THE GROUP FOR SOLICITORS
WITH DISABILITIES

The Changing Places Campaign

The Changing Places Consortium has recently launched a campaign on behalf of the thousands of people with profound and multiple learning disabilities and their carers, and the many other disabled people who cannot use standard accessible toilets.

They need Changing Places toilets. These are toilets with enough space for disabled people and their carers, and the right equipment, including a height adjustable changing bench and a hoist.

There are almost no public Changing Places toilets in the UK. Providing these toilets in public places would make a dramatic difference to the lives of thousands of people who desperately need these facilities.

Thousands of people with profound and multiple learning disabilities cannot use standard accessible toilets. They need support from one or two carers to use the toilet, or a height adjustable changing bench where a carer can safely change their continence pad. They also need a hoisting system so they can be helped to transfer safely from their wheelchair to the toilet or changing bench.

Standard accessible toilets do not provide changing benches or hoists. Most are too small to accommodate more than one person. Without Changing Places toilets, the person with disabilities is put at risk, and families are forced to risk their own health and safety by changing their daughter or son on a toilet floor. This is dangerous, unhygienic and undignified.

Many thousands of people living in the UK today need Changing Places toilets.

The UK is home to approximately 40,000 people with profound and multiple learning disabilities, the majority of whom need Changing Places toilets. Their families and carers also need Changing Places toilets so they can go out in the community with their son or daughter, other family members and friends.
Many other people also have similar needs. For example, we know that in the UK the number of people who would benefit from a Changing Places toilet include approximately:

And the number of people with complex disabilities is growing – we are all living longer, meaning many more people are likely to need access to a Changing Places toilet in the future.

Information on how to get involved in the Changing Places campaign is available by using the following web address: http://www.changing-places.org/get_involved.asp

 

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