Ben had been living in one of our homes for many years and our staff knew him very well. He had a long history of severe obsessive behaviours as a result of his autism, which meant he was at constant risk of harming himself and damaging his surroundings.

With all parties agreed that an inpatient service was not the right setting for him, we began building Ben an annexe on the site of his care home that would be ideal for his needs and ensure he could carry on living in the place he knew as home.

Choice Care staff who knew Ben provided crucial input into the design process, which led to the following adaptations:

• Closed hinge doors to prevent fingers being trapped.
• Wardrobes and cupboards fixed to the wall to prevent them being pulled off.
• A foam bed and sofa that will not cause harm if lifted and dropped.
• TV boxed high into the wall, to prevent Ben from hanging off it.
• Skirting boards removed and all window sills ground down to prevent Ben from climbing on them.
• Underfloor heating installed instead of radiators.
• Interior dry lined walls reinforced with durable marine plywood to prevent damage.
• Integrated blinds between window panes instead of curtains.
• Playground matting in the garden, providing protection from falls from up to 1.6 metres.

Once the building was completed, we managed a carefully planned transition for Ben from the main building to his new home, minimising disruption to his routine and ensuring he settled in comfortably.