Disabled car badge

[fairydust]

I understand once a disabled child is two they can obtain a blue badge - how do i go about this????

Don't know about disabled children but my dad got his disabled car badge by getting his doctor to sign a form for him - don't know where he got the form from but I'm sure your doctor would know.

Hope that helps.

We've got a blue badge for dd aged 11 but I must admit I don't know the lower age limit.

Apply to your local council offices (social services department) who will advise you on this - just ring up your local council and ask for the department that issue blue parking badges.

To apply, you have to fill in a form to meet the criteria and provide a photo of the child. We had a small admin. charge too. There should be a covering letter telling you how to go about it.

The badge is issued for a few years and then has to be reviewed. You do not get a reminder but you simply reapply.

Also worth considering is applying for a RADAR key (I got this from our local council office too). Again you have to fill a form out but I can now keep the key (which technically is the property of the council) indefinately as dd will stay disabled. This is handy in strange places where disabled loos are locked and only accessible by RADAR keys. For example, when we were going on holiday with British Holidays last year I enquired whether they had disabled loos in the clubrooms and they replied they had but these were only accessible by RADAR keys.

i have a RADAR key, which my dad has lent me, as he doesnt use the disabled loos and i use them when out with dd1/2 with a buggy as i cant get the buggy into most loo's here.

badge, i thought the lower age was 3, might be wrong, i'll ask mieow later. also think she got them as her kids get DLA mobility.

it is 2 - you ring social services, they send you a pack to fill in and if your child is under 3 you'll probably have to have an assessment with a physio or GP to ascertain your eligibility.For over 3s you need to provide proof that the child is receiving higher rate mobility.
I applied for the badge when dd was 2.5 - would have done it before had I known it's 2 - it's great to have it. Makes such a difference. She can walk but is still toddling rather than walking confidently and falls over a lot outside. Of course she didn't fall over at all at the assessment - but the physio believed me.

You ca get a RADAR key on line, it costs just over £3 and ours came really quickly. I just have to be careful not to loose it! I got it because the centre where we go trampolining every week has just got a new, separate disabled loo with RADAR key BUT my son still insists on going into the ladies! I thought he love the new loo but he won't go near it! Also the disabled loos on Hampstead Heath near the playgrounds are opened with RADAR keys, I expect I'll find them all over the place now.

BTW its not soc svs you should contact but The Benefits Agency. There's been threads on this before, I'm pretty sure the lower age limit is 3.

It's 2. We applied a few weeks before ds2 turned 2, as it takes about 6 weeks to go through. They didn't examine him, just took it on trust at this age , but said when he is bigger he made need to be seen. It's valid for 3 years at a time, and cost £2 I think. We called the council and asked for the forms.

This might be helpful.

thank all.

Thanks Lou i phoned them and it's all comming through.

Another point (this happened to us), if you move areas after your blue badge is issued, you apply to the social services department of the authority you've moved into for renewal, not the one that issued the badge before you moved.

forms came this morning - so far i'm impressed

I have a Blue Badge, they can be used all over the EC. The OLD orange ones are soon no longer legal (I think it's June 2004). The Blue badges are a lot harder to get as an adult than if you have a disabled child. However the forms are still a bit iffy the first time you apply, after that its a doddle, no problem getting a new one no matter where I moved to. One of the easiest ways is if you get any kind of allowance like D.L.A. Get a letter saying you are in PERMENANT receipt of it, and then you will have no doctors checking up on you or problems like that. Good luck. I know that a Blue Badge is harder to get than the old Orange badge, when you get it I look forward to the thread grumbling about the inconsiderate mothers, etc (sorry did not mean to be sexist) who park in disabled spaces!

Lol Bunglie, i have to admit to getting cross when non badge holders use the spaces. The first time we used it, we blocked in a rep who had pulled in to the last space to chat on her phone. Then wound down the window, waved the badge at her, and caused her to get in a right state as she tried to be angry with us for disturbing her, while trying to manoeuvre out of the spot. Felt great actually.

We get lots of older people pursing their lips and walking by the car when we are parked though. They seem to forget that disabilities don't start at 60. And they get really angry when they discover we are legally parked!

Lou33, we have the stares and the pursed lips everytime we go to the shops too One day a old bloke had a go at DH saying "u shouldn't be parked there, you're not disabled!"
To which DH replied "youre right, I'm not but she (DD!) is!!!!And so is my son who is inside with my wife!!"
I was in the shop with DS getting a magazine and he had gone out with the shopping and the bloke had drove off in a huff by the time I got outside.... would have loved to see his face!!!
I wouldn't mind but we have two disabled badges, a mobility car with a disabled sticker in the back!! What idiots!!

I know. Dh stands outside the car now and waves the badge around so they can see it. I understand why they feel the need to check, just why they get so irate when they are proved wrong!

Urgh!! I just hate parking in them. Almost every single time we have parked in one we have had the same. Shaking of heads and mumbling. Dh starts waving his badge too, I just get embarassed most the time. I thought it was just us until Lou mentioned they got the same.

I always feel vaguely guilty when using a disabled spot (though of course I don't let it stop me - the convenience is just wonderful!) - I've not had any open stares though I'm always expecting it, mainly because dd2 is so tiny, she looks like she's maybe not even 2, so people wouldn't expect her to be able to walk well. Having the badge has made such a difference, without it shopping would be difficult as I'd have to lug both dd2 (who, whilst small, is heavy to carry) and ds (20lbs already!) in his car seat quite some distance.

I have an experience when I was just about to turn into the disabled spot and a woman in her early 60's starting walking in front of me pointing at the person in wheelchair symbol. I managed to keep two fingers down whilst showing her the blue badge.