David Cameron Accused Of Betrayal By Another Mother Of CP Child
I will never mean any offence to Riven Vincent, but Heather Walker’s story seems to me even more sad than hers. My first thought in such cases, as a CP ‘child’, is always for CP children- this poor boy was rejected by his real parents for reasons we can only guess at- now the person who accepted him when he was in that situation wants to give him back. David Cameron has a lot to answer for this time, and I really hope he does answer.
Heather Walker said the overnight respite provision for 14-year-old Peter, who has cerebral palsy, epilepsy, is paralysed on one side and cannot speak, has recently been cut.
She is now only able to leave him at a Priors Hill Children’s Centre in Macclesfield on Saturdays and for five hours every other Wednesday.
Mrs Walker, 54, said the strain of looking after Peter – whom she adopted 10 years ago – was proving too much and she felt she had no option but to return him to care.
Her plight was highlighted a week after Riven Vincent accused Mr Cameron of reneging on an election promise to continue providing support for her daughter Celyn.
The prime minister, whose disabled son Ivan died in 2009, met Miss Vincent on the campaign trail and assured her the NHS would be safe.
Miss Vincent, from Bristol, said she was now being offered just six hours a week in respite care for her six-year-old, who has severe quadriplegic cerebral palsy and epilepsy.
She has now asked social services to find a full-time place for Celyn and said Mr Cameron had “broken his vow” to defend the NHS.
Mrs Walker, from Mobberley in Cheshire, took Peter into her care in after watching a programme in which he featured, entitled Find a Family.
She cares for him around the clock and yesterday hit out at the prime minister.
“David Cameron has a lot to answer for. After all, he had a child with similar if not worse problems with Peter, but of course because he has the money he can get all the help that he needs.
“If I saw David Cameron I’d ask him to re think that if they are taking money out of the social budget they need to put it back somehow.
“People like me are desperate for help that we were promised from the start and he should honour that.”
Mrs Walker she had written to George Osborne as her local MP and had received a response from his secretary to say he was aware of the problem.
“What that means I don’t know as no further action was discussed.
“I feel so let down, and I feel like Pete has been let down too. I have tried to do as much as is expected of me but without the support I can’t do it.
“I feel bad because it’s going to put future carers off adopting children with difficulties.”
Hilda Gaddum, cabinet member for children and families, said an inspection of Priors Hill Children’s Centre in Macclesfield found that the building was “unfit for purpose” for overnight stays.
“This prompted a review of short break provision at Priors Hill being considered sooner than planned,” she said.
“In the meantime, daytime provision and outreach support, if appropriate, are being offered to all affected families.
“If a young person is assessed as requiring overnight stays then this will be commissioned by the council on an individual basis.
“These are interim arrangements while the review of short break provision is undertaken, which will then enable a wide range of services to be offered to meet individuals’ needs as soon as possible.”
Same Difference 
Is there a hidden agenda for the site of the centre?
Priors hill seems to be on a list of sites for housing development?
Click to access En-Pp-SHLAANov08.pdf
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