The House That Love Built

A reality show gave our family a fab future

- Jenny Stallard

By Kyle Ratcliffe, 39, from Isle of Sheppey

Staring at the toilet, I tried to stop crying. My husband Garry, 43, sobbed next to me.

‘It’s wonderful!’ I said. And it truly was. 

You see, this wasn’t any ordinary loo. It was a futuristic throne that would mean our disabled son Haydn, 13, could go to the toilet with dignity.

That toilet just summed up the wonder of our new home.

Just a few weeks before, it had been a three-bed bungalow – too small for us two, Haydn and our other children, Isobella, 10, Curtis, 6, and Phoebe, 5.

Our kids were all adopted, all with different disabilities.

Haydn has cerebral palsy, while Isobella has Down’s syndrome. She’s Phoebe’s biological big sister, and, while Phoebe is healthy physically, she has post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Curtis has cerebral palsy and epilepsy. 

Quite a clan! 

After Garry and I tied the knot in 2007, we knew we wanted a family, but weren’t sure how.

Then, in April 2009, Garry came home early from his job as a head teacher. He’d bought the local paper.

‘Er, I saw an advert for fostering, gave them a call…’ he said.

So we were visited by two social workers.