Disabled teenager forced to turn down place at college

● But 11- year battle for accessible home could be ending

A disabled teenager has had to turn down a place at college after becoming trapped in his own home during an 11- year wait for a ground floor flat.

Whee lc h a i r - u s e r Ta nve e r Hussain’s life has been severely affected during his family’s battle with a housing association to move from their top floor flat.

The 18- year- old’s sister, Hannah, made a desperate plea to be rehomed after launching a petition which gathered near- ly 1,500 signatures. Hannah, 19, said her family first applied for a ground-floor home in 2006.

She has to bump her brother down the stairs when he wants to go out, and pull him up the 41 stairs to their flat in Govanhill, Glasgow, when he wants to go home.

Now Tanveer has had to turn down a place at Kelvin College in the city because his sister will not always be available to get him in and out of the house.

Hannah said her brother – who has cerebral palsy, myoclonic epilepsy, a hearing impairment and severe learning disabilities – has been badly affected by the ordeal.

She said: “Tanveer was upset andangry about havingto turn down hisplace at college. He is also missing out on going to his day centre. He was recently offered hydrotherapy but he couldn’t do that either. It truly has affected his life.”

The housing association has said there is a new- build property that the Hussain family will be able to move to. But Hannah said she does not think they will be able to move in until next June.

She said :“I am so happy about learning about our new house because my brother really deserves it, we have been waiting for so long.

“This will make such a difference now – my brother will be able to go outside.”

Glasgow Disability Alliance said a lack of accessible hous- ing for people with disabilities is a problem across the city and Tanveer’s case is a familiar story to the charity.

Deputy chief executive Marianne Scobie said: “Although Tanveer’s story is shocking to hear about, it is not unusual.”

John Mclardie, tenant and chairman of Go van hill Housing Association, said :“We know that Tan veerand his family have had to wait too long, sadly this is an alltoo common problem.

“A new- build development has recently gone on site, and as the family are high on our waiting list, we can provide Tanveer and his family with a flat designed around his particular current and future needs by June next year.”