Highlands’ Haven Centre launches drop-in hub to support families with children with complex needs
A new drop-in hub has been launched in Inverness to offer support to families caring for children and young adults with complex needs in the Highlands.
The pioneering Haven Centre held its first Haven Hub event after research revealed that many families felt isolated and lacked accessible resources for advice and assistance.
The centre - which is Scotland’s first multi-purpose centre for children and young adults with profound and multiple learning disabilities - says the drop-in session was a great success with excellent attendance from parents and carers seeking support and personalised advice.
Highland Council leader Raymond Bremner and other councillors also visited the Haven Centre to hear about the new scheme involving a consortium of organisations brought together by the Elsie Normington Foundation (ENF) which is behind the venture.
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The Haven Centre, which opened in August 2023, features an indoor specialist play centre, a community café, meeting spaces and garden plus three respite flats for children and young adults up to the age of 30.
Research conducted by the ENF in collaboration with the University of the Highlands and Islands revealed that many families felt isolated and lacked accessible resources for advice and assistance.
As a result, the foundation has launched a consortium of service providers including Thriving Families, Connecting Carers, SNA, Encompass Caithness, bringing together years of experience in providing care and support for families with complex needs.
The first drop-in event provided an invaluable opportunity for families to receive personalised advice, and many appreciated the chance to explore the Haven Centre for the first time.
Key concerns included delays in assessments for funding support workers and the lack of services available for school leavers.
Other issues included the lack of transport to enable young people to access activities in the area.
Parents were also able to learn more about the short break flats and the services now being offered by SNAP at the Haven.
Rona Matheson, ENF development officer, said it was heartening to have the opportunity to provide hope and connect families with the right resources, offering guidance in what can often feel like an overwhelming journey.
‘"The first drop-in session was a tremendous success,” she said.
“All the charities involved shared the sentiment that it was incredible to finally have a single, central place where parents, families, and carers could access advice and information.
“Furthermore, it was inspiring to see how we, as charities, have united, combining our unique strengths and support services under one roof.
The Haven Hub will operate monthly, with dates and times shared on the ENF website and Facebook page.
“We encourage all families and carers to attend, as we will be inviting guest services each month to cover topics such as financial support, social activities, leisure, and other essential family services for those caring for a loved one with disabilities,” Mrs Matheson said
The Haven intends to extend the Hub to other rural areas in the Highlands, the first being Caithness where its partner charity, Encompass Caithness, is working to develop services for the communities in Wick and Thurso.
