Cuts to Ashton Street Day Centre - council says there's no problem

8.48.00am GMT Fri 5th Mar 2010

There has been recent press interest about a letter sent to parents and carers of people who use the service at Ashton Street.

There are altogether 102 customers who use the service at Ashton Street and on any one day about 75 people go there. They have a number of activities which include development of independent living skills with domestic as well as social tasks to participation in activities such as drama, theatre, sports and other leisure activities.

Since September 2008 people who use Ashton Street and their families have been involved in - wait for it - "Person Centred Day Opportunities Planning". This means less of the "one service fits all", moving instead to individual activities which enable people to achieve outcomes which are important to them.

WC held individual planning sessions with customers and their families and gathered information so that each person who attends now has a list of activities that will support them to maintain or increase their independence as well as having the opportunity to keep in touch and socialise.

During this change the chance has been taken to cut the hours of the Day Centre.

On the 29th Jan a letter was sent to all families informing them that to enable a change in sessions the service provides, a cut of half an hour to the opening time was needed (from April 5th 2010). The letter offered individuals and their families the opportunity to speak to staff at the Centre if the change was going to cause a problem. So far WC has received feedback expressing concern from 4 out of the 102 families. They have addressed the concerns of 2 families and the 2 families who went to the press are having further meetings this week.