Isobel Mair School is a specialist provision for children and young people with complex needs and disabilities who are the most vulnerable in our community. Staff at Isobel Mair in the past years have always dedicated their time to providing two additional weeks of extended school support in the summer. This support has been invaluable to the young people and their families as the young people are able to socialise in a safe and supportive environment whilst parents and carers are able to have a break in care before the long summer holidays.

Recently, East Renfrewshire Council has decided to cut the funding for this service, which will save the council approximately £63k. Out of all the children in the school, only 25 young people are still able to access the 2 weeks extended school, meaning most of the school children are not able to receive this service.

This will negatively impact the children, as most of the children need specially trained staff to work with them, such as appropriate moving and handling, epilepsy management, PEG feeding etc. Due to the varied specialist needs, not many providers will run a group to accommodate the needs of ALL the young people. From past work with children with disability, this will significantly impact their mental health and wellbeing. This will also impact the parents and carers, who will not have much support during the summer. As the cost of living continues to rise, and this will usually be felt most by the families affected by disabilities. Many parents will be unable to work for the 2 weeks as they will not have any child care available.

ERC’s decision of significantly reducing the extended school provision was never consulted with the parents or the young people in the school. Law and policy all state that young people's voices should be heard and respected, but ERC did not consult with the young people who benefit most from this service. In fact, the majority of the respondents to a questionnaire wanted the current model to continue, where all young people are offered the extended school.

We want East Renfrewshire Council to continue to offer extended school support to ALL the children in the school. If you are a parent/carer of a child in IMS, please write to the local MP and MSP and make them aware of the impact this will have on our young people and you as a carer.