What more could I ask for?
"I now enjoy the freedom of knowing that William would be supported in any difficulties that could arise"
My son, William, now 44, had a troubled childhood, leaving school at 14, a victim of verbal bullying and suffering from high anxiety. From when he was 10, we sought help but he was finally dismissed by the psychiatric services as not having a "mental illness".
At a friend’s suggestion, I persuaded our GP to refer him to a psychiatrist outside our area with expertise in autism. He was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome. Thus, aged 29, William was referred to The Learning Disability Team.
He was living independently but prey to neighbours taking advantage of him. Alerted to this, the team offered him respite care where he stayed for 11 months before being moved to a larger institution. 18 months later this placement failed. He came to my house temporarily whilst the team set up a service tailored to his needs. This took three years and eight months. He was to share a house with support provided by United Response. A few weeks later this failed.
Luckily United Response’s regional director stuck with us, even though William had returned to institutional care. Another failure. More respite care including 20 moves in three months.
Eventually through the determination and intervention of United Response, in January 2006 William acquired a shared ownership house in a "safe area" of our small town where he has a friend, who also has Asperger's Syndrome and stays with him occasionally.
Since moving in, William had Personal Assistants of his choice, two of whom through a flexible arrangement with United Response are employed by a different agency. Senior management also support him in various ways and enabled him to have his first holiday since childhood. He chose to go to Paris and saw the Mona Lisa. He also enjoys pub quizzes. He now has stability for the first time in his adult life.
I now enjoy the freedom of knowing that William would be supported in any difficulties that could arise. For years, I suffered from disabling bouts of dizziness. The latest one was when William was moving into his house. I am thankful for the remission.
A coincidence? Maybe not. At my advanced age I need not "rage against the dying of the light" on William’s account because, to use his words, he is "less fearful for the future" and is "more positive and optimistic." What more could I ask for?