But when you have a child with special needs, it can be difficult (but not impossible) to go abroad so here are 4 ideas for a summer, “stay-cation”, to allow you to get away without having to renew your passport or worry about going on a plane.
All have been recommended by other families but I have not tried any of them personally…YET!!
Ellwood Cottages
Located in the heart of beautiful rural Dorset in the peaceful hamlet of Woolland, Ellwood Cottages are outstanding conversions of three traditionally built barns, in a courtyard setting.
Everywhere is fully wheelchair accessible, there are no steps and all doors have a 760mm clear opening.
All showers are wet-room style, kitchens have accessible hob and sink with front controls worktops are all wheelchair accessible.
Adjacent to the cottages, is a heated indoor splash-pool and next door is a therapy room, where visiting therapists offer ‘pure-pampering’.
Mobile hoists are available for guests, along with wheeled shower chairs, shower-chair commodes, high back chairs with arms, bed height raisers, toilet seat raisers etc.
It sounds like they’ve thought of everything but other more specialist equipment can be hired from a local supplier, contact Ellwood Cottages to find out more.
The Harriet Davis Trust
The Harriet Davis seaside holiday trust for disabled children provides 3 economically priced, self-catering holiday houses in Pembrokeshire, for families with disabled children.
A 4th house is adapted for children with autism and other learning difficulties.
One of the houses is just minutes from the local beach while another offers an indoor heated swimming pool with a hoist and all the houses have the equipment you’d expect including hoists.
These houses are primarily available for families with disabled children but, depending on availability, can be booked by disabled adults as well.
Click here to find out more.
Tudor Lodges
If you fancy a visit to Cornwall, the Tudor Lodges look lovely.
They have 6 award-winning fully accessible lodges set in two acres of countryside.
Each lodge was designed to be fully accessible and sleeps up to six people.
They offer large level entry wheelchair accessible shower, electric profiling beds, electric hoists, riser chair, and shower chair, and other mobility aids are also available.
The Eden Project is only 30 minutes away.
Hayling Island
Hayling Island is lovely and there is lots to see and do locally too.
This static holiday home is ideal for guests with limited mobility, there is a wheelchair ramp available, all internal doorways are wider than standard doors and there is ample room inside for manoeuvring a wheelchair.
There is a wheel in wet room with grab rails and a wall mounted shower chair, however a wheeled shower chair is also available.
One of the bedrooms features an electric bed with an electric hoist.
The kitchen has been purpose designed with access for a wheelchair user with space underneath the sink and lowered units.