As day centres remain closed, Poleglass dad says daughter 'has nothing to do with her life anymore'

THE father of an autistic child has hit out at the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust for refusing to reopen the day centre that she regularly attends.
 
Speaking to the Andersonstown News, a frustrated Michael O’Sullivan said: “Our daughter Nicola has been attending the Lisburn Adult Resource Centre (LARC) day centre for autistic children in Lisburn. She has been in this lockdown for 18 months now. Everything else is opening up and yet the health trust seem to be refusing to open up the day centres.
 
“This child has nothing to do with her life anymore. She is just lost. I have been in contact with the advice centre and the social workers and it appears to be the Trust refusing to open things up.”
 
Explaining the impact that this has had on Nicola and their family, the Poleglass dad said that they feel like they are being left behind.
 
“I can’t even get out of the house. The social workers have had to put a couple of care workers into the house on a Tuesday afternoon to allow me to get out and get shopping. After that I can’t go anywhere or do anything” he continued.
 
“Nicola needs 24 hour care and now she can’t go anywhere. They are opening up festivals, opening up bars and restaurants while these kids are being left behind.”
 
A spokesperson for the South Eastern Health Trust said: "The South Eastern HSC Trust is making every effort to rebuild  services to pre-Covid levels and the Managers in Adult Disability meet on a regular basis to explore ways to increase attendance in all day centres including Lisburn Adult Resource Centre (LARC), taking account of the particular vulnerability of those with a Learning Disability to the virus and the potential impact on their health. 

"The current guidance with regard to social distancing and infection control measures remain unchanged in social care settings which is why the Trust is not yet in a position to facilitate normal service in LARC or any other day centre, although LARC have been able to achieve a 50 per cent return of service users to the centre. 

"The Trust is committed to supporting service users and families during this difficult time and will continue to work in partnership with carers to ensure support continues while services are reduced.”