New £13m-a-year support package announced

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has pledged £13m a year to boost support for families of children with complex needs.

The announcement follows a BBC Spotlight programme highlighting the plight of families of children with autism and a severe learning disability.

I Am Not Okay showed the children displaying extremely distressed behaviour that often led to them unintentionally hurting themselves or others.

The families told the programme that short breaks, where their child would go into a respite facility for one or two nights a month, were no longer available, leaving everyone in the family at risk of injury.

Nesbitt said he had been clear the situation was not sustainable.

“I believe the funding I have announced will deliver improvements in a matter of months,” he said.

“I expect clear and measurable improvements in short breaks, but this is also about providing a much greater level of support in the family home.

“I pay tribute to the recent Spotlight documentary I Am Not Okay which highlighted the unacceptable current situation very effectively.”

Julie Tipping appeared in the film alongside her 11-year-old son Theo.

Along with the other mums from the documentary she met the health minister on Tuesday.

“I thought he was genuine and really listening. He seemed to be touched by some of the stories we were telling him,” she said.

“I would like to know if the money is going to be ringfenced for residential and overnight respite.”

Carly Braiden, whose son Rudy’s behaviour has deteriorated significantly over the past few weeks, welcomed the announcement and said clarification was needed on how health trusts would spend the money.

“The purpose of taking part in the programme for me was to highlight the need for the creation of suitable respite and residential services,” he said.

“I think the money needs to be spent on current vacant buildings that can be used with highly trained staff.”

There will be an additional £2m available immediately.

Then £13m of recurrent funding will begin in the 2024-25 financial year.

Nesbitt said demand for support had outstripped supply for some time, with a substantial number of families on waiting lists and a growing number of children on the edge of care.

“The plans are being announced today despite the very severe pressures on the health budget.

“Having assessed the options, I have concluded that not releasing this funding would be tantamount to a catastrophic cut to services – something I have promised to avoid,” he said.

Nesbitt said in discussions with the Department of Health, health trusts had told him about the challenges of delivering the service and said it would take time to address.

“Each trust indicated that several supports could be rapidly expanded to provide the space for medium term actions to improve short breaks capacity,” he said.

Shirelle Stewart, director of the National Autistic Society NI, said the investment announced by the minister into respite and residential services was welcomed.

“We were very heartened to hear that this issue is now top of his agenda,” she said.

“It is imperative that this investment makes a real difference to those on the ground who are currently in crisis and struggling on a daily basis.”

“There is £2m available this financial year and a good first step would be to see some of this used to refurbish and repurpose existing buildings in the trust portfolio to provide the services needed.

“This would give families the hope they desperately need.”

The minister is expected to make a statement to the Northern Ireland Assembly outlining the plans this afternoon.