A mum claims her disabled son is at risk of injuring himself every time he leaves the house following a two-year battle to get a drop kerb installed outside their home in Oldham.
Michelle Robinson, 46, says her son Terry, who has a genetic bone disorder, feels like a 'prisoner in is own home' as he has become too afraid to leave the house. The 26-year-old has brittle bones and worries the force of dropping his wheelchair on to the pavement could cause him to break something.
Terry currently only leaves the house for essential reasons, as Michelle claims she has been continuously passed around since raising the issue with her housing association, First Class Homes, after moving into their home in Failsworth two years ago.
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She claims she has had to battle to get her housing association to accept responsibility, and says despite being told the work would start at the beginning of this year, neither of the pathways outside her house have been changed. First Class Homes say they 'understand how upsetting the situation is' for Michelle and her son, and added that they 'appreciate her frustration at the delay.'
Terry was born with a condition called Osteogenesis Imperfecta severe Type 3. He is unable to sit up on his own and requires the use of a wheelchair. Michelle says he won't leave the house without her as he doesn't have the confidence to go out on his own.
"Ever since we got the house in June 2020 we've been asking for them to drop the kerbs so many times but we are just getting passed around," she said, speaking to the Manchester Evening News .
"Oldham Council said they couldn't do anything about it because it is not their property, but when we spoke to First Choice Homes they said it was the responsibility of the occupational therapist who works for the council. But when we spoke to her she said it was our housing association.
"Last year one of the housing officers assured me it was going to get sorted by the start of this year. Then he left and when I spoke to the new housing officer, he said he didn't know anything about it. I am just going round in circles."
After being contacted by the M.E.N, First Choice Homes confirmed they were arranging a date to complete the work, and added that they would keep Ms Robinson updated on their progress. But Michelle says the last two years have been incredibly difficult for her and her son, and they have resorted to making their own wooden ramp to help Terry safely leave the house.
"He is at risk of breaking his bones every time he goes out of the house so he feels like a prisoner in his own home," she said. "At the moment we have a wooden ramp but now because of the weather it’s gone all rotten. It’s a powered wheelchair so I can’t pick it up or anything.
"If he breaks a bone he is stuck inside for longer. During lockdown it wasn’t too bad because he wasn’t really allowed out because he was at risk but now he wants his freedom back and he can’t have it. We are only going out at the moment when necessary."
Emma Davison, Chief Operations Officer at First Choice Homes Oldham said: "We understand how upsetting this situation is for Ms Robinson and her son. We are aware of our customer’s request for a dropped kerb to be installed outside her home and appreciate her frustration at the delay she has experienced.
"We are committed to ensuring our customers’ homes meet their needs and our teams are working to resolve the matter. We are arranging a date to complete the work and will keep Ms Robinson updated on progress."
