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Why Whizz Kidz
All children need the right start in life.
From as young as one or two years old, children are already ‘finding their feet’, their ‘voice’ and a mind of their own. They want to be independent, do things for themselves and take control. And disabled children are no different.
Independent mobility is vital to every child’s development. Without the chance to develop their independence like other children, many disabled children give up trying to be in control of their lives. They become passive, frustrated and dependent on others, and are less likely to grow into self-reliant adults.
Over 70,000 disabled children in the UK could benefit from a customised wheelchair or other type of mobility equipment. The right wheelchair at the right time means a disabled child can go out and play with friends, go to mainstream schools, take part in sport and fully participate in family life.
In addition, getting the right wheelchair training and ensuring that each disabled child has the essential life skills is equally important if they are to reach their true potential and become active members of their community.
Getting the right equipment
Disabled children have virtually no chance of getting a powered wheelchair on the NHS. There are no national standards for providing mobility equipment in the UK, which results in a postcode lottery of wheelchair provision. Under funding means that NHS services often have to manage their budget through strict eligibility criteria, which in turn can prevent young disabled children getting the right equipment they need. Whizz-Kidz does joint funding of children’s disability equipment with NHS local wheelchair services where possible and is currently piloting a new partnership initiative with Tower Hamlets NHS Primary Care Trust which aims to enhance service delivery for disabled children in the borough.
It is not only mobility equipment that Whizz-Kidz provides. Families with disabled children face frustration in not being able to get the information they need, so we also provide advice and guidance on how to get the right mobility equipment. Disabled children also need to learn wheelchair skills and road safety so they can for example, do wheelies to get up kerbs more easily and of course, be safe when crossing the road. We also offer ‘open days’ at our mobility centres where disabled children and their families can trial mobility equipment and see just how independent they can be with the right equipment.
Essential life skills
Young disabled people often miss out on valuable work experience and life skills that their non-disabled peers take for granted. The Disability Rights Commission recently reported that: ‘At age 16, young disabled people are twice as likely not to be in any form of education, employment or training as their non-disabled peers. This gap increases between the ages of 16-19 to two thirds as likely not to be in any form of education, employment or training’.
The Fabian Society’s also found that: ‘Young people aged 16-18 who are not in education, employment or training are at much higher risk of experiencing poor outcomes in adult life and passing on this disadvantage to the next generation as they themselves become parents’.
Whizz-Kidz has developed a new Life Skills Training Programme based on the top ten life skills defined by UNICEF. The 3-moduled Programme was trialled in early 2008 and is now available to our Ambassadors and beneficiaries.
As part of our new LIfe Skills Trainig Programme we are also developing work placement opportunities for young disabled people. Our goal is to work in partnership with organisations in both the private and public sector to build long-term relationships to develop and deliver successful, meaningful work experience and training opportunities for young disabled people.
Why your support is crucial
Whizz-Kidz is virtually 100% reliant on voluntary funds raised through events, trusts, companies and individuals. We need to raise more money so that we can help more disabled children. We do not open a child’s case until we have the funds in place, so it’s vital that we increase our income to help those disabled children waiting to join in.
The majority of the families we support are on low income and are unable to get their child’s needs met by their local NHS wheelchair service.
Without the help that Whizz-Kidz provides, thousands of disabled children and young people across the UK would miss out on their childhood. Every time Whizz-Kidz delivers a new piece of mobility equipment, the transformation is immense and instant. Self-esteem improves and true personalities shine through.
Our wheelchair training and life skills programme further increases their independence and self- confidence and is an invaluable part of their childhood ‘life journey’.
If you’d like to help us to change more disabled children's lives please go to get involved
To see the impact our work has on the lives of disabled children, please go to meet the kidz
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It is important having an ambassador network because it helps raise the profile of Whizz-Kidz so children can get their wheelchairs quicker