Help Oscar get the help he needs

Dear friends and supporters,

I'm writing to you with a heavy heart about my son, Oscar, who is 15 years old. Oscar was diagnosed with autism during the pandemic, and since then, life has been a daily struggle. Alongside the challenges of his diagnosis, Oscar has faced severe mental health issues. There have been multiple episodes of attempted suicide, incidents with the police due to his inability to understand life’s boundaries, and consistent meltdowns. As a parent, I try to put structure and discipline in place, but it often makes things worse.

Recently, things took a turn for the worse. Last week, Oscar was hit by - car.

We are incredibly lucky that he walked away with only a haematoma to his head, severe concussion, and cuts and bruises. The doctors and nurses at Southend Hospital told us how fortunate he was, and they provided all the advice he needed to recover. But unfortunately, Oscar doesn't understand rules, hierarchy, or advice, and despite being told to rest, he ignored it and spiraled into another psychotic fit of rage. He stormed out of the house in inappropriate clothing, claiming he was going to kill himself.

As a family, we have reached crisis point. I've been in contact with Oscar’s CAMHS team, social services, and even the police, but despite presenting all the relevant information, we were told that the NHS is so overwhelmed that they can't help us right now. After three days of waiting for a response, I was informed we are within our rights to seek private help on our own.

The pressure, stress, and worry have taken an enormous toll on our family. While I love Oscar deeply, I feel terrified and helpless knowing that we can’t get him the support he urgently needs for further diagnosis and assistance. His younger sister, Honey, who is just 7 years old, is often caught up in the chaos, witnessing things no child should ever see or hear. This situation is not just affecting Oscar, but our entire family.

I’m not writing this to seek sympathy, as I know many families are facing similar, if not worse, struggles. But I am reaching out because we are at a breaking point and we need your help. We want to give Oscar the best fighting chance to enjoy his early adult life, surrounded by the family who loves him and who desperately wants to help him.

Any donations will go towards private therapy, additional support, and further assessments that are desperately needed. This will help Oscar get the specialized care he requires to understand his condition and learn how to cope with it in a healthy way.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for any support you can offer, whether it’s financial or just sharing our story. We are truly grateful.

With love, Kate