With Sarah Johnson, a parent of a child with disabilities
A Blue Badge, which allows disabled people to park in special larger spaces closer to their destination and extend their time-limited parking time, could make the difference between being able to go out and being forced to stay at home. Knowing that you can park close to where you want to go, or that there is space to pick you up or drop you or others off, reduces the barrier to going out. For example, if you have a child with autism who can’t recognize danger, being able to park nearby reduces the risks they face in a crowded and unsafe car park.
However, if your disabled child is under three years old, the rules for getting a Blue Badge don’t apply – it’s not automatic, it’s at the discretion of your city council. This can be very difficult as most public car parks don’t have spaces for parents and children.
Sarah Johnson, a mother of four children, many of whom have disabilities, is trying to change that. She started a petition that has gotten some traction, but needs more signatures. We think this is an important issue. Raising a non-disabled child under the age of three is hard enough, but struggling with the extra equipment a child with a disability may need is a barrier that doesn’t need to be there.
Sarah Johnson, who lives in Kent (a hub of fantastic SEND support…..not) appears on SNJ today to tell us more about her campaign.
Help us change the Blue Badge rules for children under 3! Sarah Johnson
As I open yet another email pleading for the most basic of help, I am struck by the inherent irony of the phrase “making Kent a friendly county for all children and young people”. It’s a sentiment that rings hollow to me and countless other parents who have been denied the help they so desperately need time and time again.
I balance a full-time job with being a mother to four children, three of whom are under the age of two. Currently, my babies are in the hospital and my twin daughters have been diagnosed with diplegia for cerebral palsy. Our journey has been full of challenges and setbacks, especially when it comes to receiving essential support services.
Kent County proudly proclaims itself to be a place that caters for the needs of all children and young people. But my experience is a different story that is playing out across the country. Despite our urgent need for Blue Badges to ease my daughters’ mobility, bureaucratic obstacles were constantly placed in our way. It is disheartening to find that even the most basic facilities are so difficult to obtain.
Sarah and her three children
Unnecessary Barriers to the “Easy” Life
When one of our daughters, Astrid, was prescribed a Kay Walker to help with mobility, we thought obtaining a Blue Badge would be a simple procedure – after all, who could argue that a bulky piece of medical equipment recommended by a physiotherapist didn’t require such consideration?
Unfortunately, Congress rejected our request, leaving us feeling overlooked and marginalized. I use the word “disheartened,” but it is by no means surprising. Faced with this frustrating reality, I decided to take matters into my own hands.
I cannot accept the idea that Kent is a place that only works for some children and young people some of the time. Instead, I focus on the bigger picture and advocate for change to support parents and carers of disabled children under the age of three across England. I have launched a petition to raise awareness of the challenges faced by families like my own, with the aim of garnering support and ultimately driving legislative action.
But I can’t do it alone.
What we need…
The current rules have specific criteria for children under the age of three. I would like the Government to review these rules, including their equality impact on children with disabilities. I believe the current rules reduce the ability of children with disabilities under the age of three to go to parks, attend children’s centres and participate in public life. This impact is even greater in families with more than one child with a disability.
It currently has fewer than 3,000 signatures, but thousands more are needed.
At least 10,000 signatures are needed
I need your help. My petition needs 10,000 signatures just to get a written response from Parliament. I need 100,000 signatures to spark debate in Parliament. Every signature is one step closer to a more inclusive and equitable society for all children, especially children with disabilities. Your support can really make a difference.
The promise of being a place that works for all children and young people in Kent (and beyond) must be a reality, not just a slogan.
The petition will run until August 5, 2024.
Read also:
Don’t miss anything!
To ensure you never miss a SNJ post, simply enter your email address below. To activate your free subscription, you must click on the link in the confirmation email you receive.
You can also follow our WhatsApp channel to get the latest updates from us.
Want to learn more? Become an SNJ Patron!
SNJ is a not-for-profit company and everyone who posts here does so voluntarily. We need your support through a one-off or recurring donation to cover our costs. As a thank you, recurring donors will receive an exclusive SEND updates newsletter. Find out more here.
Special Needs Jungle was founded in 2008 by Tania Tirraoro as a personal SEN blog and is now an award-winning, multi-authored site covering special needs, disabilities, mental health and rare conditions for children and young people from birth to 25 years old.
Latest Special Needs Jungle Posts (View All)