Landon Webb still remembers the banging, screaming, and fighting inside the halls of one of Nova Scotia's six institutions for mentally and physically disabled people. It got so bad, he says, he had to run away.

Landon Webb is 25 years old, but his parents say he has the mental capacity of 12-year-old and needs to be protected. Six years ago his parents got guardianship over Landon under Nova Scotia's Incompetent Persons Act. It meant among other things that Landon lost the right to lease an apartment, to vote, or even to get a library card.

Webb, who was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, and obsessive compulsive disorder, is taking on the government and his parents to regain control over his life. With the help of a lawyer, Landon is challenging the Nova Scotia law – and that has sparked others to speak out about their struggles to live on their own.

Parents and their children tell their story of pain, hardship and love, in their own words.