Recently, we came across a video shared by The Spectrum and Me, a brilliant family we follow on Facebook. They regularly post about the highs and lows of raising children with SEN, giving honest and heartfelt insight into their day-to-day life. In one particular video, the dad was forced to change his son’s nappy on a filthy public floor because his son had outgrown standard baby changing units, and the changing mats were just too small. It was upsetting to see, but it got us thinking: is there a better, more dignified solution for SEN families when they’re out and about?
We reached out to our friends at SENstation, who supply us with sensory equipment, and asked if there was such a thing as a large, portable changing mat. Thankfully, there was! We immediately purchased two of these specially-designed mats at £100 each.
Gifting The Changing Mats
We contacted The Spectrum and Me to let them know we’d love to gift one to them. They graciously accepted, and we hope it makes a real difference during their family days out. The second mat we offered via our own Facebook page, inviting any families in need of a large changing mat to email us, it was first come, first served. We were so pleased to be able to gift the second mat to a family in Weston-super-Mare, whose young boy, Enrique, will hopefully benefit from the added comfort, dignity, and ease this mat provides.
An Update About Enrique 2 Months On
After gifting one of the changing mats to Enrique’s family, Enrique’s family reached out a few months later with the following:
“Enrique’s memory box (Down syndrome and Neurodiversity awareness) would like to thank the lovely people at the Nigel Prosser Foundation for Enrique’s new portable changing mat! It’s an absolute game changer and is lovely and big, so future proofing our changes for years to come too. Twice now, this wonderful charity has helped my family, and we couldn’t be more grateful. I think I’ve made a nice friend in the process, too! The mat is lovely, big, and strong as well as being lightweight enough for on the go! You could even roll it out on the grass on a day out as somewhere clean for a lay down and stretch break from the chair. Love the wipe clean surface! So hygienic! We couldn’t be more grateful. ”
A Small Gesture That Has Made Such A Big Difference
These mats might seem like a small gesture, but to families navigating the daily challenges of SEN, they can be a game-changer.
At the Nigel Prosser Foundation, we’re always looking for ways to support families with children who have special educational needs (SEN) and sometimes, the most meaningful ideas come from simply listening and watching. Thank you, as always, to our supporters; it’s because of your donations and encouragement that we’re able to make these little-but-important differences like providing changing mats.
