by Julie MarriottImagine a public toilet floor - filthy and grimy from use. Now imagine having to put your vulnerable and most precious gift on that toilet floor - your child. I have to do this on a regular basis with my 11 year old son Toby, who has profound and multiple learning disabilities and Pitt Hopkins Syndrome and is doubly incontinent.
It is dirty, degrading, distressing for Toby, back-breaking for me and
frankly dangerous. But as things currently stand in the UK it's our
reality if we want to leave the house for longer than a couple of hours.
Children and adults with profound and multiple learning disabilities who need their continence pads changed regularly are faced with a terrible choice every day: stay at home or make a date with a dirty toilet floor.
That's why Toby and I fully support the Changing Places campaign, which is simply about providing quality changing and toileting facilities for adults and children with profound and multiple learning disabilities.
Changing Places toilets are different to standard accessible toilets. They include an adjustable changing bench and a hoist to allow people to use the toilet with assistance or have their incontinence pads changed.
Research published this week by Mencap and the Changing Places Consortium found that there are 230,252 people like Toby who need Changing Places toilets. But sadly there are currently only 85 Changing Places toilets in the UK. That's one Changing Places toilet for over 2,700 people.
As part of Learning Disability Week, Mencap is calling on the Department for Communities and Local Government to change building regulations to require Changing Places toilets in new public places. The charity is also calling for local authorities to install Changing Places toilets in towns and major venues.
Like any 11-year-old boy Toby wants to explore his surroundings and have fun with his friends and family; not stay indoors all the time. And I'd like to enjoy a day out with my son without having to worry all the time about finding somewhere half decent to change him.
I often wonder what would happen if baby-changing facilities suddenly disappeared. I expect there would be uproar. So why am I expected to change my 11-year-old son on a dirty toilet floor?
Julie Marriott is a carer and service user who supports the Changing Places campaign which is running as part of Learning Disability Week
Children and adults with profound and multiple learning disabilities who need their continence pads changed regularly are faced with a terrible choice every day: stay at home or make a date with a dirty toilet floor.
That's why Toby and I fully support the Changing Places campaign, which is simply about providing quality changing and toileting facilities for adults and children with profound and multiple learning disabilities.
Changing Places toilets are different to standard accessible toilets. They include an adjustable changing bench and a hoist to allow people to use the toilet with assistance or have their incontinence pads changed.
Research published this week by Mencap and the Changing Places Consortium found that there are 230,252 people like Toby who need Changing Places toilets. But sadly there are currently only 85 Changing Places toilets in the UK. That's one Changing Places toilet for over 2,700 people.
As part of Learning Disability Week, Mencap is calling on the Department for Communities and Local Government to change building regulations to require Changing Places toilets in new public places. The charity is also calling for local authorities to install Changing Places toilets in towns and major venues.
Like any 11-year-old boy Toby wants to explore his surroundings and have fun with his friends and family; not stay indoors all the time. And I'd like to enjoy a day out with my son without having to worry all the time about finding somewhere half decent to change him.
I often wonder what would happen if baby-changing facilities suddenly disappeared. I expect there would be uproar. So why am I expected to change my 11-year-old son on a dirty toilet floor?
Julie Marriott is a carer and service user who supports the Changing Places campaign which is running as part of Learning Disability Week
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