Edinburgh parents protest at City Chambers against council plans to cut disabled kids' holiday service in half

The City of Edinburgh council wants to save £500,000 by reducing holiday play services for children with a range of medical and additional support needs. Councillors were meeting today, Tuesday, September 3, to consider plans to slash council holiday club provision for disabled children in half.

Currently, families of disabled children have access to a maximum of four weeks in a calendar year, with schools having an average of 12 weeks of holidays per year. Known as Play Scheme, or Holiday Hubs, the service takes place Monday to Thursday, 9am to 3pm, and is run by trained staff.

Parents gathered at the Edinburgh City Chambers on Tuesday, September 3, to protest against a proposed 50 per cent cut to the budget for school holiday care for children with disabilities. | Lesley Martin/Lesley Martin Photography

The council was today debating whether to slash the service from 16 days to eight per annum. Angry parents gathered outside ahead of the meeting to make their feelings heard.

“My son is already excluded from so much. He cannot attend local clubs or activities. Going near a playpark causes panic and running away, and he struggles in museums or even the library,” said mother Emma Parker.

“Current council holiday club provision for kids without additional support needs runs from 8.30am-6pm, so with provision for disabled children running from 9am-3pm the gap is already enormous,” said father Sean Savage.

“We can choose from hundreds of holiday clubs and activities for our neurotypical daughter to attend at times that suit the whole family and we are happy to pay the market rate for our daughter to attend these. These options sadly aren’t appropriate for our son, the Holiday Hub is the only option.”

Parents with pictures of their children with disabilities, outside the City Chambers on Tuesday, September 3. | Lesley Martin/Lesley Martin Photography

For many families, the four weeks of Play Scheme is the only respite they have during the school holidays, and for others it is the only way they can hold down a job. But for some, the stark reality they say is that it’s the only service preventing family breakdown.

“The hub service has helped avoid crisis, burnout and isolation for us,” said Toni, an Edinburgh mum who said she is living on the very edge.

“It’s 16 days a year of respite that has been consistent and reliable. We have no other support network. I was only able to get my emergency surgery at Easter time because of it.

“Access to any services available in Edinburgh to help disabled children or carers is a very stressful process with no one to help point you in the right direction, I’ve been on a waiting list for three years for one organisation.”

Emma added: “For my family, though, there is only one option: Holiday Hubs. They are among the very few places where he can access a range of activities together with other children in the kind of environment which a child with a developmental disability particularly needs.”

The council will make their final decision on holiday club provision in February as part of the overall budget.

Education, Children and Families Convener Joan Griffiths said: “I understand that parents may have concerns over any changes to the Holiday Hub. 

“I wish to reassure parents and carers that we will undertake a review of provision in partnership with them and come forward with proposals for service delivery. This work has already begun, and as we heard at Committee today, meetings with parent groups are arranged for later this month and will be ongoing as they work with us to identify different ways of delivering the service. 

“The provision of the hubs has expanded in recent years, and unfortunately the growth is no longer sustainable nor equitable for the council. We want to work with families to consider how we can make savings in the future whilst still provide support for those who are most in need.  

“We want to consider models from other local authorities most of whom no longer deliver hubs in the way we do and learn from their practice elsewhere. Any proposed changes will be considered as part of the council’s budget setting in February.”