Ipswich: Charity will support mum denied help to care for disabled son
IPSWICH: A disability charity has pledged support for a struggling mum who was refused help with caring for her severely disabled son.
Last month, the Evening Star revealed that mum, Sally Kitt, had been refused respite care by Suffolk County Council after asking for help.
Her son, Fraser Wells, is eight years old but his disabilities mean he has a mental age of a toddler.
His mother turned to the county council for much-needed short-term assistance, but her request was denied.
Chairperson of the Ipswich Mencap Society, Barbara Thorn, today said that she was “appalled” by the decision to refuse the mother-of-one the opportunity to “re-charge her batteries”.
“Sally and her son are members of our society and have been for a number of years and we are here to support her in every way possible,” she said.
“Sally Kitt is a very loving and devoted mother but is in desperate need of a break.
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“I would challenge anyone to swap places with Sally, do the job she does, with the dedication she gives 24 hours a day and see just how hard it is for her and any other in her situation.”
Ms Kitt says she has no choice but to soldier on “until crisis point”.
Bridge School student Fraser, who loves to kick a football about and throw stones in the sea at Felixstowe, is autistic, but two years ago he began suffering epilepsy.
He is awaiting assessment at Great Ormond Street to see whether he should undergo brain surgery.
Mrs Thorn added: “Unfortunately there are many mothers, parents like Sally, in similar and sometimes worse situations.
“We will support Sally and Fraser all the way and hope to be able to get a satisfactory result.”
She urged parents in a similar situation to contact Ipswich Mencap Society to strengthen a bid for respite care to be available for all.
A Suffolk County Council spokesman previously said that decisions relating to requests for short breaks in specialist residential centres are made by a panel of social care and health professionals “who take into consideration all of a family’s circumstances”.
Contact Ipswich Mencap Society on 01473 260532 or visit www.ipswichmencap.org.uk
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