A woman from Meopham has opened an online petition asking for the Government to ‘review rules relating to blue badges for children under three’ after being denied a blue badge by KCC, for her twin toddlers, who have cerebral palsy.
Sarah Johnson, from Meopham, Kent, said her two-year-old daughters, Iris and Astrid, need disabled parking to transport their walkers and for access to medical appointments. She said they had stopped going swimming and to baby and toddler groups because it was “too much hassle”.
Kent County Council said government guidance “provides a very clear set of eligibility criteria for children under three which were not met at initial assessment or appeal”.
Sarah’s twins were diagnosed with cerebral palsy in July and she has been trying unsuccessfully to obtain a blue badge ever since. They have bulky equipment which helps them to walk as they struggle to stand on their own.
She said: “The girls both have an increasing number of hospital appointments, sometimes up to London. Astrid can’t stand without her walker, which we need to transport about, and it’s really bulky. It is really difficult being denied a blue badge. It is frustrating.”
A spokesman for Kent County Council (KCC), which issues blue badges, said “We understand that the council’s decision is disappointing. We consider all blue badge applications for children under three as special cases but also have a responsibility to be fair and consistent.“When children reach the age of three, the eligibility guidance allows for a greater scope in assessment of how children mobilise independently and KCC is always happy to reassess children at this time.”
You can find the online petition here.
