“Many hands make light work,” uttered John Heywood, a 16th Century English writer.The saying still rings true today, according to Jose Lopez, who’s the father of 12-year-old Max, born with special needs.Mr Lopez will be hosting a ‘Special Needs Care Dialogue’ tomorrow at 6pm at XL House to address some of the issues facing people with special needs on the Island.He hopes it will be a “rational and fair” discussion, but said the wider community needs to get involved in order for any change to come out of it.“We have been really trying to raise the awareness for the special needs community and it’s been something we have been trying to do over the course of years, but individual efforts really haven’t done anything. That’s why we feel it’s time to escalate it and bring it to a wider public.”Mr Lopez, who is the academic director of the charitable arm of Dame Marjorie Bean Hope Academy, has also been the school’s PTA president for four years.He said one of the biggest problems is a lack of transitional services for special needs children once they move beyond the schooling years at the age of 18 or 19.Space at the Island’s primary facilities The Orange Valley Centre and Opportunity Workshop is already stretched, evidenced by waiting lists in place to get in.He told The Royal Gazette the discussion’s mission was twofold: providing people with a better understanding of Government’s plan for special needs care going forward; and raising public awareness on the plight of families with special needs children.“Some people are disenfranchised because they are trying to make change, but nothing happened,” he said. “You hear in the news people are going through the entire time lines of their children without seeing specific change.”He said despite the high level of frustration, the dialogue “wouldn’t be an exercise of laying blame”.Mr Lopez said three or four families will share their stories with the audience. Government representatives from the Ministry of Health have also been invited to attend.“We are not trying to be negative and just complain. We are trying to have a discussion that is fair and rational and talks about the issues.“With some people it’s too close to their struggles, it’s hard for them to be rational, but I think it could be destructive rather than helpful to it.”He said an Island-wise petition would also be circulated to raise awareness and support the release of a national care plan, but urged people throughout the community to attend.