A BINFIELD mum says her family has been ‘devastated’ by a council decision to refuse her severely autistic son’s blue badge application.

Pip, from Binfield, was told by Bracknell Forest Council (BFC) last week her four-year-old son Tim did not qualify for the permit, which allows parents to park in bays which are nearer to where they are heading.

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She told the News: “I just feel so disappointed and let down. Both of my children are disabled so everything is a battle.

“I feel like this is a massive injustice.

“I can’t understand if it’s not given to Tim, I can’t see how it’s given to anyone else. He is one of the most difficult children I have come across in his age group with regards to walking.

Bracknell News:

“Even though he doesn’t have a physical disability, just walking him anywhere is extremely difficult and unpredictable.”

Tim is non-verbal autistic and has epilepsy but his application for a blue badge was refused because council officers were not convinced there was enough proof to show his family frequently struggled with his needs.

Pip, whose eldest son Eric is also autistic, said the council’s judgement on Tim was “devastating” for her family.

She added: “They think he can make a journey — on the basis of what, I’m not sure, because they’ve never met him and they’re refusing to speak to the professionals I’ve suggested they speak to.

“It’s absolutely devastating for our family.

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“My eldest does have a blue badge but it’s illegal to use it for Tim if Eric isn’t there.

“It gets to this ridiculous scenario where we have to weigh up whether it would be easier to take both children to a place because then we can use the blue badge than it would to take just one disabled child to a place without a blue badge.

“I’ve needed to take Tim to A&E before and because there’s been no blue badge I’ve carried him having fits down a multi-storey car park.”

Bracknell News:

Pip runs Bracknell Sensory Toy Library, which lets local families with special needs children borrow specialist toys for free.

Running this service means she has been in touch with many parents of children with similar needs to Tim who have also seen blue badge applications rejected.

She added: “One parent said to me: ‘do our children have to get knocked over before they get awarded a blue badge?’

“It sounds dramatic but there have been instances of some of these children escaping and running across a car park because they don’t understand the danger.”

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Pip cannot appeal the council’s decision and told the News she is considering reporting the case to the Local Government Ombudsman, an authorities watchdog.

In response, Melanie O’Rourke, Assistant Director of Adult Social Care at BFC, said: “applications for blue badges are reviewed against a strict set of criteria set by the Department for Transport.

“We are aware a complaint has been made relating to a particular application, however, our officers can only assess the eligibility of an individual based on the evidence provided on the application form.

“If an individual’s circumstances change, they are able to submit an entirely new application and the guidance for how to do this is available on our website: https://www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/health-and-social-care/blue-badge-scheme/renewing-your-blue-badge”