I am a single mum to a wonderful young man with ASD/ADHD along with other conditions and very, very complex needs. We experience extremely challenging behaviour and life can be, and is very stressful. Little did I know that post 18 life was going to be even more stressful. When my son turned 18 he moved on from childrens services where he had accessed a wonderful respite provision to a post 18 world where there are no suitable respite provisions for young adults with extremely complex needs in his town of birth .

I have lived in Bedford my whole life and my son has accessed the same special needs school since the age of 5. I believe we lack a number of services and provisions that our complex young adults desperately need and deserve in Bedford. I have looked for and visited many daycare opportunities to be told his needs cannot be met. I have looked for suitable local respite provisions capable of providing the care he deserves and found that there are no provisions locally. His post 18 education is out of county, we are currently looking for a respite provision and again this is out of county. In Bedford there are plenty of groups, clubs, respite etc. if you are ‘higher functioning’, yet nothing for a young adult with additional and challenging needs.

Why, with so many children coming up through the system with more complex and challenging needs are we lacking in these areas? Why as parents are we having to look out of their home town for activities, clubs, respite , education etc?

To keep being told "we cannot meet his needs" is just not acceptable.

I have many friends who have young adults experiencing the same issues and many friends who will be facing this brick wall in the very near future.

Bedford, we need to resolve this issue; we should not have to look for adequate provision and send our young adults out of county to get what they deserve.

Please sign and share this petition, please ask your family and friends to do the same and show your support for families like mine .