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Special Me

Duration: 30 minutes

First broadcast: on BBC One Northern Ireland HDLatest broadcast: on BBC One Northern Ireland

A documentary highlighting the emotional stress and strain placed upon young adults with learning difficulties when they leave
school at 19. For most of us, it's a time of excitement, but for others and their families it's a time of anxiety about loss of support, fear over the lack of services and uncertainty about the future.

This documentary follows Gareth Knox and his family at a time when their lives are about to change beyond all recognition. Gareth has Down's Syndrome and autism. He's about to turn 18. As he moves from child to adult services, his respite arrangements are unknown and he's preparing to leave school at the age of 19. It's an emotional and uncertain time for his family and a scenario familiar to many families across Northern Ireland.

The programme also follows nineteen-year-old Phoebe Dalrymple on her last week at school and 32-year-old David Skelly, who
left 13 years ago, to see how they have coped with this key phase in their lives. Show less

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