments and meetings for their young people.
Natalie Wilson, a parent carer who has started a petition against the move which has garnered nearly 700 signatures, said the prospect of losing the service has sent “shockwaves” through a community crying out for “more support not less”.
“The LAC is one of the few supports that help people manage their day-to-day lives, which are often filled with challenges and stress,” she explained.
“Families who rely on LAC services are already stretched thin.
“They are typically caregiving for disabled children, managing mental health difficulties, grappling with isolation, poverty, and burnout.
“Furthermore, they endure long, exhausting battles just to access necessary support.
“The potential removal of LAC services represents not just the loss of aid but the erosion of a foundational support system.”
Amid this huge outcry, it is now understood that the HSCP has decided to “pause the decision” and extend the current grant‑funded LAC service beyond the planned end date of August 2 for a short period, although it is not currently clear how long this short period will be.
It is understood, however, that it still ultimately plans to proceed with the removal of the service at some point and that this pause is being taken so they can be “clearer and more specific with people about what early help and community‑based support will look like in East Renfrewshire going forward.”
According to the HSCP, people who require formal, commissioned support will continue to receive formal, commissioned support as assessed by social work and in line with their eligibility criteria.
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Prior to the decision being paused, On Monday, May 18 around 20 people attended an information session in Barrhead hosted by the HSCP where they shared their concerns.
One of those in attendance was parent Tracy McGregor from Newton Mearns, who said that the service is the only one that has ever met any outcomes for her family.
“One of the main things autistic people really struggle with is social communication and building relationships with people,” she explained.
“The last thing they need is a bunch of strangers every time there’s a crisis and divulging a lot of personal struggles and information to four different people just to get four different types of help.
“It feels dehumanising and makes them feel like a problem.”
She claims that when families were recently consulted about the service, they were not made aware that a possible outcome of this could be the end of the service.
“We asked at the meeting in Barrhead if any of the 48 service users had given negative feedback and we were told no, but that there had been negative feedback (from those trying to access it) and that was that there is such a long waiting list,” she added.
“But does that not tell you that this is a very valuable service if the only people who gave negative feedback are the people frustrated they can’t access it?
“They said the money will go into other services. Existing services, are things like social work and self-directed support – all the things that have been taken away from us bit by bit because the criteria has been raised because budgets are tight.
“The LAC is the only thing that is fully inclusive. If you take it away, I’ve got access to no services at all, apart from charities who work independently of the council, who do events that we can attend, and support from other families. It’s just horrific to think the impact it’s going to have on us.
“The money they’re investing in that LAC is saving them money further down the line because families are not hitting the crisis that will then qualify them to access other services.
“It’s so short-sighted.”
A spokesperson for the East Renfrewshire HSCP said that they “remain committed to reinvesting the £160,000 funding to ensure our services are sustainable and focused on meeting the needs of our wider community.”
“However, we recognise the importance of setting this out more clearly, and having detailed plans to show how support currently provided through LAC will be met in another way — whether through the HSCP or partners in our communities,” they added.
“Early help and support remain a key priority, and we are committed to continuing to invest in approaches that enable more people to access the right support at the right time.
“The valuable feedback from our engagement with LAC service users and their families will inform this.
“We will be in touch with people who use the service with further information as soon as possible.
“We recognise that changes to local services can be concerning, and we are grateful to everyone who has taken the time to share their views.”
To sign the petition click here.
