Gary's views

Gary's weekly views

Each week an article by Gary has appeared in the Plympton Plymstock and Ivybridge News in South West Devon. The articles are published here

SHORT BREAKS

In the twinkling of an eye how a life can change. On Thursday of last week, at approximately eleven o’clock, mine did. Each year all MPs enter a ballot for the right to introduce a new private member’s law. Those drawn in the top ten have a real chance of success. For the past thirteen years my name has not come up. Last Thursday I was drawn number four!

Two days earlier I had attended a powerful event at the House of Commons at which a number of children’s charities under the heading: “every disabled child matters” called for a new law to help families who care for their disabled children get more short breaks to help them cope.

I have long believed that we should do more for certain groups in society, and disabled children have always been top of my list. We can pay for it by doing less for other groups (although this is not the time to unpack that argument!).

Since becoming an MP, some of the most challenging moments are the surgery visits by parents looking after their disabled children. They always look exhausted and always ask for the same thing: respite care. Many of these families are at breaking point When they are struggling to cope 24/7 is it too much to ask that they might have the occasional night or weekend off? Of course there is some help available, but not enough to go around. All over the country it seems to be getting worse not better. This seems to me to be inexcusable. A short break can make all the difference as these heroes care for their loved ones.

The Disabled Children’s Short Breaks bill will seek to impose a duty on local and health authorities to make sure that there is an adequate supply of short breaks in their area for families like this. Yes, it will come with a price tag, but this should be a high priority for local councils and perhaps they could review some of their other spending to pay for it. Children with severe disabilities, and their carers, should be treated with special honour.

So nine months of unexpected activity and skilful diplomacy now lies ahead. I will be working with children’s charities and will seek to build a Commons consensus, to help those families get the little bit of extra help they deserve in their caring marathon.

I welcome your views.

posted by Nigel on Monday, December 04, 2006