They are autistic, polyhandicapped or suffer from rare diseases. More than 6 500 children and adults are "exiled" in Belgium for lack of adapted structures in France, a situation to which a "black book of the handicap", which will be given the 20th October, 2015 to deputies, calls for an end. " Our fellow citizens with disabilities, and in particular the most severely affected, are banned from our Republic, and today this is taking unacceptable proportions. "Denounces Christel Prado, president of Unapei, pointing out that the French delay goes back to decades ". For these 1 500 children et 5 000 adults can grow up and live close to their families, this union of associations of people with intellectual disabilities and their families is calling for the creation of places in France, while the Assembly begins to examine the 2016 Social Security draft budget. Because the lack of specialized establishments weighs heavily on relatives.
A solution in France, to no avail
Keltoum Bensalem, who lives near Lille, has a 19-year-old son, Ryad. Diagnosed with autism late, after being declared "profoundly deaf", he was taken care of up to 16 years in "semi-day school" in a structure for hearing impaired nearby, but not adapted to his needs. she told AFP. Then, “we were asked to find a new establishment”. The family sought in vain for a solution so that Riyadh could stay close to them: “ We visited institutes in France, bordering structures in Belgium that looked like death camps, we even began to consider a psychiatric hospital ". For three years, Ryad is in a Belgian establishment, near Liège, 200 kilometers from home, where it seems " appeased ". "He no longer bites, no longer hits, no longer undresses". But the problem is the remoteness. " At first, we went looking for him for the weekend but he was not sleeping, and we were afraid of destroying the progress made during the week. We gave up on bringing it back for a single day because it was 800 kilometers round trip. So we will see him once every two weeks. Since we can't bring him anywhere, we stay locked with him for a few hours in the car ».
Taxing electronic cigarettes
Other families live even further away (more than 4 are not "border" according to Unapei), and the quality of Belgian reception establishments is very variable. Since a Franco-
Walloon, which entered into force in March 2014, French inspectors can carry out checks there. On October 8, 2015, the Secretary of State for the Disabled, Ségolène Neuville, announced the release of an additional 15 million euros in 2016 to create places in existing establishments in France, and develop home services (article in link below). An announcement welcomed by Unapei, but to put into perspective with regard to " 250 million »Disbursed each year by the Health Insurance and the French departments to finance care in Belgium. Unapei asks that these sums be redirected towards the financing of establishments in France, and proposes in addition to introduce a tax on electronic cigarettes, which she said could bring in 90 million euros per year.
Families seize justice
Because the needs are enormous. In addition to 6 500 people exiled in Belgium »France counts« more than 47 000 people "Without a reception solution, who live in their parents' home or in unsuitable structures, underlines Ms. Prado. Some families have gone to court. Justice thus recognized this summer of the "deficiencies" of the State and granted up to 70 000 euros of compensation to seven families supported by the association Vaincre l'Autisme, including two who had to send their children to Belgium. But " we don't want compensation for our children, it's a life Says Prado.
Source : handicap.fr
