He’s a happy youngster, smiling and playing with his mum and brother.

But Travis Goddard, of Almondbury, faces a lifetime of care after problems at birth.

Now the devoted mum of the four-year-old boy, who suffered devastating brain damage after a delay in his delivery, has spoken of her relief after the hospital trust admitted liability shortly after investigations commenced, paving the way for a lifetime care and rehabilitation package to be agreed.

Exact figures have not yet been agreed but lawyers say it will be substantial.

Travis has quadriplegic cerebral palsy, giving him limited movement in all four limbs, and is completely dependent on 24-hour care. His problems stem from a delay in transferring his mum to Calderdale Royal Hospital from the Huddersfield Royal Infirmary Birth Centre for his delivery, leaving him in distress and causing his brain to become starved of oxygen.

Mum Nicola Davenport instructed specialist medical negligence lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to see whether more could have been done by the Calderdale & Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust to deliver her son quicker and without causing him significant injury.

Travis Goddard (right) with big brother Darien
Travis Goddard (right) with big brother Darien

The law firm secured an early admission of liability from the NHS Trust and is now working towards securing a lifetime care and rehabilitation package for Travis.

In a letter to lawyers, the NHS Trust confirmed that if Nicola had been transferred from the Birth Centre to the consultant-led birthing unit in Halifax that Travis would have been born soon enough to avoid his brain injury.

It was in November 2010 following a normal pregnancy, that Nicola was admitted to the Birth Centre for the birth of her second child. However, medical staff failed to monitor Travis’ heart rate as the facilities were not available and Nicola should have been transferred to the Calderdale Royal Hospital in Halifax to deliver her baby.

Travis was instead in distress during his delivery and when he was born his umbilical cord was around his neck and right arm and needed resuscitation as he was unresponsive.

He now needs constant care, as his condition affects all four of his limbs and he needs a wheelchair to get around. He also struggles to eat and digest food and needs a feeding tube to help him.

Nicola, 33, said: “Travis’ birth was very traumatic and we were just devastated when we found out that because of the actions of the hospital Travis has been left severely brain damaged. We are blessed that he is with us and he is such an adorable boy however his care is constant and until the admission was made we were his primary carers.

Nicola Davenport, of Almondbury, with disabled son Travis Goddard
Nicola Davenport, of Almondbury, with disabled son Travis Goddard

“Crossroads, the care charity, have been good and provided a couple of hours a week to help but now I am getting a couple of carers to help at various times of the day to allow Travis the best care and to give me more time as his Mum rather than carer. I have also set up a Facebook support group for other mums to help and support them.

“I am so relieved that the Trust has accepted responsibility for the mistakes made when Travis was born. It gives us the peace of mind that we will be able to provide him with the very best care for the rest of his life.

“I truly hope the NHS has learned from what happened to Travis so that other families don’t have to suffer the same ordeal we have been through.”

Sarah Coles, a specialist medical negligence lawyer at Irwin Mitchell’s Leeds office, said: “It was a huge relief for Travis’ mum that the Trust made an early admission admitted that they could have done more to prevent his brain damage.

“Travis cannot care for himself and requires 24-hour care and whilst his mum has shown complete dedication in looking after him, this is exhausting and we are setting up the support of one-to-one care and specialist rehabilitation services to ensure he thrives to his full potential and to support his mum.

“It is essential that NHS Trusts ensure their maternity services are set up with sufficient staff and training to give mums and their babies the best and safest care possible.”