A Linwood mum has spoken of the "fight” she is going through to ensure that her children have a day centre in the future.
Jennifer Lindsay, from Linwood, is a mum of three and is looking to help save the Milldale Centre from closure so that two of her kids have a place to go when they grow up.
Noah, eight, and Roman, four, currently attend Riverbrae School - an additional support needs school - but their future could be “taken away,” says Jennifer.
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If they were to close the service based at the ON-X Linwood then she claims her children would have "nowhere" to go.
She said: “I think knowing that your kids are cared for by people who are trained is a massive deal.
“Regardless of whether they're four or whether they're in their 40s it’s knowing that they're in a centre which is a safe space. It's a space of acceptance."
Jennifer also added that taking away a place in the centre for people in supported living is causing pressure on families.
It comes after claims of 33 people in supported living reportedly no longer being allowed places at the day centre.
She said: “As long as you've got something that you know is available and it's right for your kids, like Milldale, like the Mirin (in Paisley), then I think it takes a lot of anxiety away.
“If these places were to close, I genuinely don't know where my kids would go.
"We should be building more, we shouldn't be taking them away.
"God forbid if my kids ever have to live themselves in supported accommodation, then they lose their place in a day centre.
"It puts massive pressure on carers to keep people at home to ensure they have a place to go."
We previously reported how the Integration Joint Board (IJB) are looking to merge the centres to tackle their ever-growing £14.7 million deficit.
The 38-year-old mum has said that despite the level of engagement Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership (HSPC) claims that they have conducted, they have not spoken to people who will be impacted in the future.
She says that despite both Noah and Roman possibly being “heavily” impacted by the merger in the coming years, she has not had any engagement from the HSPC.
She said: “I've heard nothing. Absolutely nothing because my kids are not directly involved with Milldale.
“There's been no communication from Riverbrae either with regards to saying the day centres being possibly closed.
“When you become a mum of kids with additional needs, you can't really look too far into the future because it's so unknown.
“So if you let your head go there, then it can be quite a dark place.
“I think if things don't go the way we want, everybody can see we've tried.
“There's nothing more we could have done and I think as a parent, a carer or someone that's at Milldale, that's all they need to know in themselves, we've tried and we've done everything.”
David McGonigle, councillor for Houston, Crosslee and Linwood, has been a huge supporter of the cause as he said: “I have been proud and honoured to stand alongside those affected in fighting the potential closure of these centres.
“Their tireless campaigning – when they will be hugely anxious – has been hugely inspirational and their concerns cannot fall on deaf ears.
“These cuts would have a devastating impact on our most vulnerable and leave them with nowhere to turn to for lifeline support.
“I will continue to stand with users and relatives and fight them every step of the way.”
Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership has been approached for comment
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