Fear over future of disabled people's day centre

Parents have learned of plans to close ROC Creative in Paignton

A project for 78 young adults with special needs who have nowhere else to go is being split up and mums are angry.

The award-winning ROC Creative project at Palace Avenue in Paignton runs five days a week and parents have been told it is being moved and split into four smaller groups on January 31.

The young adults all have mild to severe learning difficulties, many have educational disabilities and further physical disabilities including Downs syndrome and autism. They study drama, dance, photography and art.

Many have attended on a  daily basis ever since ROC Creative started 10 years ago. Now parents have learned it is about to be moved - some to cob barns in Cockington and some to Totnes.

In 2016 ROC (formerly Robert Owen Communities) merged with United Response and parents claim "everything has changed".

Mums Jill Holmes (who son, aged 22, has been part of the group for over two years) and Colette Phillips (whose daughter is 30 and has been attending since it started) say the new location at Cockington is not suitable and they are angry that parents were not informed.

Jill said: "We can't keep quiet about this - it's our children's lives. Most of them will never be able to work. This is all they have and there is nowhere else they can go.

"We went to have a look at the cob barn which is near the shops at Cockington. Apart from the fact that Cockington is beautiful, everything else is unsuitable - there's no transport, it's freezing cold in winter and in summer they will have to leave the doors open and our young people will be an exhibit.

"At the moment they are in the middle of Paignton. They can walk to the Co-op. There are buses. This old barn is completely wrong. It's just about cost.

"They are not thinking about the people they are supposed to be supporting."

Colette said: "My daughter has been there for 10 years - it's amazing the atmosphere and special relationships between them all as a group. My daughter completely came out of herself after joining ROC Creative.

"Now we have just found out this week that they are going to be split up. It will be devastating for them to have to deal with. It will be hard on us as parents as well.

"They are not all young adults - the eldest person in the group is 55. That means a lot of the parents are elderly and they cannot take their children out and about. Some live in supported living and they have nowhere else to go. There are no other opportunities for them.

Jill said: "ROC Creative has been out of this world for all different disabilities - it has changed my son's life.

"We have known that United Response has been looking at the current building for the last nine months because of maintenance issues."

Mike Crowhurst, Divisional Director for United Response, said:

"Our ROC Creative project is committed to truly inclusive art and has a track record of delivering bespoke activities which inspire creativity and independence among the local learning disability community.

"We do not own the space at The Palace Theatre and increased running costs enforced by the council have ultimately forced us to consider alternative nearby venues.

"The current space has no disabled access - distinctly limiting those who can attend - whilst there have also been other problems with heating and hot water supply, toilets and parking.

"We recognise that news of a potential move may come as a surprise to those who attend, and we have not wanted to alarm anyone unnecessarily if changes were not needed. This meant not speaking publicly until we had understood our options.

"We now want to assure everyone that we are doing everything we can to preserve the future of a project about which we’re deeply passionate.

"We will update staff, participants and families on the future of ROC Creative as soon as we can. Whilst nothing has yet been agreed, we’re excited about its future and want as many people as possible to be part of it."

Parents have been told they will be invited to consultation meetings in Totnes later in December.