Actor Colin Farrell has admitted that he has made the "tricky" decision to put his son into a care facility. The star shares James, who is non-verbal, with his ex-partner Kim Bordenave. He has Angelman syndrome - a rare disorder that affects the nervous system and causes developmental delays among other issues.

The neruological condition can cause issues such as difficulty with movement, breathing patterns, low muscle tone and epilepsy. The 48-year-old actor said that the decision was made due to fears he would be left alone if anything should happen to them. He told Candis Magazine: “It’s tricky – some parents will say, ‘I want to take care of my child myself’, and I respect that.

"But my horror would be, what if I have a heart attack tomorrow, and, God forbid, James’ mother, Kim, has a car crash and she’s taken too – and then James is on his own?"

Farrell said that James would then become “a ward of the state”, adding: “And he goes where? We’d have no say in it.” The star's hopes are to “find somewhere we like where he can go now, while we’re still alive and healthy, that we can go and visit, and we can take him out sometimes”.

He added: "We want him to find somewhere where he can have a full and happy life, where he feels connected."

James turned 21 in September and at the time Farrell admitted that it brought new issues with his new age. Speaking to People, he said: “Once your child turns 21, they’re kind of on their own.

All the safeguards that are put in place – special ed classes – that all goes away. So, you’re left with a young adult who should be an integrated part of our modern society and more often than not is left behind.”

Last year he announced the establishment of The Colin Farrell Foundation to assist people with complex needs. The actor also has another son, 14-year-old Henry Tadeusz Farrell, with Alicja Bachleda-Curuś.