Language
  • English
  • French
  • German
  • Italian
  • Portuguese
  • Spanish
  • Swedish

Insurance Funding Request

Did you know Firefly products may be funded by your insurance?

Learn More
Back to Firefly Blog

Little Steps Towards Disabled Access

Little Steps Towards Disabled Access

In fact, most of the times I’d only go out with all three of my kids in an absolute emergency.

Up until fairly recently, David, who is now seven years old, still needed to be pushed around in a buggy.

Although I’m delighted that we are now at the point where he can walk with us, it usually wasn’t the buggy that make accessing places difficult.

Put simply, is was down to the boys being autistic, and more accurately, David.

David didn’t understand some of the basic safety rules about going outside our family home.

He didn’t understand about holding hands – indeed he completed resisted it.

Every road, car, doorway was a dangerous exit point.

More than not understanding about safety, he didn’t, and even now doesn’t, understand about how to act around other people in public.

He doesn’t know why people don’t like it when he shouts on in the cinema or jumps up and down by his chair in a restaurant.

And even if he did realise, there is no way he could stop.. His body needs to do these things to feel ‘OK’ or make sense of his surroundings.

Screaming and unpacking toys in supermarkets makes perfect sense to David.

Nearly 5,000 businesses across the UK took part in, 'Autism Hour', last year.

A initiative from the National Autistic Society (NAS) saw lights dimmed, background music reduced, and staff gain an understanding of autism for over 8,000 hours.

That’s the equivalent of 336 days, just shy of a year.

I'm delighted that autism awareness and acceptance is growing in our country but, the truth is, this is one hour of one day.

As it was set at 10am on a Monday morning, Autism Hour was probably not used by many parents of autistic children.

There are several autism friendly services which I treasure - including the autism friendly cinema screenings.

Many cinemas across the UK show one film a month understand ‘autism-friendly’ conditions.

The lights are on a little so it’s easier to see, the volume is down a bit so it’s not such an impact on the senses.

Generally people are more relaxed about what others are doing, more understanding.

We can take David to these showings.

Approximately 1 in every 100 people are autistic.

At my local cinema there are over 120 showings of movies this weekend – but there is only one autism friendly screening each month in the same cinema.

You might think given my, ‘only one hour’, and, ‘only one screening’, comments that I’m disheartened.

You’d be wrong.

Each one of these events raises the chance that my kids may end being able to function in society.

And I'm glad of it.

Other people see these screenings advertised, other people heard about autism hour, and so other people perhaps got a small clue into what helps my kids.

And that might just have an overall impact that means society, slowly, becomes more accessible for them too.

Firefly Blog

Real life stories, issues and experiences of day to day life by special needs parents and
healthcare professionals.

Ann Hickman

Meet Our Blogger

Mum to three, special educational needs writer and part-time tutor

View Ann’s Profile

Become a Firefly Blogger

Would you like to write for Firefly? Join our blogger network of parents, therapists and professionals.

Get In Touch

Become a subscriber today

Join over 40,000 subscribers to our weekly newsletter with insightful articles just when you need them.

Join Mailing List

By using our site you agree to our use of cookies. Click here for more info.

Accept & Close

No Interest if paid in full in 6 months on

Purchases on $99+

US Customers only. Subject to credit approval. See terms below

Paypal Credit

Pay now or pay over time with PayPal Credit. Just use PayPal Credit in PayPal checkout.

Subject to credit approval.

Purchases of $99+:

No Interest if paid in full in 6 months on purchases of $99 or more.

  • A minimum monthly payment is required and may or may not pay off the promotional purchase by the end of the 6 month period.
  • No interest will be charged on the purchase if you pay it off in full within 6 months. If you do not, interest will be charged on the purchase from the purchase date at the Purchase APR applicable to your account.
  • For New Accounts: Variable Purchase APR is 25.49%. The APR is accurate as of 6/1/2018 and will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate (as defined in your credit card agreement). Minimum interest charge is $2.00.
  • Individual items that are less than $99 qualify for special financing when combined for a total of $99 or more in a single transaction.
  • Multiple separate transactions of less than $99 per transaction cannot be combined to meet the minimum purchase amount.

Purchases of $98.99 or less:

Buy now and pay over time with PayPal Credit when you spend $98.99 or less.

  • If you pay your balance in full each month by the payment due date that is on your statement, you can avoid paying interest.
  • Or, make minimum monthly payments, or any additional amount of your choosing, until you've paid off your balance according to your standard account terms. Please note, interest charges may apply.
  • We'll send you email reminders when your payments are due. You can also keep track of your account and view your statements online at any time.

About PayPal Credit

  • PayPal Credit is a reusable credit line available on purchases at thousands of stores that accept PayPal. It's also available for purchases on eBay and exclusively at thousands of other online stores. Plus, it comes with the same security and flexibility you trust from PayPal.
  • If approved, we start you off with a minimum credit line of at least $250. See FAQs for more info.
  • For New Accounts: Variable Purchase APR is 25.49%. The APR is accurate as of 6/1/2018 and will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate (as defined in your credit card agreement). Minimum interest charge is $2.00. See Terms and Conditions tab for more info.
  • If you miss a payment your late fee could be up to $38, even less if it's your first time. See FAQs for more info.

Please wait...