John is 13 years old and has been coming to ELHAP from the age of 5. He has Down Syndrome and a chronic heart condition.

At home, John likes to play on his tablet, iPad or Wii. He interacts with his brother like any other teenager and has moments of being very stubborn and refusing to do what he is told. John also enjoys trips to the park. These can be tricky as he is 13 but wants to play as if he is 4 years old, so he will push other children out of the way to use the swings.

At ELHAP, John can enjoy the freedom that he needs and can play with other children of all ages without being judged. He loves every aspect of his time here. When his Mum and Dad tell him that he is going to ELHAP, he repeats it over and over again. John often puts his pyjamas on at lunchtime the day before a trip to ELHAP in the hope that, if he goes to bed, he will wake up and it will be time to go!

His mum says, “There should be more ELHAPs! It’s so lovely to see John so happy and really enjoying himself and thriving. We just wish he could have more days there.”

Please note: the names on our case studies and quotes have been changed to protect the identity of our service users and their families.