EXTRA FUNDING WILL PROVIDE MORE SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES CARING FOR DISABLED CHILDREN (York Liberal Democrats)

York Liberal Democrats <info@yorklibdems.org.uk>

EXTRA FUNDING WILL PROVIDE MORE SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES CARING FOR DISABLED CHILDREN

March 4, 2010 12:00 AM

City of York Council has secured more than £18,000 in additional funding to help provide short breaks for disabled children and their families.

The funding comes from the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and is in addition to York's share of the £390m Aiming High for Disabled Children funding, which has helped the short breaks service to recruit additional staff.

The funding will help purchase new resources and will also help to give parents and short break providers training to help improve the service.

Liberal Democrat Executive Member for Children and Young People's Services, Councillor Carol Runciman said the additional services provided by the money would provide parents and guardians of disabled children with welcome support.

She said, "The number of children with complex needs is rising in York and across the county. These children rely on their parents or guardians for care 24 hours a day, which can put a great strain on families."

"The short breaks service provide valuable help to these parents, allowing them receive a number of different types of support. The extra funding from the DCSF will allow the team to provide even more help to families that need it."

As well as benefiting from the extra funding, parents and guardians will be involved in deciding how the money is spent.

Councillor Runciman said, "The short break service is designed to give parents and guardians support in looking after their children and so it is right that they get a say in how the money is spent. After all they know their needs better than anyone else."