Replacement plans announced for Sunderland's Grace House - but families fear it is 'too late'

Parents have given a cautious welcome to news of a potential replacement for respite care services after the shock loss of Grace House.

The centre, which provides respite care helping families with disabled children, is due to close in November 2023.

After families affected launched the 'Give us a Break' campaign calling for an urgent replacement, Sunderland City Council has confirmed it has agreed to purchase a new building to use for respite care provision.

Pam Mann, who leads the Give us a Break campaigners, welcomed the news, but said the decision has come 'too late'.

With respite care at Grace House due to end next month and families branding solutions of temporary foster care and carers coming into people's homes unworkable, Pam is concerned about the time it will take for any new building to be up and running.

Grace House currently provides an opportunity for both disabled children, many with severe and complex needs, and their families to benefit from weekend and overnight respite breaks at their eight bedroom facility.

The facility is located on the ground floor of Grace House and is provided in partnership with Sunderland Care and Support (SCAS), who provide the care, which is funded by Together for Children Sunderland (TfC).

However, in June parents received a letter from TfC informing them this facility will cease to operate at Grace House from the end of November, although parents have subsequently said they've not been able to book respite beyond November 20.

The letter cited a change in the rental rate with Grace House and increased utility costs as the reasons for the decision not to renew the agreement.

It was a situation which sparked the formation of the Give us a Break campaign group who’ve held demonstrations outside of the City Hall and last month (September), ahead of a full Council meeting, submitted an 8,000 signature petition urging the Council to “recommence negotiations to provide this essential care”.

Desperate families spoke to the Echo about how the decision would “push them to the edge” and was having a negative impact on their physical and mental health as well as a detrimental affect on their other children’s wellbeing.

While “concerns” remain over the immediate and medium term provision of respite care, there appears to at last be light at the end of the tunnel for a long term solution for exasperated parents.

The council always maintained it was seeking an alternative building and following a cabinet meeting on October 12, a spokesperson said: “We can confirm we have identified a property which we believe could be suitable for providing new high quality short-term break provision following the changes to what has been previously available at Grace House.

“At our meeting today, the Cabinet agreed to purchase this property and further details will be confirmed in due course.”

Give us a Break campaign leader, Pam Mann, whose daughter Tara is disabled, has previously campaigned for respite care for families in a similar position.

Responding to the announcement Pam said: “We are certainly pleased to hear this news as it suggests we are going to have a replacement in terms of residential respite care. 

“However, deals can fall through and I will only be confident once the papers are signed and families have been officially informed.”

While “welcoming” the development, Pam also stressed a lot of "trepidation" remains within families due to the time frame of renovating any new building and questioned why it has taken the council “so long” to agree to procure a new building.

She said: “The process of purchasing the building will take time as will the installation of all the necessary equipment to cater for the needs of the children who need care.

“There is also the issue of staff as many of those who worked at Grace House are moving on or have got new jobs.

“This is why a lot of trepidation remains as parents are still going to have an interim period without their current level of respite support.”

In the previous full council meeting Conservative councillor Richard Dunn referenced correspondence which suggested issues about the service provision’s future were known for several months before parents were informed in June. 

Pam said: “The council has known about this situation for many months and so why has this taken so long?

“In many ways it’s too late and a solution should have been found much earlier.

“We are pleased an agreement appears to have been reached to purchase a new building, but I’m not sure it would have happened without our campaign and the support of the local media.”

During the previous council meeting, Cllr Graeme Miller reiterated an increase in costs as the reason behind the decision to end respite care at Grace House, stating the charity had accepted an offer from another business “at the last minute” to take the respite care space “for more money”.

Commenting previously on the situation a spokesperson for Grace House said: “We understand the families' concerns and the importance of short breaks for families. We support their calls for a transition to a new provision to be as smooth as possible."

A previous statement from Grace House added: “Earlier this year we were informed that SCAS would no longer be providing that service.  We are not a part of the planning for the future of that service, but we understand the importance of it for families.

“Recently we have met with a number of parents to discuss this change and would continue to encourage those who have been affected by this change to contact us at [email protected] to book a meeting.”