Even more impressive was the opportunity to watch Luke become more independent and responsible than Rosie ever thought possible.
“Luke found his voice, and because he doesn’t have mum hanging around all the time he is making his own decisions,” she said.
“He always looked towards me to say is it okay but now he’s standing on his own two feet and being more independent with things like filling the dishwasher, putting the bins out, doing the gardening – I see him and he is feeling like a man.
“I had always looked after him so he thought the decision-making would always be through me, but now he can help with the decision-making for the house and he’s realising he can make decisions for himself.”
Luke’s relationships with his mother and sister have become closer and more respectful since his transition so SIL, and he has developed other strong, supportive bonds with his fellow housemates.
When asked for any words of wisdom for families going through similar stages in their care journey, Rosie emphasised the importance of visiting houses to understand the process better.
“Go to a house and see what they do for yourself because we’ve all got these ideas in our heads and they’re old, they’re traditional and they’re rubbish – this is a way for your child to develop.”
“He has a right to be himself, and if we kept him at home we would have been stopping him from seeing the real world.”
“Watching him get his own voice out there has been marvelous.”
If you or a loved one is considering a move out of the family home, Scope is here to help. Read more about how Scope’s experienced Vacancy Coordination Team can help you find your dream home or get in touch.