WORRIED parents are demanding answers in their fight to save two day centres for adults with learning difficulties.
West Lane Gardens, in Johnstone, and Whitehaugh Day Care Centre, in Paisley, could stop operating in March, leaving those who rely on them with an uncertain future.
The centres, owned by Renfrewshire Council and run by Capability Scotland, have struggled for financial stability in recent years and have had to rely on money from the Renfrewshire Council budget to remain open.
However, members of the Integration Joint Board of Renfrewshire’s Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) do not expect funding for the centres to continue.
The news has angered parents of those who rely on the hubs and they say closure would tear users away from their “second homes”.
Joyce and Jim Motherwell’s daughter Lesley attends West Lane Gardens and they feel it will be impossible for her to go anywhere else.
Mrs Motherwell told The Gazette: “This is a second home for Lesley and she has so many friends here she would otherwise struggle to make.
“All of this uncertainty is making us stressed, Lesley stressed, and the workers at the centres stressed.
“We don’t just want one-year guarantees, we want long-term solutions.”
Council chiefs had previously called for the services to be contracted out on a
three-year term in August 2017.
George and Victoria Whitelock’s daughter Jane goes to the Paisley centre and the Kilbarchan couple are convinced her care hours will be slashed if Whitehaugh is closed.
Mr Whitelock said: “We don’t want the same stress every year and would rather know either way if it is staying open or not.”
A Renfrewshire HSCP spokesman said: “Since Capability Scotland confirmed the end of day services at West Lane Gardens and Whitehaugh, we have been working with service-users, carers and their families to examine alternative services.
“The aim has been to develop personalised plans that enable services users to pursue activities and interests that are important to them and meet their individual care needs.
“Every service user now has a self-directed support budget and we have dedicated staff in place to help people make choices on how to use that budget to meet their care needs.
“We appreciate for some carers and families this is a significant change and we are here to help.”
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