‘A life changing move’

The family of a severely disabled child have spoken of the “life changing” impact of being able to move into a property which was specially designed around their unique needs.

Yusef Khan was starved of oxygen at birth and lives with quadriplegic cerebral palsy and profound and multiple disabilities. He defied the odds just to survive, with his family warned he may not live long after he was born in 2011.

Twelve-year-old Yusef is wholly reliant on his family for care, and undergoes regular therapy sessions, but has shown significant progress over the years to the extent he now attends an additional needs school.

After his return home from hospital after birth, Yusef and his parents lived in a two-bedroom terraced house in Nottingham, which could not be adapted to meet his increasing needs as he grew and developed.

But after securing a settlement following a long-running claim against the hospital where he was negligently delivered, the lives of Yusef and his family have been transformed through them being able to move into a ‘forever home’ designed especially for them.

The home – which they moved into last year - comprises features including a sensory room, hydrotherapy pool and sensory garden to support Yusef’s progress through therapy, and enables Yusef’s extended family to gather and assist his parents with his care.

It was converted from a two-bedroom bungalow into a four-bed fully accessible home with extensive outdoor space, based on the specific requirements of the family.

His mother, Shameen Khan, has called the move into the new property “a dream come true” and told of how it plays a crucial role in Yusef’s health and wellbeing.

“I’m just delighted, I keep wondering if it’s all real. We have been through some really difficult times, but this seems like a positive time in our lives,” she said.

“While the property we used to have was fine at first, when Yusef was still little and we could carry him around, as he grew it became very difficult – sometimes impossible. We didn’t have a hoist and we couldn’t adapt the property to be what he needed. It was a struggle.

“But now, Yusef just loves it here. He is happy and healthy, and the fact we have this amazing space is really important in achieving that for him. Every mother wants the best for their child, and I think this is the absolute best – it’s everything we want and need.

“It is brilliant for his therapy, which is helping him so much, and it’s brilliant for us as a wider family too. We have space for us all, and there are a lot of us in this family. Yusef loves going out, but now we have such a lovely home, there is so much for us all to do together if we stay in.

“This has been an absolute dream come true, and has genuinely been life changing for us all.”

The property recently won the Best Residential Extension (East Midlands) category in the LABC Awards, and was designed by France and Associates. The funds used to secure the conversion were managed and approved Slater & Gordon.

Paul Kelly in the law firm’s Court of Protection team is Yusef’s Deputy, which means he oversees how his settlement is spent to ensure it can provide for him for the rest of his life.

“Paul is absolutely fantastic and he understands us and our family. He knows what is important to us and we know he has all of our best interests at heart. It’s thanks to him we have this property,” says Shameen.

“Probably like many parents in our position all those years ago, we didn’t know whether to make a claim, but I am so pleased we did. It has taken a long time and it can be a difficult road, but the amazing people who have supported us along the way, and the outcome we have secured, has made it worthwhile. We can now give Yusef the very best, which is all that matters.”

Senior associate Paul added: “It has been such a privilege to get to know Yusef and his family and support them on their journey. Yusef is an amazing young man who has come such a long way, and in these surroundings I am confident he will thrive even further.

“Being able to live in an environment which is adapted exactly to bespoke needs is hugely significant for whole families, and can make day-to-day living so much easier, while also increasing the potential and impact of therapy and rehabilitation.

“Yusef’s new home is clearly having a transformational impact, which we are absolutely delighted to see.”

France and Associates led the design of the family’s new home.

Karen McGourty, who worked on the project said: “France and Associates collaborated with Yusef and his family and team including Deputy, case manager and occupational therapist to establish the accommodation requirements to the property.

"The property has been designed and adapted to suit Yusef’s needs for both the present and future, along with family requirements to allow the property to be Yusef’s forever home.

“France and Associates’ involvement started just after the property had been purchased.

"We liaised with the family and Yusef’s care team to form a brief and understanding of Yusef and the family’s requirements, and from this we prepared the sketch designs, utilising 3D architectural visualisation to provide a realistic representation for the family and team to understand how the property would work and look completed. 

“The planning application was prepared and managed by France and Associates, along with preparing the technical drawings and design. The scheme was competitively tendered before commencing on site. Contract administration service was provided by France and Associated through to the construction period.

“Our team were involved from conception through to completion, working with the main contractor, family, client care team to deliver the design. 

"It gives us immense satisfaction to see Yusef and his family settled and happy in their purpose designed forever home.”

Find out more about Paul's work and contact him here.

For more information about Slater and Gordon, head over to slatergordon.co.uk