Council develops new Changing Places facilities for people with disabilities in Cornwall

Last updated: 05/08/2010 Add to My Bookmarks Subscribe

Cornwall Council has become one of the best authorities in the country for providing changing place facilities for people with disabilities in public buildings – thanks to an innovative scheme which has involved a number of Council services working in partnership with local businesses and organisations over the past twelve months.

The Council’s Changing Places scheme, which has been led by the Council’s Directorates of Adult Care and Support and Children, School and Families, and its Environment and Property services with grant funding from Aiming High for Disabled Children, has been developed in response to the national Changing Places campaign which highlights the need to provide public toilets with extra features and more space to met the needs of people with disabilities.

“People with profound and multiple learning disabilities, as well as other serious impairments such as spinal injuries, muscular dystrophy or multiple sclerosis often need extra facilities to allow them to use the toilets comfortably” said Armand Toms, the Council’s cabinet member for Adult Care and Support.  “Changing Places toilets are different to standard disabled toilets and provide people with disabilities with these extra facilities and additional space”.

“We have carried out extensive consultation with parents and families of children with disabilities and with a range of service users to find out what kind of facilities they would like to see and are now rolling out a programme to provide Changing Places facilities across Cornwall”.

Funding for the initiative has come from Aiming High for Disabled Children, the national programme aimed at improving the lives of disabled children and their families, which has donated £110,000, with £32,000 coming from the Council’s Directorate of Adult Care and Support and £20,000 from the Council’s Environment Service.

Over the last twelve months the Council has provided four new Changing Places facilities across Cornwall.  These are based in the Bread Street Gallery and The Lescudjack children’s centre in Penzance, the Ships and Castles Leisure Centre and the Falcare Centre in Falmouth.

Changing Places facilities have also been developed at the Camel Trail toilets in Wadebridge, and at the Priory Road car park in St Austell.

This new facility in St Austell will be officially opened by Armand Toms, the Council’s Cabinet member for Adult Care and Support, at 10.30 am on Thursday, 12 August.

Three more Changing Places facilities are currently being developed in partnership with a range of organisations, including the RNLI and The Eden Project.  These are due to be open by April 2011.

“The funding provided by Aiming Higher for Disabled Children and the Council has enabled us to provide facilities across Cornwall to ensure that our disabled population can enjoy their local community and take part in broader range of activities knowing that their personal hygiene needs can be met in a dignified way” said Neil Burden, the Council’s Cabinet member for Children’s Services.

“The development of these facilities, which are also available to visitors, will also help us to promote Cornwall as a welcoming place for people with disabilities. 

Kim Carey, the Council’s Director for Adult Care and Support, is delighted with the success of the Council’s Changing Places scheme.  “Last year there were no Changing Places facilities at all in Cornwall” she said.  “The development of these facilities means that we will have seven Changing Places toilets open to the public later this year - making us second in the country for the number of facilities based on population”.

For more information about facilities for people with disabilities in Cornwall please see our Disabilities page.

Story posted 5 August 2010