Charlie spent the first 14 years of his journey in and out of many traditional special education programs and despite the best of intentions, he was not making any progress in all activities of daily living, had absolutely no social life and his behaviors expressed his discomfort through escalated frustration. Discovering Camphill changed everything.
At 15 years old, he entered The Camphill School wearing adult diapers, drinking from a toddler sippy cup & not using utensils. Within 1 year, he was toilet-trained, eating with a fork and drinking from an open cup. For the first time, he also had friends and formed strong relationships with peers, house parents & co-workers. Charlie was clearly thriving and happy for the first time in his life. Learning new skills (i.e., working in the barn, taking care of animals and setting the table) combined with a myriad of social activities such as going on hikes, attending special gatherings (especially those with music!) brought newfound joy and purpose to Charlie’s life.
Over his years living at Camphill, Charlie continued to grow and thrive in ways we never thought possible. The relationships, routines, rhythms and having a meaningful role in this community had transformed him and allowed him to become the best version of himself. His recent diagnosis in 2020 of Syngap 1 (a rare neurodevelopmental disorder caused by a random variation in DNA), explains his unique presentation of symptoms yet it also underscores the need for understanding his level of support and the importance of the role of his environment.
Unlike the first 14 years of his life, we now know what Charlie needs to be successful as he enters adulthood. However, stepping into the world of adult services proved to be the ultimate challenge when faced with the reality of extremely few options, none of which were appropriate for his level of need, or mirrored the community life that he was thriving in. This realization led to our family joining in the creation of Riverflow: an intentional community where adults like Charlie can have meaningful, safe, robust lives, rich with purpose, friendships, and connections. It is a dream come true and brings peace of mind that Charlie will continue to thrive in his next phase of life.
