My disabled son has to crawl out of the house, when all he needs is a ramp to give him his dignity
Mumputs shocking video onlineof disabled sonandhis struggleto getoutof thehouse
A Larkhall mum has released a shocking video of how her disabled son is forced to crawl out of his front door each day.
Angela Murphy released the footage on social media of her son, Kenneth, who has cerebral palsy, in a desperate cry for help.
Kenneth’s distraught mum said:“i can’t get a ramp because we won’t enter into a long- term tenancy, and all this while an adapted house lies empty.
“All these wheelchair-accessible houses, yet we can’t get one.”
Since the video was posted, it has been shared hundreds of times and has attracted lots of support from people backing Angela’s call for help.
A Larkhall mum made a desperate plea for help by releasing a shocking video of how her disabled son is forced to crawl out his home every day
The footage shows Kenneth Murphy, who has cerebral palsy and is partially sighted, bravely having to inch out of his front door before struggling down two concrete steps then placing himself in his wheelchair.
You can watch the video on the Advertiser’s website or Facebook page, and fed-up mum Angela told us this week that she had “simply had enough of the situation”.
She said: “What makes this harder is that I believe that there is a suitable adapted house available in Larkhall lying empty, yet Kenneth has to live like this.
“I have been offered alternatives but they don’t meet his needs.”
Describing her desperation at the situation, she explained: “I posted the video as I had simply had enough of the situation and hoped that the video
would show the true reality of what Kenneth faces on a day-to-day basis.
“He is also partially sighted, so this makes it all the worse for him.”
Angela had been living in an adapted home in Hamilton, but following a family bereavement, moved back to Larkhall.
She wanted to be close to her family but the move meant that she was forced to take on a private let.
Since then, she says that there has been no suitable alternative adapted accommodation for herself and 27-year-old Kenneth.
Angela is reluctant to enter into a long-term tenancy as she hopes to be offered a suitable adapted alternative.
However, in the meantime Angela says that the council won’t fit a ramp which would help Kenneth get in and out of the house.
Angela posted the video online last Friday before leaving for work and she has been amazed and touched at the level of interest and support it has gathered for Kenneth.
She said: “I have been completely overwhelmed by the support that I have received from everyone who has shared and viewed it. I was not expecting anything like this and I am so grateful for everyone’s support.”
Since the video was posted, Larkhall Councillor Richard Nelson (Conservative ) was keen to get in touch with the family.
He admitted that he was stunned by what he had viewed and said: “I was shocked at the footage and immediately contacted Angela to discuss further her situation.
“I come from a nursing background and was immediately shocked as I have never seen anything like this before.
“I was taken aback with the limited input they have received from both social work and housing.
“This is a joint partnership and they are not meeting the needs of Kenny.
“No-one in this day and age should have to live like this, in my opinion.
“I have now written to both the heads of social work and housing and the chief executive and they have acknowledged that I have written to them all and I am currently awaiting an update.”
Lanark and Hamilton East MP Angela Crawley (SNP) was also shocked and got involved in Kenneth’s case. She said: “The situation is clearly unacceptable and the council must do more to support Kenneth.
“I have written to the local authority and asked them to provide urgent assistance to the family.”
A South Lanarkshire Council spokesperson said: “All service users are assessed based on their individual needs and, while it would not be appropriate to go into the details of individual cases, South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnership is committed to supporting this individual and we are in ongoing discussions with him and his family with regards to his long-term needs.”
The spokesperson added: “The council are aware of Mr Murphy’s current housing application and provided advice to the family in December regarding progressing a re-assessment of their current medical priority points to improve their housing prospects. The local team have now made contact with Mr Murphy and his family again to arrange to meet with them this week to continue to provide any support and assistance in this matter.”