The family of a person with disabilities living in a Henshaws’ home said they felt let down and upset when they found out that the service will stop – four months after the original decision was made.
Henshaws announced publicly yesterday that it’s to close supported living services in October – affecting about 21 residents. The charity had told North Yorkshire County Council back in March that it was unable to continue the service.
The Stray Ferret spoke to two families today – one who currently has a family member in assisted living at Henshaws, the other whose child was previously a resident.
Both were deeply critical of the charity’s management of finances. They also said that upper management rarely met with the people who used the service.
The family member whose loved one is currently in care said they were kept in the dark about the decision to close the service and they are now very worried about what happens next.
“The impact of this is on vulnerable adults who don’t have a voice. I feel sorry for the service users and for the staff who work hard and they have been working even harder during coronavirus. We don’t know what will happen next but if there are big changes then it will be hugely traumatic for the disabled people living in Henshaws. The management should be ashamed for letting the finances get to this point.”
Read more on this story:
- When Henshaws will stop its supported living service
- “Home once a week for love and cuddles,” the experience of a family with a loved one in Henshaws during the lockdown
- Why Henshaws is also closing its Arts and Crafts centre
The latest financial account for Henshaws details how in the year up to August 2018, the charity spent £12.3 million – a £1 million more than its income.
Another person who had their child in one of Henshaws’ homes for several years echoed those frustrations:
“I am not surprised that Henshaws has decided to stop its support living service. The staff in charge had tried their best to run a good service but they had not been supported adequately by the head office.”
The charity is also closing its Arts and Crafts service in Knaresborough, which caters to about 160 people.
Henshaws had previously been running a fundraising appeal ‘Art is the Start’ to update the centre to suit the people who use it. But has now concluded the centre is no longer economically viable.
The comments from family members follows a statement yesterday from the charity’s CEO Nick Marr:
“Henshaws Home Support service was on a knife edge financially and the pressure on local authorities funding these and other places has increased. We are not able to sustain these services so we intend to transition out of providing them, at the latest, in October, to ensure the best continuity can be arranged for the service users. We will be consulting with staff in the service about the future of their roles.”
