Families of adults with learning difficulties in north Down have expressed shock at the closure of the Promote Day Opportunities Service, which helps more than 50 people in Bangor. The service is set to close at the end of March due to a lack of funding. It is run by the charity Action Mental Health (AMH) on behalf of the South Eastern Health Trust. Parents and relatives were told in a letter that the service would close on 31 March and they were due to meet representatives on Monday to discuss alternatives.
The closure will leave many without key services, and families say they should have been informed earlier. One parent said the service was the “entire life” of their son. The Promote service also offers clients opportunities like day trips and building social skills. Day services typically give people with learning difficulties the chance to develop new skills, take part in activities and meet new people, while also providing respite to families and carers.
Charity Action Mental Health and the trust said in a joint statement that they “regrettably” could no longer provide the service due to rising costs and budget pressures. They stressed the South Eastern Trust was working to minimise disruption to service users and their families during the transition to alternative service providers and added that key workers would be available to support transition
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