Cornwall, UK – Phill Wills has launched an online petition Please bring my son back home #BringJoshHome .
The father of Josh, 13 who has severe autism is petitioning Kernow CCG to bring his son back to Cornwall, he is currently in a specialist unit in Birmingham.
The petition states that:
‘In 2012, Josh was moved to an assessment and treatment unit in Birmingham. This was meant to be for 6 months…he is still there.Josh has now spent both his 12th and his 13th birthdays in the unit, 260 miles away from me and the rest of his family in Cornwall. He has never met his little sister.’
The family have been fighting to get Josh the care he needs closer to home but Kernow CCG will not provide this. They have recently been told that Josh cannot come back to Cornwall and must go to another service over 170 miles from the family home.
Mr Wills states in his petition that Josh continually asks for his family and that when he can’t see them he becomes anxious and more likely to self injure.
He also adds that Josh’s self-harming is so severe that it is life threatening.
At present the family visit Josh every weekend.
Mr Wills says:
“What is needed for Josh, and others like him, is good quality care, close to home. As we face another Summer without him, we are pleading with Kernow CCG to put the missing support and services in place allowing us to bring Josh back to Cornwall.”
Let’s #BringJoshHome can be followed on twitter @JoshWillsWorld
Mr Wills adds on his petition that to get to know Josh better you can watch this YouTube made over a year ago when Josh had been in Birmingham for over 6 months.