Mother 'heartbroken' by park's poor accessibility

A mum says she is "angry, upset and heartbroken" over the opening of a new play park that does not cater for her daughter's disabilities, despite it being described as an "accessible space."

Rebecca said there "wasn't anything" her two-year-old daughter Hannah, who has cerebral palsy and is non-mobile, non-verbal and reliant on a nasal cannula, could use.

The new play area at Salisbury River Park, in Wiltshire, opened on 21 August and includes swings, slides, turntables and climbing equipment.

Council leader Sam Charleston said that provision had been made for "neuro-divergent children", although he acknowledged that the provision could "possibly be better".

Rebecca said that on seeing the park they "didn't go any further" as it was "not fair to take my daughter into a playing area to watch other children play, when she can't play".

"It's like taking a child and saying, oh, there's lots of sweets you can have, and then going in there and saying, well, actually, no, there isn't," she added.

Salisbury City Council said at the time of opening that the park had "equipment specifically designed for children of all abilities".

It also said that the park had been developed in consultation with local community group Disability Interest Group of Salisbury (DIGS) to "ensure inclusivity, with features like flat surfacing and wheelchair access".

But the group's head, Kez Adey said that the new park was not fit for purpose.

"For non-disabled, non-divergent children. It is absolutely amazing," she said.

"[But] for disabled children, neuro-diverse children, this just isn't safe for them."

The park has been equipped with wider slides so that parents can accompany their children, but Ms Adey considers these problematic.

"There's nowhere for parents to easily access this slide. There's a tiny ladder on the side, which I wouldn't get up personally," she said.

"Although the thought's there, they've not completed that thought."