A BUSINESS in Ilminster, that is over £60,000 out of pocket due to a SEND funding dispute with the Somerset Council, held a community demonstration which gained ITV attention.
Context
Silver Lining Internships, based in Ilminster, specialises in providing supported work experience and education for young adults with disabilities who need help to achieve independence.
Up until now, the business has run with support from Access to Work funding and private funding from Evelyn Ashford.
However, recently the government has “significantly reduced” all Access to Work funding, and the owner can no longer afford to fund the additional support required.
Parents have asked the council to continue to provide educational funding for their children with SEN, but Somerset Council ceased EHCP funding for one intern and is delaying finalising EHCP funding for another, after sending the initial draft.
According to Evelyn, despite repeated requests, parents have still not received their statutory right of appeal.
She said: “They’re moving the goalposts whilst denying families their basic legal rights.
“They acknowledge our proven success but continue to deny statutory rights of appeal, refuse direct contact, and wont even arrange a meeting to discuss resolution.”
Despite this, the Somerset Council have asserted that Silver Linings are not registered for internships, as the young people are paid in employment, which is different from an internship.
They added: "The organisation is not an approved provider with Somerset Council. Therefore, the Council has no duty, or mechanism, to fund the organisation to do the work they want to do.
"We have communicated this situation clearly and repeatedly to Silver Linings.
"We are always open to new providers working with us to meet the necessary requirements and standards to be funded."
All of these statements have been dismissed by Evelyn who says that the Somerset Local Authority have several options that would enable them to fund the educational support by using their EHCPs.
She also says that Silver Lining meets all of the criteria to become a registered "alternative provider".
Currently, due to the “severe” situation, Evelyn’s personal funds are being used to cover staff wages, which has amounted to her personal debt reaching over £60,000.
READ MORE: Ilminster disability dispute as cafe struggles with funding
Protesting against the ‘devastating’ funding cuts
On Thursday, May 29, at 10am, the Ilminster community rallied together in Gamesmaster Café to stand against “devastating” cuts made to Access to Work funding.
“We’re fighting for every young person with special educational needs who’s been written off by the system,” Evelyn Ashford said. “Our community [has shown] that we won’t let bureaucratic failures and denial of basic rights destroy these young people’s futures.”
Local families, disability advocates, councillors, including Conservative Councillor Sue Osborne and the Mayor of Ilminster, Councillor Brian Hamilton, and other supporters gathered to highlight the impact of the funding cuts and demanded immediate action on both funding issues and the restoration of basic statutory rights.
This event also gained ITV News attention with camera crews also in attendance.
Despite the attendance and response from the Ilminster and surrounding communities, the Ilminster Town Council have refused to comment.
READ MORE: Ilminster community rallies together to protest against SEN discrimination
Voices calling for change
Ryan Moloney, a current intern, with ME and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, at Silver Lining whose funding has been cut called the situation “cruel”, he said: “I'm just angry. It’s not explosive rage, just a general simmering distaste."
Ryan’s father Andrew, who is based in Taunton said: “It seems madness. People who are using this as a springboard to independence won’t have that and could be more of a ‘burden’ to the system.”
Ellie Lee, another current intern diagnosed with ADHD and autism, who is currently working on reduced hours due to funding cuts said about the situation: “I am worried that when I no longer work here in the future I won’t be able to work in the way that I need to because I get burnt out very easily from masking my struggles.
“I am very frustrated, and I am angry because it is like why does society just leave people like us behind
“I just feel like generally society isn’t tailored to support neurodivergent people.
“We need these things in order to function in a world that isn’t built for us.”
Gemma Harvey, a parent of a current Silver Lining intern added: “I really fear for young people with SEN with everything that is happening nationwide I am quite in despair about what will happen for their futures without funding and support."
Adam Dance MP responds to the protest
Despite being unable to attend the demonstration in person, Adam Dance MP has comment on the protest when approached by the News.
He said: “I’m incredibly proud of the Ilminster community for coming together to stand up for children with special educational needs and disabilities. While I couldn’t attend the rally in person, I fully support Silver Linings and the vital work they do. These cuts cannot keep falling on the most vulnerable in our society — enough is enough.
"As both an MP and a Somerset councillor, I’ll continue working to make sure the voices of families and groups like Silver Linings are heard loud and clear at both Somerset Council and in Westminster. We need long-term solutions, not short-term squeezes, and I remain firmly committed to protecting SEND support in our county.”
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