Changing Places toilets are for disabled children and adults who are either physically unable to manoeuvre themselves onto a toilet or who require continence aids such as nappies/padded products. A Changing Places toilet has more space than a standard disabled toilet for equipment, the disabled person and their carer(s). It also has an adult-sized adjustable height changing bench, a peninsular toilet, a tracking hoist, which can safely transfer the disabled person onto the changing bench and/or toilet and a colostomy shelf.
I campaign for Changing Places toilets and as of September 2017 work for the charity PAMIS (Promoting A More Inclusive Society) as Changing Places Campaign Co-ordinator.
Things I’ve Written About Changing Places / Mentions
Accessible toilet campaign to expand, Third Force News, March 2019
Disabled Access Day/Euan’s Guide Blog, November 2018
Planning Bill will guarantee specialist toilets for disabled, Scotsman, November 2018
Disabled Scots forced to get changed on dirty floors due to shortage of proper toilets, Daily Record, October 2018
I’m Ashamed That Modern Day Britain Allows This To Happen, Huffington Post UK, March 2018
Motion S5M-09351: Mary Fee, West Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 05/12/2017 International Day of Persons with Disabilities, December 2017
Changing Places Toilet Officially Opened, Stirling News, November 2017
Opening of Changing Places toilet at the MacRobert Art Centre, November 2017
The Secret Life of Brody, Disabled Children’s Partnership, November 2017
What Price Dignity? , SEN Magazine, September/October 2017 Issue
Blair Drummond Safari Park Press Release (August 2017)
Brody’s Story, Changing Places Case Study (August 2017)
The (Real) Nappy Debate (August, 2017)
Why Our Families Need Changing Places Toilets, Central Scotland Regional Equality Council Newsletter (July, 2017)
Kirroughtree Visitor Centre, The Galloway Gazette (June 2017)
Forestry Commission Scotland, Kirroughtree Visitor Centre (June 2017)
Raising Awareness of Changing Places Toilets This Disabled Access Day, The Huffington Post UK (March 2017)
I Shouldn’t Have To Change My Son On Toilet Floors, Mumsnet Guest Post (January, 2017)
Why Our Families Are Really Not Welcome At Scottish Events, The Huffington Post UK (November 2016)
Sorry For The Inconvenience, We Are Trying To Change The World (October 2016)
Why Isn’t This News Worthy? (September 2016)
Reasonable Adjustments (June 2016)
Imagine This Was Your Child, MummyPages GB (May 2016)
Having Access To A Toilet Is A Basic Human Right, Scope (May 2016)
One Person Can Make A Difference. And Everyone Should Try (May 2016)
I have also written about Changing Places for PosAbility Magazine, The OT Magazine, The Mighty Site, Selfish Mother and the Falkirk Herald.
Please sign Lorna Fillingham’s petition, which asks the Prime Minister to ensure equality of access to disabled toilets for all by making the provision of Changing Places toilets mandatory in the buildings mentioned in BS 8300:2009 – you can find it here.
