This week, we’d like to help a teenage boy called Billy and his mum, who is a single parent.

Billy is autistic and has a severe learning disability. He is extremely hyperactive and only sleeps for a few hours each night. He needs constant support and supervision and has caused a lot of damage to their home. He wears nappies, but often goes to the toilet on his mum’s bedroom floor. Billy’s own bedroom has special flooring that is easy to clean, but his mum’s room doesn’t.

Billy’s mum does everything she can to make sure Billy is happy and his needs are met. But she is sleep deprived and exhausted. They receive some support from social care, who provide respite one night each week and also some holiday clubs, but the rest of the time it’s just her and Billy.

Covid made life a lot more difficult– as well as having less support, she also lost most of her income last year. This year, she was able to work a bit more, but every time Billy was sent home to isolate (which was often), she lost her income.

Social care and Billy’s school have been providing some occasional food vouchers as well as clothes and shoes, but this family needs more help.

They were nominated by Billy’s social worker, who asked if we could replace the flooring in his mum’s room. She said “Billy often goes to the toilet on her floor and bed, and the smell has become really bad but she can’t afford to replace it herself.” 

We'd love to help.