Dear Diary
Disabled parents rely on reasonable adjustments and we hope like hell that people will honour the Equality Act but too often this ends up being completely ignored.
Don’t shake your head. I know what I’m talking about.
When Child 1 and Child 2 were in primary school I became a Parent Governor. I was so excited! Then the Headteacher refused to move the meeting to a Wheelchair Accessible room. Refused. Just said “No.”
I won’t go into what happened for Parents Evenings….
But the problem is everywhere – how many Wheelchair Accessible homes have more than 2 bedrooms? How many older homes are renovated to be Wheelchair Accessible? How many Wheelchair Accessible homes are built in new developments?
The answer is very very few. And they’re usually a mix of 1 and 2 bedroom flats that are totally unaffordable for a demographic that struggles with accessing work.
How many Wheelchair Accessible hotel rooms are family rooms? None I have ever come across. Not a single one.
How many Wheelchair Accessible taxis have enough space for me, Child 1, Child 2 and my Very Patient Husband? I have literally been told that we have to get second taxi.
To be fair to taxis the industry has made an effort to have more Accessible taxis available so that’s an important step forward.
Airport Assistance is truly horrendous. When Child 1 and Child 2 were toddlers/just over toddler age they were not allowed to sit on my lap for the very very long walk from check in to the waiting area / gate. Then the person pushing my wheelchair would walk so fast the children would be running to keep up. It was never well received when I said to slow down, slower, slower, slower, ok this is good.
You could almost surmise that society is telling us we don’t matter, that our children don’t matter, that we aren’t supposed to have children.
Whatever happened to Inclusion?
Answers on a postcard, please.
Lots of love from Me xxx
…
Just the Mumma 
I know of this topic way too personally myself. I haven’t always needed a wheelchair, but as my illness and disability progressed over the years I watched my freedom and the general respect of society and others degrade alongside my mobility. Now that I am 80% dependent on my chair to remain mobile and active in my community, I am noticing far too many barriers that keep my chair from being able to help. It shouldn’t be this way. My prayer and hope is that if we don’t give up, we will one day see things turn around.
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