00:00Ronnie is two years old and has Phelan-McDermid syndrome, a rare genetic disorder which means that he cannot walk
00:07or bear weight and relies entirely on being carried or using his walking frame and he has been denied a
00:14blue badge twice.
00:15I then got this email fairly automated that had like a maybe like two sentences in the middle that they'd
00:23written themselves that basically said we recognise Ronnie's disabled but he's not disabled enough.
00:29So how if the medical professionals that are supporting Ronnie's development, his mobility, saying he needs one, the council are
00:37telling me no?
00:38Charlotte says his weight and equipment make it very difficult to safely take him out of a vehicle in a
00:44standard size public parking space and she also has to park behind her house to allow enough room for the
00:50car door to open.
00:51Well I couldn't push that and him because what am I expected to leave him alone in the house or
00:57leave him alone in the car whereas if my car is at the front of my house I can do
01:03it but without it being there I can't.
01:05This is Ronnie's walking frame, it weighs 14kg and Ronnie himself weighs an additional 16kg so getting this and Ronnie
01:14in and out of the car constantly is quite tricky.
01:16So when Charlotte reached out to Kent County Council, a member of their blue badge team said that for a
01:22child under the age of three to be eligible they must be on palliative care or they must need equipment
01:27helping them live like a breathing or feeding tube.
01:30None of those applies to Ronnie but he does require assistance helping him move which is not part of the
01:35criteria for a blue badge.
01:37So tell me why a blue badge icon is of somebody in a wheelchair but when you're doing the assessment
01:43you shouldn't count any equipment they have for mobility.
01:47Without a blue badge, Charlotte believes that Ronnie's progress will be hindered as they're not able to access the equipment
01:54safely.
01:55Imagine if he doesn't get recognised for needing additional support in our community. My council is responsible for that.
02:03In response, KCC said, we must assess blue badge eligibility against the National Department for Transport Guidance and Legislation which
02:11sets the criteria for children under the age of three which were not met in this case.
02:17When children reach three, the eligibility guidance allows for greater scope in assessing how children mobilise independently and we have
02:24advised that KCC is always happy to reassess children at this time.
02:29Charlotte says this battle isn't just for Ronnie but for other families facing similar challenges and she hopes that this
02:35fight will help bring about change.
02:38Naila Mahamud for KMTV in Paddock Wood
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