Southampton City Council Plans To Close The Kentish Road Respite Centre

The mother of an adult daughter with learning disabilities has instructed specialist pubic law solicitors to investigate whether there are grounds for a judicial review of her local council’s decision to close a respite care centre.

The mother, known only as AG for legal reasons, is a full-time carer to her daughter, VM, who has learning disabilities. She has regularly used the Kentish Road respite centre in Southampton, which provides respite services for adults with learning disabilities to prevent families reaching breaking point and enabling them to stay living together.

However in an attempt to cut costs across the city, Southampton City Council has announced plans to close the centre that provides a service to vulnerable people in favour of what it describes as a more ‘cost effective and personalised’ care service. It is reported the move, that has put 11 jobs at risks, will save £300,000 a year.

The centre, which is a council owned bed based service, offers planned and emergency respite for up to eight people at a time. In December 2014, the centre supported 76 adults who had learning disabilities, and on average supports over 30 people per month.

AG, and other parents who use the respite centre, have expressed their disappointment at this decision through demonstrations and protests and now AG has instructed expert solicitors at Irwin Mitchell on behalf of her daughter to establish whether there are grounds for a judicial review.

Alice Cullingworth, a solicitor and the public law and human rights specialist representing VM, said: 

Expert Opinion

“We have been instructed to establish whether there are grounds for a judicial review of Southampton Council’s decision to close the Kentish Road respite centre.

“The centre offers critical support to not only those people with learning disabilities who use it but also their family. It enables the carers within the family to take a break from having to be the only source of care for their loved ones.

“We intend to look into the concerns of the centre’s users regarding how the decision to close it was reached and also at how the council’s decision has already affected those who use the centre.” Alice Cullingworth - Solicitor

VM is 27 years old and since the announcement to close the centre in January 2015 her needs are still yet to be assessed and no suitable alternative to the respite care centre has been proposed.

The other respite care centre within the council area, Rose Road, is focused on services for children and AG understands that it does not have the capacity to provide a service for all the users of Kentish Road respite care centre.

Parents were told by the council that the centre will not be closed unless there is suitable alternative respite provision to meet the complex needs of their adult children.

AG, who herself suffers with Crohn’s disease and cares for her elderly mother who has a blood condition as well as VM, said: “The council’s decision to close down the Kentish Road respite centre is a disastrous one for my family, and for many other families in the area like ours.

“None of us want to be left without adequate support and risk reaching a crisis point. We feel that the council does not understand how life is as a carer.

“Our children didn’t ask to be born with a disability and it makes me so sad that without full support my daughter’s disability hinders her living life to the full.

“That is why we have decided to take this important step and instruct Irwin Mitchell to investigate whether there are grounds for a judicial review of the council’s decision.”