P-05-754 Lack of support for children with disabilities at Crisis -
Correspondence from petitioner to Committee, 28.03.18

Hi,

Firstly I would like to thank you once again for your response. However I am fully aware of all services available. My main point of the petition was that, yes there is a crisis team, again yes there is a crisis CAMHs team, but as pointed out in the petition children with learning difficulties (LDs) cannot not access these services due to having additional needs and not just mental health issues.

I have been in contact with CAMHs this AM, to check if the service’ had changed over the last few months and that maybe I was uninformed regarding these changes, however this is not the case. I have been advised that the CAMHs crisis team is available up until 9.30pm (week days only) and only really provide support for children with mental health issue, e.g/ suicidal thoughts, self harm, and similar issues. Again no real support for children with LDs. The mental health crisis team is available 24/7, although once again only support children with mental health issues not LDs. Are you aware of the undue stress A&E can cause for a venerable child while at crisis? I myself having first hand experience strongly believe this is not really an option.

Dr Hassan has provided advice and some support for Tom, but with very limited resources, staffing levels and no beds available in Wales for children with mental health and learning difficulties, there is only so much Dr Hassan can do.

Social services also can only do so much. They are not medically trained, and resources are limited. Our constant battle to try and get Tom the support he is rightfully entitled to is shocking. It’s unfair and causes more unnecessary stress to families when they are already seeing their child suffer.

I would also like to point out this is not a social matter, this is me as a concerted, worried mother of a child who is failed by the system. I am continually being told there are services available, and yes there are services available to some children, but not for children with both mental health issues, learning difficulties and challenging behaviour.

I have so many questions and issues regarding these services which I feel could be discussed better face to face rather than just briefly highlighting some issues in writing. The petition was brought about almost a year ago and I feel after reading the most recent response from Alison Williams, that we are no more clearer than we were at the start of this petition and nothing has be resolved.

Kind regards,

Rebecca Weale