Mr. Brian O'Donnell:

A recent distressing and depressing development is a situation, which has been reported to me in at least two services that I know of, in which families are desperately waiting for a residential placement for a son or daughter, brother or sister. An opportunity comes up for a respite break and they use the respite break but are then not in a position to accept the son, daughter, brother or sister back into the home. He or she is pretty well left in the care of the service provider. This is probably an indication of the desperation felt by some people and it goes to the heart of the concerns raised by the Senator.