We are here today to talk about the 'proposed' closure of Maplewood House. I say proposed in that way since the County budget was voted for on the 16th February based on the money for Maplewood having already been chopped from the budget. We represent 40, and more, of the most vulnerable children a society could possibly have. Each child has a life-long substantial disability

This measure is not about inclusion policy or improved outcomes for children as Lancashire County Council have tried to claim, it is simply to keep council tax rises below central government's 5% capping level. Indeed, Lancashire's own assessment of the impact is that closing Maplewood will mean a diminished service both in quantity and quality, less respite and that it will adversely affect disabled children's lives -not only for Maplewood children but for all disabled children across Lancashire.

Lancashire County Council have spoken of 'appropriate alternatives'. Though they haven't formally told or asked us we know from their own documents what these alternatives are and we can tell you that they are not appropriate for our children or our families. They will not give us a regular and reliable opportunity for a decent night's sleep nor the chance to refresh ourselves enough as families in order to continue caring for our children. These alternatives are only appropriate for the councillors promoting this closure and for Lancashire's slashed budget.

We are supposedly being consulted. Yet we are over two months into a three month consultation period and not one family, not one of the children who use the service has been asked what they think, how they feel or what they need. Since the budget was already voted through the consultation will be a sham. While we think we are a civilised, democratic nation fit to export these values abroad, in a local community in Lancashire, in a corner of England, the treatment of vulnerable disabled children and their families is certainly nothing to be proud of. This closure would appear as a shame on this county, on this nation and on a fine Labour tradition.

This government in the past has talked much of balancing rights and responsibilities. These families here today more than meet their very heavy responsibilities over many, many years of extra care required by their disabled children. They already sacrifice much socially and economically in order to care for their children at home. We are not saints or superhumans nor does having a disabled child born into the family turn you into one -we have the same needs for sleep and a life as other families do -yet we are expected to, and do, lead diminished lives. Just for a short period on a regular, reliable basis do we need a break to do some of the things other people take for granted so that we can go on providing this extremely profitable value-for-money care.

Taking this service away is extremely short-sighted. Mencap's Breaking Point survey showed that 8 out of 10 families have reached breaking point and families here today will tell you how they are already stretched to their caring limits. When thinking about money and budgets councillors and central government should reflect on the cost of NOT providing such a service as Maplewood represents. The cost of families breaking down and being no longer able to care at this level is indicated by the £57 billion pounds a year carers save the state and the taxpayer. A full time residential placement for a single child whose family has reached its only human limits of energy is counted in hundreds of thousands of pounds. And there are other costs. Need we highlight the cases where carers for want of proper support have snapped with fatal consequences. Our hearts go out to the family of Alison and Ryan Davies.

Many of the children represented here today will not grow up and leave home as other children do, their requirement for the intensive care of a small child does not reduce over time, for many it increases as they become bigger, heavier or more challenging as parents and carers become ever more exhausted. How will central and local government match the commitment shown by these dedicated and hard-working families? By standing by and allowing this vital service to be axed?

At central government level there has been much in the way of recognising the vast unpaid job that carers do and in legislating a desire to support them properly yet a councillor has indicated that the resources the local authority are granted by central government to provide services are 'woefully inadequate'. Whether this is true or not, between central government and local government's arguments about who should and shouldn't pay for what -it will be disabled children and their families who will suffer the consequences of this failure to agree.

Our plea to you as elected representatives and members of the House of Commons is to ensure that resources are made available to prevent the closure of Maplewood House. Our message to policymakers and budget-holders at all levels is that 'any old break won't do' as some seem to think. The kind of out-of-home, overnight, regular, reliable short break such as Maplewood provides is vital to enable disabled children across Lancashire and the nation to continue living at home with their families.