Changing the Lives of Disabled Parents

A PUSHCHAIR FOR WHEELCHAIR USERS CHANGING THE LIVES OF DISABLED PARENTS

Working with the disabled community, Designability’s newest project is user-led, making life more independent for disabled parents.

products commercially available for a wheelchair-attachable pushchair, as it is deemed unviable for manufacturers and retailers.

Disabled parents have spoken about the emotional impact of being reliant on others to go out with their baby or toddler.

As we face the long-term consequences from the pandemic of increased isolation and mental health challenges, providing a solution that gives disabled parents independence to go out with their baby and toddler has never been more critical.

Designability’s research suggests that over 16,000 disabled parents every year could benefit. The charity will make the product available through a free loan scheme which they hope to launch by early 2023, so that disabled parents can benefit regardless of their personal financial situation.

With a fully-working prototype, the project team have undertaken user

DESIGNABILITY is a national charity perhaps best-known for its iconic red Wizzybug – a powered wheelchair provided free of charge to young disabled children throughout the UK.

Through the free Wizzybug Loan Scheme Designability has helped over 1,000 children and their families, providing opportunities for independence, exploration and adventure from a very young age.

Inspired by the successful loan scheme model, the charity is looking to expand its support in the realm of family mobility – a wheelchairattachable pushchair.

The ‘Pushchair for Wheelchair Users’ project, will see the creation of a pushchair which can be easily attached to a manual wheelchair, providing opportunities for independence for the estimated 16,000+ disabled parents who could benefit.

The need

Parents who use manual wheelchairs have very few options when it comes to taking their children out and about independently. Whilst some use slings or other carriers, parents report that these are often uncomfortable and don’t feel safe. Yet there are no

testing trials with disabled people from across the UK. The feedback and views of participants have helped to inform the finalised design which is anticipated this summer.

Matthew Ford, Head of Design and Engineering, explained, “We follow a user-centred design process which means that we listen to disabled people in our design work, so we have been working closely with parents (and prospective parents) who are manual wheelchair users.

“Their initial feedback helped us to design the first iteration of the prototype and now their valuable input and insights have helped to inform the final design.

“The importance of working closely with disabled people throughout this process can’t be understated. It is core to our ethos that we create products that disabled people want to use and involving them at an early stage of the design process, and throughout, is an integral part of our approach.

“The most exciting part of this project though is the positive impact it will have on families across the country. To be able to provide the opportunity for disabled parents to take their children out independently is the motivation behind our work. It’s a simple pleasure for non-disabled parents and something that every

“THE MOST EXCITING PART OF THIS PROJECT THOUGH IS THE POSITIVE IMPACT IT WILL HAVE ON FAMILIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.”

parent should be able to do.

“By removing the barriers to disability we help to create a more equal society where disabled people are given the same opportunities as non-disabled people which is something we should all be striving for.”

Lynn’s story

Lynn Broughton from Wiltshire has been helping Designability with the usertesting phase of the project.

As a manual wheelchair user and a parent, she knows all too well the struggle that disabled parents can face.

“As a manual wheelchair user trying to push my chair and transport my children has been a challenge!

“I have had to master pushing my wheelchair with one hand whilst pushing a pushchair with the other. I can only manage this on very smooth flat level surfaces, so cannot take my little one out independently.

“It is also exhausting and requires a lot of core strength! This often means I can’t go out without my husband or PA which is very restrictive and means we spend a lot more time at home.

During lockdown in 2020 I couldn’t get out for walks as my husband was working and I couldn’t manage to push my son’s pushchair along the cambered and uneven pavements outside. We had to stay in and just look at the lovely sunny weather out of the window.

“I scoured the market when I first became a parent for any wheelchair attachable seat or pushchair, but found nothing except items that people had made as part of a research project that were not commercially available.

“Having a wheelchair-attachable buggy would allow me independence to take my son out. It would open up the world again to allow me to go off with my son with confidence. A good wheelchair attachable buggy would be life changing for me and allow me and my son some freedom.

“It seems like the world doesn’t expect disabled people to be parents and have the same needs as other parents do. It makes me feel like society does not think someone with a disability can be a parent. Our needs are just not thought about and not seen as profitable so not important.

“Designability’s product would allow me to take my son out for a walk, which is the simplest thing most parents do with their babies. It would allow me the freedom to go out independently with my son without worrying whether I will manage.”

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