Sounds like you’re doing all the right things for him Rich 🙂
I have an adult son with Autism and it’s not easy for him, managed to get him into his own flat in a decent area about 3 years ago. He had a rough time all through school but didn’t get diagnosed until he was 15 and the school made no effort to help him as he was going into his final year. College was a bit better but after 3 years of being moved onto different courses they ran out of things they thought would be suitable.
He’s managing sort of OK where he is, he even took a walk down into Durham to do a bit of shopping today. Usually I’m down his 3 or 4 times a week, either shopping, taking him for a meal or just popping in for a while. If I’m away he comes and stays here and looks after the cat (his best friend), usually only for a day or two but I’ve had a few trips to Majorca for a week at a time in the last 18 months. Then when I get back he still stays here for another week or even longer, last time his neighbours thought he’d moved out as they hadn’t seen him for 3 weeks!.
My ex-wife walked out 18 years ago taking my then 11yr old daughter with her and leaving me with the boys, it caused her a lot of problems resulting in self harm and depression, she’s 30 now but still has depression and anxiety. She had a lot of problems when she went off to Uni in Canterbury and ended up in A&E with paracetamol overdoses several times and being given oral charcoal etc. Not an easy thing to support her through with her being over 300 miles from home 🙁
I wish you and your family all the best and hope he has a great future 🙂
Please excuse spelling/typos. Apart from being a clot it turns out I had one on my cerebellum that's now causing various problems!