Who can apply for blue badges?

anniesmum

Hi there
Does anyone know if children with JIA can qualify for a disable blue badge? I have to be honest and say Annie may not need it all the time but when she is bad, like recently, we could have really done with it?
Thanks

dreamdaisy

I think you can but don't take that as gospel 'cos, oddly enough, I don't know everything - :shock: (that was typed with a giggle) - there must be a website somewhere, or you could ring your GP/Social services - the latter may be the better bet - or the helplines here, they know all sorts of stuff! It is a wonderful thing to have for the bad days, believe you me. DD

jennylynn

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/disabledpeople/motoringandtransport/dg_4001061

Here is the link to the directgov website and gives you the option to find the dept in your area that deals with blue badge applications.

hope this helps,

Jennyx

dreamdaisy

jennylynn, thank you - I am new to all of this and haven't got the hang of the blue stuff! DD

littlemummy2

I tried once when phoebe was first diagnosed but was turned down, think one of the things they go by is how far they can walk. There's no harm in trying to get it.

Michelle

anniesmum

Thank you one and all - will let you know how I go.

dreamdaisy

Hi, have you had any time to find out anything? I hope all is as well as it can be. DD

anniesmum

I have read the criteria and I don't think it applies to Annie - as Michelle says it is about how far you can walk which some of the time is probably ok for a 6 year old. It is just occasionally that we come unstuck and I end up carrying her - like a lot of things it is administration, lists and tick boxes which real life situations just aren't.

littlemummy2

It anoys me that children with Jia don't get that much help as what an adult would. When a childs arthirits flares up, it is hard to get them in and out of the car, many a time we had this problem. But you see people out their with blue badges who walk fine, how can they not give it to children. The criteria needs to be changed. To me it seems they think kids can cope, can get around when sometimes they can't walk and they end up relying on parents to move them about. I don't know about you but my 6 yr old is quite tall and comes to my shoulders(am only 5' 1") nearly so i find it hard to pick her up.

Sorry if any one reading this thinks i am incorrect but that is how it would seem to me.

Michelle

julie1

Hello,

Yes - I totally agree with you, I understand that you can't have a blue badge, because the JIA on some days is ok and others not - it needs to be a constant thing - like you say, my daughter is only just 11 and nearly as tall as me, I can't pick her up on the bad days....... it just seems as if the authorities don't understand this terrible condition our children have. My daughter can be fine one hour, then within a couple of hours she can hardly walk!!

littlemummy2 wrote:

It anoys me that children with Jia don't get that much help as what an adult would. When a childs arthirits flares up, it is hard to get them in and out of the car, many a time we had this problem. But you see people out their with blue badges who walk fine, how can they not give it to children. The criteria needs to be changed. To me it seems they think kids can cope, can get around when sometimes they can't walk and they end up relying on parents to move them about. I don't know about you but my 6 yr old is quite tall and comes to my shoulders(am only 5' 1") nearly so i find it hard to pick her up.

Sorry if any one reading this thinks i am incorrect but that is how it would seem to me.

Michelle

illihor

we've got one for our daughter. When I applied she had only just turned 4. i can't remember if I applied before or after her getting DLA got a feeling it was after, but at the time she was in a pushchair all the time (was waiting for wheelchair to be delivered) Now she uses the wheelchair less and less but I still have to have it with me. She's now 5 and I tried to go tescos without the wheelchair (I thought and hoped she could do this fine) but nope I ended up having to get a two seater trolley and have both the baby and kayleigh who is 5 now sat in there).

I know my mum has managed to get one without having DLA and was based on a doctors note she sent in with the application and now she has one.

I agree there is no rhyme or reason why they accept some and decline others. I'm guessing with the wheelchair issue they have given us a badge without any hassle.

Good luck and I say just apply for it can't do any harm but to try.

Michelle xxx

Alice's mum

You can get a blue badge if you are in receipt of the higher rate mobility allowance of DLA. I am unsure if you can get one any other way.
Hope this is of some help.