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A mother has expressed deep concern that her son is being overlooked and neglected by the system due to insufficient support for young adults with learning difficulties. Cherrise Lanigan’s son, Callan, who has autism, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), anxiety, and additional behavioral challenges, recently reached adulthood but faces barriers in accessing the necessary disability services.
Callan turned 18 and, because of the assessment criteria used by health trusts, which rely heavily on IQ scores to determine eligibility, he does not qualify for adult disability support. Cherrise views this method as fundamentally flawed, feeling that it fails to consider the full scope of her son’s needs and disadvantages individuals like him.
The Northern Health Trust has acknowledged that their assessment process “can present significant challenges” for those and their families who fall outside the eligibility requirements. Despite this recognition, people like Callan remain unsupported once they reach adulthood.
Living with her son in Draperstown, County Londonderry, Cherrise described Callan’s autism diagnosis as complex, emphasizing his considerable social and emotional support requirements. She told BBC News NI, “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.” Cherrise added, “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?”
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