Belfast charity due to have funding cut ‘vital’ for children with special needs

A Belfast charity that is due to see its project funding cut by 97% is a “vital” service for children with special educational needs, councillors have been told.

Parents highlighted the importance of special needs charity Solas at a Belfast City Council meeting where a slash to funding was due to be discussed.

Belfast City Council management had proposed providing Solas with £800,000 for a new building, but this is due to be reduced to under £25,000 in what People Before Profit councillor Michael Collins condemned as a “carve-up”.

“We know that Sinn Fein and the DUP routinely carve up council resources to suit a select few. But to scupper a much-needed facility for people with special needs is a new low,” he said on Monday.

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Deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast Aine Groogan said it was an “insulting” decision which needed to be overturned.

Acclaimed teenage author from Co Fermanagh Dara McAnulty, who is autistic, said the charity does “tremendous work” to support families and said the proposed cut was “absolutely awful”.

The funding is part of the £10 million allocation under the Neighbourhood Regeneration Fund.

At a council meeting, two parents explained to councillors the difference Solas had made to their sons at a time when other services and supports were difficult to come by.

“Disability crosses colour, creed, political persuasion, gender and postcode,” Jean, no surname given, said on Monday.

She said her son, who was diagnosed with autism, “was ignored at playgroups and other parents kept their kids away from us”.

She added: “After diagnosis, you’re kind of handed that report and sent away with no idea how to navigate the system. The education system, and the healthcare system: two totally different things. Nobody tells you that or prepares you for that.”

She said that when his teacher told her about Solas, it was “a major turning point for us”, where he had access to services provided by staff who knew how to help him “thrive”.

She added: “It’s a vital service provider for young people… They’re providing mental health support also to parents. At our low points, they’re helping us see that there’s pathways available for our kids once they reach adulthood.

“Solas doesn’t have everything at the minute, hopefully it will, but it bloody does great with what it has.

“Currently Solas provides many of their services in old mobiles and substandard facilities – this isn’t sustainable. It’s just not proper for our kids, for any kids.”

She asked councillors: “How much longer do our young people have to make do?”

Emily Gallagher said that her 15-year-old son Oisin has been using Solas services since he was four years old.

She said that he was diagnosed with autism and needed one-to-one care.

She said they felt socially isolated and faced difficulties in accessing services to address his needs; they were left waiting four years for professional help.

“It’s very isolating being a parent of a child with a disability,” she said.

“I’m not sure what we would have done without Solas during this time.

“They took Oisin twice a week for three-hour sessions, which let us parents sleep and spend time with our other son.”

She said that the charity needs a permanent building in order to provide services to people with additional needs and their families.

“I know here in the city hall, you have changing places facilities available. It’s got height-adjustable adult-sized changing benches. So I know that you all know this is essential in all settings where people with disabilities attend.

“And yet it’s not available for Solas. We need a permanent building to provide this for the kids.”

“Solas is essential in south Belfast. There is nowhere else to go. No other after-school club, no social setting, nowhere to meet parents, nowhere to get help, nowhere to ask questions.”