Yahoo Finance Katie Price reveals ‘crisis’ point that led to decision to increase Harvey’s residential care: ‘He was smashing windows’
Katie Price has spoken about her decision to increase the level of care for her son, Harvey, who will be moving into a residential college once he turns 18.
Harvey, who was born on 27 May 2002, has partial blindness, autism and Prader-Willi syndrome, a rare genetic condition that can cause physical issues and behavioural difficulties.
Speaking to BBC Woman’s Hour on Thursday, Price explained why she has chosen to move Harvey into a residential college where he will be able to live more independently and build on his social skills, while still having the option to return home at weekends if he wants to.
The 42-year-old mother-of-four said how the “crisis point” that led her to make the decision came roughly 18 months ago.
“My windows were getting smashed every morning,” she said.
“He wanted to be with me all the time. And he knew, because he was big and strong, that he'd smash a window and then the driver wouldn't have him in the car because he’d go and smash the window screen of the car, or he’d start attacking the driver, and he’d do that because he knew if he did that, he’d be at home with me because they wouldn’t take him to school.”
Price, who has three other children, continued: “And then he’d be waking the kids up all the time and then he’d go for the kids and it was just, like, a danger to him and not fair on the kids, because you don’t want them worried or anything like that.”
Price revealed how she called the social and healthcare workers that help her care for Harvey and was advised to send him to a more full-time residential college that would give him the option of staying at weekends. Currently, he attends a residential college from Monday to Friday.
“The next place I’m looking for is a 52-week placement for him,” she said before going onto explain her reasoning.
"Any parent would agree with me, he’s older and he’s turning into an adult, so having 52-week care means he has the option - not that he has to - to be there at weekends if he wants and for some of the holidays.
“Because he’s an adult and he’s now going to make friends, they might go to the cinema on a Saturday or go bowling or have a disco night… he might want to go and do that instead of coming to me […] it’s just so he has the option to make a choice.”
Price concluded: “It’s giving him the chance to be independent, and that’s what being an adult is. It would be selfish of me to have him at home all the time.”
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