And now, two-and-a-half years later, the young Rutherford woman has won the fight.

After spending most of Jacob’s life battling the bureaucracy of the State Government, the Rutherford mother yesterday celebrated with a change in legislation.

The Mercury first reported Jacob’s plight in March 2007 when Centrelink said the little boy – who has the rare congenital condition Goldenhar syndrome – was not disabled enough to warrant a carer payment.

Doctors predicted Jacob – who has multiple disabilities – would die before his first birthday, but Centrelink continued to deny his family’s request for aid.

But thanks to Ms Morris’ tenacity and dogged lobbying of the powers that be, an extra 19,000 carers of children with severe disability are expected to qualify over the next year for carer payment (child) as legislation reforms come into effect.

“This is an absolutely wonderful outcome,” Ms Morris said.

“But Jacob is now doing so well that he probably won’t qualify for the payment, but that’s not to say we are not thrilled with the result ... I suppose we just hoped it wouldn’t take so long.”

Last year the Department of Families, Housing, Community Service and Indigenous Affairs issued an independent report that found the criteria for payments were too restrictive and there were inequitable outcomes.

“I’m just so happy that all of this has gone somewhere and something did change ... that’s exciting,” Ms Morris said.

“There are so many other families out there who will benefit from this that I can’t feel disappointed for us.”