The Haven Centre opened its doors almost a year ago on the 25th August 2023. Since then, Scotland’s first integrated play centre and respite facility for children and young adults with complex needs and disabilities has gone from strength to strength, providing much needed services and respite for hundreds of young people and their families in the Highlands. On the 16th of July Minister for Children, Young People and The Promise, Natalie Don MSP, visited the centre and saw first-hand the pioneering Haven Centre facilities here in the Highland Capital.

Ms Don said “I am delighted to have the opportunity to visit The Haven Centre and to see firsthand the valuable support it is providing for disabled children, young people and their families in the Highlands. I am proud that Scottish Government was able to support the construction of this project with over £1.67 million of capital funding.”

The Scottish Government funded the Haven Centre build by committing over £1.6m to the capital project and have recently added to this support by providing further capital funding of nearly £70k to assist the charity as it grows its services in the Highlands.

Tuesday 16th July also marked the commencement of the #UNCRC Scotland Act. The Act will see Scotland take a big step forward in protecting and promoting children’s rights.

Chair and Founder Elsie Normington said “We are delighted to welcome Ms Don to the Haven Centre. To see the Haven Centre fully operational is a dream come true and we look forward to showing Ms Don the facilities which have been a lifeline to so many families. We remain ever humble and thankful for the support shown for our charity by the local community and beyond as we navigated our first year of operation. We are a small charity with big ambitions and will continue to develop and deliver new projects in the Highlands which will support local children and young adults with learning disabilities, and their parents and carers.”

The ministerial visit was attended by Elsie Normington Foundation Patron, Elizabeth Mackintosh, Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees, Ian Matheson, Service Manager, Kirstin Mackay and Development Officer Rona Matheson.

The minister was given a tour of the Haven Centre and Haven Suites as part of the visit and also met representatives from SNAP (Special Needs Action Project), who run the play centre.