A mother fears she could be forced to give up her job and even lose her home if she fails to find a carer for her 10-year-old autistic son, after a change in government rules.
Jan Phillips, who works as a part-time dental nurse at Argo Dental Practice on Brassey Close, Belle Vue, said she would have to care for her son Thomas herself during school holidays after changes in regulations prevented her current childminder from caring for him. Thomas, who has Asperger’s Syndrome, boards at Cruckton Hall School during term time.
But as he doesn’t qualify for respite care he cannot stay there during school holidays.
While Mrs Phillips has arranged care for the Easter holidays she is facing a race against time to make arrangements for the summer break.
Her husband Matthew is self-employed and is on call 24 hours a day , meaning he cannot care for Thomas full-time.
Under the Early Years Foundation Stage guidance introduced in September, childminders can now only have a limited number of staff and assistants working for them. Thomas requires one-to-one care as part of his condition, which his existing childminder Julie Edwards can no longer provide.
Mrs Phillips said: “Thomas cannot be left alone without another adult in the vicinity as it puts other children at risk.
“My childminder has cared for Thomas for some years but now has to let him go. We have rung around childminders in the area and nurseries but we haven’t had any luck.
“I could be forced to give up my job as I only have 12 days of holiday a year. I would be forced to live on benefits which I don’t want to do and we would have serious problems meeting our mortgage payments.
“We are not alone and we know there are other families out there with similar problems. I just hope these rules are reversed.”
Mrs Edwards, who is based at Maesbrook, said: “It’s ludicrous – due to these regulations I can’t provide one-to-one care for Thomas. As a childminder I have had to let go children with special needs and requirements.”