Devoted mother wants her son home after being sent to a care centre on an island miles away from his home
A mother has criticised the Scottish Government for ripping her autistic son from the family home and effectively banishing him to an island.
Bernie Redman said her 20-year-old son Francis has now spent more than six months on the Isle of Cumbrae after falling ill during a day trip to Oban.
Francis was removed from the family's specially adapted house in Lochgilphead six months ago because provision in Argyll wasn’t available.
It is not unusual for specialist support for those with learning disabilities to be offered in other areas - meaning huge outlway and logistical problems for them and their families.
The nurse is now petitioning Argyll and Bute Council and the Scottish Government to make arrangements for her son to be able to return home from the care centre, which is run by a private firm.
Redman, 60, said: "It is like a part of me has been ripped away. I lost my husband to a heart attack and I feel as if I’ve lost my son because there is nobody here to help us so he could stay home.
“He is now a young adult and I do appreciate he has to have a level of independence in his life. But that does not take away the fact he needs looking after.
“We have renovated this house to cater for his needs and there is even a granny-flat for a carer. It’s just that there are no carers to take on the job over here.”
Visiting Francis means she faces a journey across road and sea restricting her to once weekly visits.
Bernie fears being forced to sell her house to be closer to her son.
"I don’t know what is going to happen," she said. "I had hoped Francis would be back home by now but I’ve just been told he will be given accommodation in Millport but I don’t know how he’ll settle.
“He’ll be there for at least six months while they are trying to find something suitable for him closer to home. I’ve been told he could end up in Helensburgh as that’s the nearest place with the kind of support he needs.
“If I knew that’s where he was going to be I could sell the house and move there myself, to be closer to him if I can’t have him at home.
“At the moment I visit him once a week. It’s a three-and-a-half hour journey involving two ferries. If the weather is bad I can’t get to him. He turned 20 in the care home, he was there for Christmas and New Year."
Jackie Latto, from Scottish Autism, said: “There is a greater level of targeted support available for autistic children across Scotland which tends to drop sharply once they reach adulthood.
“Organisations like ours are investing in further adult services although there is always a limit in resources. Local authorities are also continuing to face severe financial constraints which puts a further barrier on providing better adult-focused support.
“The Scottish Government’s Strategy for Autism requires that people with the condition have access to services which understand their needs and are able to deliver in ways specifically related to their autism, therefore it is vital to review the recommendations from this strategy to ensure that progress is being made across Scotland in delivering quality services.”
An Argyll and Bute Health and Social Care Partnership spokesman said: "Sometimes, if an individual requires extremely specialised care then this is provided in a facility outwith Argyll and Bute."
