MORE respite care may soon be available for disabled children and their families under legislation to be steered through Parliament by South West Devon MP Gary Streeter. Conservative Mr Streeter was selected in a ballot of MPs to introduce a private member's bill of their choice. He has vowed to address the issue of parents and carers of disabled children who say they need short breaks from caring. Mr Streeter said he receives visits from families of disabled children in constituency surgeries, seeking help to get a short break for their loved ones, and all too often there is no respite care available. He will work with national children's charities, aiming to make it a legal duty of councils and health authorities to provide short-break provision. The proposal stands a chance of becoming law if it gains strong cross-party support and Government backing.
