Parents voice concern over proposed relocation of disabled son

The parents of a young man, whose mental capacity is comparable to that of a five-year-old, have stated that their family would be “broken” should he be compelled to relocate to different housing. Billy Round, a 21-year-old from Worcester, presently resides at National Star College in Cheltenham, with his placement financed by Worcestershire County Council. Nevertheless, the council intends to transfer him to shared accommodation situated in Worcester, despite clarifying that a definitive decision has not yet been reached. His parents indicated their intention to bring their situation before the Court of Protection for a hearing scheduled for the upcoming year. Andrew, Mr Round’s father, commented: “He’s not seen this property. He doesn’t know who he’s sharing with, any of that.” Elena, Mr Round’s mother, explained that her son finds daily life challenging, requiring nearly 24-hour support, which she believes would be unavailable in the proposed new residence. She stated: “He’s the most amazing young man. Everybody who meets him falls in love with him.” She further elaborated that he requires assistance for fundamental activities such as shopping and engaging with the community. “Everything that a regular 21-year-old would do, Billy needs constant support and supervision,” she added. “It seems that no matter what Billy says to people as to what he wants, the [council] is determined to go against his wishes and to send him somewhere that cannot meet his needs,” she asserted. Mr Round conveyed that Billy felt “completely confused, completely lost” regarding the ongoing situation. He recounted: “He was coming home a couple of weeks ago and he turned to me and he said, in the best way he can, ‘No-one listens to me.’,” He concluded: “[This] will break us as a family.” Mrs Round also mentioned that her son requires his own wet room, a facility that would not be provided in Worcester. She declared: “The property’s just so unsuitable. Billy’s wellbeing will suffer significantly.” Worcestershire County Council stated its dedication to “ensuring individuals are empowered to make choices that best suit their needs”. A spokesperson added: “To the best of our knowledge, no final decision has been made at this time.” BBC Hereford & Worcester can be followed on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X, and Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external sites. Details on their approach to external linking are provided.