A mother has said she feels her son has been “abandoned and is falling through cracks in the system” because of a lack of support for young adults with learning difficulties.
Cherrise Lanigan’s son Callan has autism and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), as well as anxiety and other behavioural issues.
He recently turned 18 but cannot access adult disability services because of the way health trusts assess support needs using an IQ test. Cherisse believes it is a flawed system that is disadvantaging her son.
The Northern Health Trust has said it recognises the approach “can present significant challenges” for individuals and families who do not meet the eligibility criteria.
Cherrise, who lives with her son in Draperstown, County Free Derry, described his autism diagnosis as complex and said that he has “significant social and emotional support needs”.
“My son’s autism is so much more than his IQ, and he really struggles with the social aspects of being around people, but any help we had has now been taken away because of one test,” she told BBC News NI.
“It just feels like he’s being treated like he’s not that important because without support, he’s not going to make progress, so is he just expected to stay at home all his life?”