We have provided 20 of our accessible pushchairs to families across the UK following successful early user trials and multiple product award wins.
With no accessible pushchair products currently available on the global market, parents or carers who are wheelchair users have no safe way to get out independently with their baby or young child. They are either left isolated at home or dependent on a non-disabled partner or carer. Many parents feeling their only option for independence is resorting to unsafe and uncomfortable methods, such having their child sit on their lap.
The innovative design turns any conventional pushchair into an accessible pushchair
Disabled parents have also spoken about the emotional impact of being reliant on others to go out with their baby or toddler, meaning that they often feel a ‘lesser’ parent.
Fiona Dick, one of the accessible pushchair participants, said “when you see other mums out on their own, it’s heartbreaking. I’d just like to be able to go out for a coffee or to the shops or the park, but you can’t as you can’t push a pushchair whilst pushing a wheelchair.”
The groundbreaking accessible pushchair can be used by a manual wheelchair-using parent or carer and has been designed with mass manufacture in mind. The innovative design replaces the traditional rear wheels/footbrake assembly, turning any conventional pushchair into an accessible pushchair.
We have launched a six-month trial of the 20 accessible pushchairs to a range of disabled parents and carers across the UK. Their feedback will provide a valuable insight into how the accessible pushchairs are being used and the impact they have on the families. The pushchairs are being gifted to the participants for them to keep them once the trial is complete.
“It’s more than a pushchair… I can just get up and go”
Another of the recipients, Paul Sloan, shared his thoughts on the positive impact the accessible pushchair will have on his life. “It’s more than just a pushchair. Having a piece of hardware that takes away one worry means that so many other things will become easier because I can just get up and go.”
Paul also hopes that being seen in an accessible pushchair will initiate new conversations around accessible products for disabled parents. “Rather than being the ‘inspirational dad who’s taking care of his kids’ (as that’s what I should be doing, quite frankly) the focus now can be ‘here’s this amazing contraption that they’ve never seen before and it’s great!’”
We worked in partnership with leading UK pushchair manufacturer Mamas & Papas to ensure the pushchair complies with British Safety Standards. Each of the 20 selected families will receive a Mamas & Papas pushchair adapted into an accessible pushchair, completely free of charge.
An award-winning design that could help around 20,000 UK parents and carers
Known for co-designing innovative products with and for disabled people that reduce everyday barriers, we launched their revolutionary accessible pushchair for wheelchair users in 2023. It has won multiple international awards, including Best Design for Humanity in the European Product Design Awards and the prestigious 2024 GOOD DESIGN Award for transportation.
This six-month trial is a key aspect in understanding how the accessible pushchairs are being used and the impact they have on disabled parents and carers, and their families. Designability’s Director of Design & Innovation, Matt Ford, explained the inspiration behind the pushchair design: “As a national disability charity, we have been aware of the need for this product for many years. It is our most requested product, and we estimate that there are around 20,000 disabled parents in the UK alone who could benefit.”
“We’re so excited for more manual wheelchair users to use the accessible pushchair and to show everybody what it can do! Our goal is to get a mainstream nursery product out into the world that changes the lives of the disabled parents and carers, and their families too.”