Families of disabled children face "devastating" cuts to support services across Oxfordshire

Former school teacher Sarah Mook, who lives in Jack Straw's Lane, Headington, said Autism Family Support Oxfordshire – one of several set to be hit by fresh cuts at Oxfordshire County Council – helped her and husband Greg to understand their son Zak after he was diagnosed with autism at the age of 10.

The 12-year-old struggled to fit in at school and said he often ended up getting into fights but the charity helped turn his life around.

He said: "The staff have always been there to talk to me and have helped me get things under control.

"It has changed my life. It makes me upset to think they are under threat."

His mum Sarah, 55, added: "They have helped me to see how my son sees the world and what is important to him.

"The staff also really get on with Zak and he knows they want and what is best for him.

"It is so sad that people doing such an amazing job have to work with the constant threat of things being axed looming over them.

"There is money out there and it is not the children who should be paying.

"Losing the support would be devastating for Zak."

The comments came as Gita Lobo, chief executive of Autism Family Support Oxfordshire, warned parents the organisation faced losing its funding from the county council next April, as part of wider savings being made by the local authority.

The charity supports 1,800 families and receives about 21 new referrals every month, but Ms Lobo said the funding situation presented "real and critical threats" to its work.

Services at risk include advice to parents and young people in person and over the phone, training courses, specialist youth groups, support groups and consultation for professionals.

Speaking to the Oxford Mail, Ms Lobo added: "The effect of these cuts will be devastating for families. Not having that means more families will reach crisis point, more pressure on siblings and more young people dropping out of school, which could cost the county council and health service millions in terms of the increased need for acute services and special schools.

"Autism is not a problem that will go away."

Because ongoing reductions to the amount of cash given to it by the Government, the county council has decided to make cuts of £250k a year to the £4m budget for disabled children, young people and families.

It says it will do this by saving money on the services it commissions from Autism Family Support Oxfordshire and other organisations, including children's charity Barnardos, Core Assets, Let's Play and Oxford-based charities Parasol and Yellow Submarine.

But Autism Family Support Oxfordshire chairman Dr John Richer warned that without its funds from the county council, the charity would not be able to continue for longer than a month or two.

He added: "We realise the council is stuck between a rock and a hard place, but this change would put families under more stress and leave schools to deal with children who may be a lot more difficult than they are used to."

A county council spokesman said: "The council provides a range of services for disabled children and their families to make sure that parents have the support needed to continue caring for their child.

"Contracts for a range of these services are due to finish in March 2017 and a review is being carried out to determine how we can provide the best possible services in future with less funding available.

"We are currently consulting with families, providers and other key partners to ensure we commission services that children and families value the most."

"My son couldn't cope in a mainstream school"

Watlington mother-of-two Heather Butler said her son James, 17, and her family have been receiving support from Autism Family Support Oxfordshire since he was 12.

The 50-year-old added: "I cannot praise them enough, really. James will hugely miss the youth group and it will be very difficult for him to understand. We would also lose the support we get.

Watlington mum-of-two Heather Butler, middle, with sons Jack, left, and James, right
"It is hard to explain but when you have a child with autism your family revolves around them. James likes things to stay the same and for things to be planned in advance and if they change that is a problem.

"He could not cope in a mainstream school and there are things he really struggles with socially.

"Over the years it has just been so good to know there is an organisation out there who will pick up the phone and be there as someone to talk to sometimes. And they also run courses and workshops that are really helpful. Losing their support will be devastating for our family, because there is so little available for children with autism."

Two public meetings have been organised by Autism Family Support Oxfordshire at the Ark-T Centre in Crowell Road, Oxford, to discuss the proposed cuts with parents.

The first will be 10am to midday on June 7 and the second will take place the next day from 7-9pm.