A CLYDEBANK family have been kept waiting for almost two months to get their hospitalised baby home after the council delayed needed renovations to their home.

Parents Ryan Gowran and Autumn Cayzer have been caring for their daughter Aria at Glasgow’s Royal Hospital for Children for the last 18 months.

Born premature and jaundiced, Aria suffers from biliary atresia, a congenital condition which occurs when the bile ducts inside or outside the liver do not develop normally.

At nine months old, Autumn donated a part of her liver to her child in order to save her life.

Aria was given the all clear by the hospital to return home in May – but special renovations required to make the property suitable have kept the tot in hospital.

Ryan said West Dunbartonshire Council initially told him the adaptations would be carried out within 21 days, but had then said the work would be delayed by a further two months.

Ryan told the Post: “At the start of May someone from the hospital did a home assessment and made recommendations to the council.

“Someone then came out again on May 25 and said it would all be done within 21 days. But nothing happened.

“I asked them if the request was scheduled, but the reply was “thanks for your email, the target date isn’t until August and the planners will contact you”.

“I replied asking if it was a joke because I’ve got a baby in the hospital for over 18 months. It’s the only thing holding back our baby from hospital discharge.

“The hospital were in contact with the council several times saying she’ll be ready on this date and the adaptations need to be done so that the medical equipment can be installed and we can have her home.

“Yesterday [June 24] they gave me a call saying next Thursday or Friday they’ll come out.

“I’ll be relieved when it is done, but I’m taking it with a pinch of salt just now.

“They just need to pay more attention. If a hospital has been in touch saying there’s a sick child and this is what needs to be done for them to go home, then I just want a wee bit more compassion and a wee bit more communication from the council, instead of saying something and then it’s not going to get done for months.

A council spokesperson said: “We are sorry the tenant is unhappy with the service he has received.

“These repairs were initially scheduled for August but given the circumstances, we have arranged for these to be done next week.

“We will continue to liaise with the tenant until the work has been fully completed and we wish the family well.”