Highlands and Islands Labour MSP, Rhoda Grant, has hailed the launch of a consortium, spearheaded by the Elsie Normington Foundation, as a truly valuable move to further improve the lives of children and young people with disabilities in the Highlands and support their families and carers.
The Elsie Normington Foundation worked tirelessly for a decade to secure the funding needed to build the Haven Centre on the outskirts of Inverness. The centre, which is Scotland’s first multi-purpose centre for children and young people with severe learning disabilities, opened in August 2023.
The Haven Centre is a specialist play centre for children and young adults with complex needs in Highland, with an additional building providing three respite suites and a community café which is open to everyone and supports the running costs of the Haven Centre services.
The consortium brings together five leading Highland charities in disability care and supports collaborative working to provide better, more effective support services for disabled young people, their families and their carers.
Rhoda and her former colleague, David Stewart, are great supporters of the Haven Centre and worked together to help secure the funding for the building of the centre.
Mrs Grant said “The efforts of Elsie Normington herself and all the staff at the Haven have already provided immeasurable support to disabled young people and their families and I am delighted to support the launch of the Haven Consortium which will work collaboratively to provide further support services for centre users and those who support them.
“Respite facilities are also available in addition to a well stocked Café which is open to everyone and helps bolster the running costs of the centre.
“It really is something to be celebrated and I would urge the communities in the Highlands to support the café when they can which will help to fund the responsive support services our disabled young people in the Highlands need.”
The Haven Consortium partners are The Elsie Normington Foundation, Special Needs Action Project (SNAP), Thriving Families, Connecting Carers, and Encompass Caithness.
The picture above shows Rhoda with Kirstin Mackay, Service Manager, Elsie Normington Foundation, during a visit to the Haven Centre last year.