A man who attended a Lampeter day centre for more than 17 years has been left without any day care, with his mother saying the loss has been "unbearable".

Rory White, who lives in Carmarthenshire, lost his place at Canolfan Steffan on 1 November 2025 after Ceredigion County Council decided to end placements commissioned by neighbouring authorities.

His mother, Diane White, says the decision has stripped Rory of familiar faces, friendships and a routine that had shaped much of his adult life.

"Losing Canolfan Steffan was, and still is, unbearable for him," she told Cambrian News.

Rory subsequently attended a day centre in Johnstown, Carmarthen, two days a week from January, but that arrangement ended in August when he lost the support worker needed to accompany him.

Diane says Johnstown cannot accommodate him without a support worker because it is at full capacity, leaving him with no day service at all, almost a year to the day after losing his provisions. Instead, Rory now spends his days at home or accompanies his mother on shopping trips, appointments and classes.

She says the loss has left him lonely, particularly without the male companionship he enjoyed at Canolfan Steffan. "He feels rejected," she said, explaining that Rory struggles to understand why he can no longer attend.

"Some days Rory is very quiet," she added.

Diane, who cares for Rory alone, says the change has affected her life too, with no regular day-service provision to give them both independence.

The journey to Johnstown was also substantially longer: a 54-mile round trip compared with approximately seven miles for the Lampeter centre.

In a September 2025 letter to Carmarthen MS Ann Davies, Ceredigion council chief executive Eifion Evans said Carmarthenshire County Council was responsible for Rory's care and support.

He said increasing demand for specialist provision within Ceredigion, alongside limited resources, meant the authority was "sadly required to cease all commissioned placements from other local authorities".

The letter said Carmarthenshire had been contacted in May 2025 and that Ceredigion had sought to arrange a supported transition.

At that stage, Mr Evans said further information had not been received from Carmarthenshire about the transition, although additional discussions were being sought.

Diane questions whether the decision has eased pressure at Canolfan Steffan, claiming no new service users have joined since Rory's departure.

Cambrian News asked the council about admissions, Ceredigion County Council said: "Specialised Disability Service has welcomed new service users and extended support for existing users."

It added: "To protect the privacy and confidentiality of those receiving support, we are unable to provide any further details."

The council did not specify whether those admissions or increases related to Canolfan Steffan itself.

A petition calling for long-term attendees living in Carmarthenshire to retain access to the centre was formally received by Ceredigion's cabinet in November 2025.

Diane says the family has received no further correspondence about its outcome, and hopes Rory might eventually be allowed to return.

"That would be Rory's dream, to go back," she said.