Colin Farrell Hopes the World Treats His Son James with ‘Kindness and Respect’ (Exclusive)

The actor is launching a foundation to support adult children who have an intellectual disability through advocacy, education and innovative programs

Opening up his home and talking in-depth for the first time about life with his son James, who has Angelman syndrome, was not in Colin Farrell's comfort zone.

But in honor of his son, 20, whom the actor shares with an ex, model Kim Bordenave, Farrell, 48, was ready to announce the start of his foundation, which will help those with an intellectual disability like James.

"It’s exciting, it feels like the right time,” the actor tells PEOPLE in this week's cover story. "I want the world to be kind to my son. I want the world to treat him with kindness and respect.”

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James "has had an extraordinary 20 years. He works incredibly hard to achieve the benchmarks that we all experience as typical human beings who don’t have any cognitive issues or developmental delays," says Farrell. "And he’s done incredible. He’s a really well-adjusted, happy young man. He’s extraordinary."

But looking toward the rest of his life, "my fear would be, God forbid, if and when something happens to James’s mother or me, that he would be 30 or 40 and have to go into some kind of institute or residential care, and there’d be nobody to call over and take him out to have lunch and all that," Farrell adds. "He has earned the right to have a greater degree of individuality and autonomy on his life, and a greater degree of community than even I can offer him."

For more of Farrell's exclusive interview, pick up this week's issue of PEOPLE on newsstands Friday.

As such, the Colin Farrell Foundation will provide support for adult children who have an intellectual disability through advocacy, education, and innovative programs.

“We want to take a good look at residential potential for families with young adults who are ready to go out into the world and have a greater sense of community and connection,” says the actor.

Farrell credits both his sons (he's also dad to Henry, 15, whom he shares with former partner and Ondine costar Alicja Bachleda-Curuś) for making him a better man. "Everything is magnified when you have a child with special needs," he says.

"James was about 2 when I got sober, and he was a big, big part of me putting the bottle down. Because I was in no condition to be a friend, never mind a father of a child with such exacting needs. I had good fun and all when I was much younger, but then there were years where it got very dark, and I was heading in one direction fast."

Farrell insists "if it wasn’t for my sobriety, I wouldn’t be able to be there for James and enjoy the marvel of his life and support him in the way that I feel that I can," he adds. "I don’t want to paint a picture either that I’m a perfect dad. I f--- up left, right and center, but at least you have to be present to f--- up, so I’m around."

The actor's sobriety and his sons "are the aspects of my life and the presences within my life that I’m most grateful for," he says. "I’m proud of both my boys. I’ve been blessed to have two really fine young men in my charge. I just adore them. And I don’t want to be like this is perfect, and I just tell them they’re perfect all the time. No, we have raging arguments and disagreements, and there’s stuff that happens that’s not cool, and I say it’s not cool and try and give context for why I think that, but not that regularly. They’re just really good dudes."

In the moments when he allows himself to envision James's future without him, Farrell admits "it’s terrifying. If I’m to even live a full life to, say, 80, it’s a terrifying thought that I’ll miss the last years of his life. Just because I won’t be there to shepherd and protect," he says. "It’s really important for James and for all of our kids to feel like they are wanted, to feel like they’re part of the community. Not just out of charitable endeavors or being nice and doing the right thing, but out of a sincere desire to engage and learn about each other."

In a perfect world, James "will be somewhere where he feels like he belongs and he’s safe, where he can garden and watch movies and swim in the pool and go out to the beach and just have a full and meaningful and connected life," the actor says. "That’d be the dream."

For more information or learn how you can offer support, visit www.colinfarrellfoundation.org.

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