Kate and Jason Wells haven’t seen their teenage son Aidan since March 14.
The 17-year-old is on the autism spectrum, and has intellectual exceptionality. That means that, developmentally, he functions at a toddler-to-preschool level, and can’t understand what a global pandemic means.
“As a mom, as parents, it’s that heartbreaking thought of: ‘Does he think we’ve abandoned him?’ – that’s where our hearts are right now,” said Kate Wells.
During the mandated lock down, Aidan could not have visitors to his group home in Peterborough, and couldn’t go home on weekends. His parents have also not been able to be in contact with him at all during that period – no more phone calls or even FaceTimes, because they say it triggers unsafe behaviour.
While protocol dictated that Aidan can only have two visitors at a time, from a safe distance of six feet away, the family has said that they could not follow through with that, because it would be confusing and frightening for their child to have to stand back.
On Aug. 31, the family breathed a sigh of relief. The Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services in Ontario announced an ease of restrictions surrounding group homes. Starting Friday, residents can leave for a short period of time, or for overnight stays.
Kate Wells announced on Twitter that her son will be coming home on Friday.
Wells received the news with mixed emotions.
“I’m ecstatic, hopeful, excited, angry,” Wells told Global Peterborough on Monday, “We are incredibly frustrated, as so many parents are, that this could have been resolved a lot sooner. There is no excuse for it at this point.”
Back in August, the couple said they had reached out to a number of political officials whom they thought could help. They also pled with the government to come up with a plan for an ease in restrictions.
A spokesperson from the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services sent a statement to Global Peterborough on Aug. 27, saying the Ministry was taking a gradual approach to resuming personal visits.
The statement read in part: “The congregate living settings visitor guidelines will continue to be regularly re-evaluated within the context of changing public health situation and advice.”
Meanwhile, the family is saying they need more from the government as to how their reunion with Aidan will look like.
“We need a plan – like we need clarification as to what the overnight looks like, if there’s any restrictions or any guidelines we should be following here at home,” said Wells.
Wells said the family is also expecting to tackle a lot of “unknowns” regarding their son’s return.
“Is there confusion and resentment on his end? and could those behaviors be translated in our family home?”said Wells.
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