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Struggling council spends £90,000 on child reflexology
Katharine Barney, Evening Standard3 Nov 2008
A LONDON council has come under fire for spending £90,000 on reflexology for children with behavioural difficulties.
Opposition councillors in Lambeth have argued the cash is inappropriate when cuts are being made elsewhere.
The council has overspent its culture services budget by £1.5million leading to a freeze on all non-essential maintenance.
Lib-Dem councillor Julian Heather said this had resulted in fountains being turned off in parks, including the one in front of Lambeth Palace.
The budget to buy new library books has also shrunk from £400,000 to £180,000, making it the smallest in London.
The council's housing management department faces job losses and there have been cuts in painting and the decoration of council homes. Mr Heather said: "We don't know how such a big overspend has happened. People are becoming very frustrated.
"Parks are literally being left to wither on the vine except in health and safety situations.
"Libraries, parks and leisure centres will all suffer and we've also got a problem with the housing budget where too many houses are being rented on long-term contracts and we don't have enough people to fill them.
"It's crazy to be spending so much money on reflexology."
A council spokeswoman said the money came out of a separate budget from those used for housing or leisure facilities.
Paul McGlone, Lambeth's cabinet member for children and young people, said: "It's incredibly important that we address young people's behavioural problems and we make no apologies for using different and innovative methods, but this obviously won't replace more traditional ways of dealing with antisocial behaviour.
"We have just pumped an extra £2million into youth services overall."
Reflexology involves massaging, squeezing, or pushing on parts of the feet, or sometimes the hands and ears, with the goal of encouraging a beneficial effect on other parts of the body.
Nicola Hall from the British Reflexology Association said: "There is no hard evidence to say it works on children with behavioural difficulties, but I have heard and seen results. It works by using the child's energy system."
Reader views (13)
Just heard about this in a science podcast from the United States. I found it hard to believe! So did they. At the risk of being sarcastic why not try prayer?
I have looked on the Lambeth web site for references to reflexology in their minutes. Try it, it is very interesting.
- Mike Hodder, Dorchester Dorset, 02/12/2008 01:13
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I think this is an excellent idea. Reflexology is a very effective way to positively influence the body's energy systems.
To address Mr. Hawkins' criticisms in the first comment, it is important to remember that things do not have to be either/or. Reflexologists do not assert that all Western medical knowledge is "wrong." Far from it. Instead, reflexologists know the very powerful implications of the old saying, "When your feet hurt, you hurt all over." The inverse is also true: When your feet feel good, you feel good all over.
When kids feel better - more connected, more alive in their bodies, more a part of the whole - they behave better. I think reflexology makes perfect sense in this context and even though I am not a taxpayer in this district, I would be glad to see my tax money applied toward such an innovative program.
If all this still seems odd to you, think in terms of nutrition. It may not be obvious at first that eating right can imporve concentration, but studies have shown that school children who eat healthy, natural, organic foods fare better and have fewer behavioral problems than those who eat processed foods on a regular basis.
It is imperative that we move toward a holistic paradigm in order to progress as a society. That's true for what we eat, and it's also true for the feet!
- Darren, California, USA, 10/11/2008 20:26
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I am so glad I do not pay taxes in Lambeth ,but do contribute to government monies going to your council so I am entitled to comment.
Where is the evidence base for these outlandish claims ?.That if true would mean every anatomy text book used for medical training in the western world is wrong.
Massage is nice, but reflexology is mumbo jumbo spun by snake oil salesmen/women for the 21st Century
- Dave Hawkins, Carmarthen wales, 04/11/2008 12:02
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When will somebody get hold of the public library service in Lambeth and take some action to sort it out? The council's management of its libraries is unbelievably bad. This article reinforces the view that it is the worst in the whole country by miles and the councillors do not appear to have a clue what they should be doing. Tim Coates
- Timcoates, London, 03/11/2008 20:00
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Ridiculous! How about aromatherapy for vandals and tai-chi for muggers instead of those superfluous services like running parks and emptying dustbins? Another reason to not vote Labour!
- Mark, London, 03/11/2008 15:53
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You cant make silk purses out of sows ears.
- P I Staker, London, 03/11/2008 15:39
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Brilliant, so the kids can now go out mugging/shooting/stabbing innocents going about their business and then come back to the council for a nice massage to releive the tension of another hard nights violence! Well done Lambeth
- Paul, London, UK, 03/11/2008 14:19
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More ultra left lunacy.
- Brandon Thomas, London UK, 03/11/2008 13:20
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Will they be offered extras at the end?
- Jon, London, 03/11/2008 12:59
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I wonder if this is partly the reason why Lambeth Council have apparently put "on hold" all grants for the disabled and over 60's for the forseeable future?
- Fraser, Telford Park, 03/11/2008 12:56
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Well, as both a long practising educationalist/ and also a qualified reflexolgist for 10 years, all I can say is 'give it a try'. Reflexology does CALM people down, almost instantly, and surely that's better than giving hyperactive/troubled children Ritalin or other ADHD- condition drugs?
In parts of the East, reflexology or 'foot massage' is very widely used/available and considered an essential to good health.
- Susannah, Essex, 03/11/2008 12:37
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Hmm, but the body is made only of energy, so there's some truth in refelexology. However, the schools would do better to remove the mobile phone relay masts from their roofs, as these cause more trauma to the electromagnetic body than can be assuaged by reflexology.
- Neil, london uk, Airstrip ONE ., 03/11/2008 12:26
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I can't believe my council tax is being wasted on this mumbo-jumbo for unruly kids. I would have thought that Labour in Lambeth would be trying to ditch the "Looney Lef Lambeth" tag but they seem to be reinforcing it. Mabye they'll be swapping ASBOs for Macrame Courses. But how can we expect young people to learn about science in schools if they are being told that fiddling with feet is the way to improve "energy systems". It's all just tosh.
- Jim Devas, Brixton, 03/11/2008 11:30
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