By BRIDGET SCOTT
A CRANBOURNE mother has called for a change in disability facilities at shopping centres as she admitted she is forced to change her six-year-old daughter on the floor.
Niki Harrison said she has lived and shopped in Cranbourne all her life, but said shopping is made much more difficult as she struggles to find anywhere where she can appropriately change her young daughter Abby.
Ms Harrison said she is deterred from shopping locally because the only centre she has found where she can change Abby is at Fountain Gate in Narre Warren.
“Why should I have to shop at Fountain Gate just so I can change my daughter?” she said.
“I have lived in Cranbourne all my life and shopped here all my life.”
Ms Harrison said she thought with the new developments at Cranbourne Park there would be adequate changing facilities for disabled children but was proved wrong.
“With the new part of the centre, I thought surely they would cater for us,” she said.
A spokesperson from Cranbourne Park said the centre management team has met with Ms Harrison to better understand the needs of her and her child.
“The team are working with Ms Harrison to review our facilities and how we can improve our existing disabled facilities,“ they said.
“Cranbourne Park caters for disabled customers with three disabled toilets, more than 40 disabled car parks and two lifts.”
City of Casey Manager for Building Services James Rouse said the council does not have any jurisdiction over change facilities in private centres.
“Buildings, such as shopping centres, require a building permit which is issued by a private building surveyor who is responsible for ensuring the building meets regulations,” he said.
However he suggested that the council’s Lynbrook Community Centre, which is due to open later this month, is an example of an “accessible and inclusive community facility” which does include an adult change table and hoist.
Ms Harrison said she is concerned given her daughter will “only get bigger” and has heard from other people in her position that they don’t go out.
She said she has made contact with management at Cranbourne Park and said the change room there is big enough and that they simply need a high-low bed on the wall to pull out.
“I am happy to take my own sling with me,” she said.
“I just want to know I can change her.”
Ms Harrison said there have been occasions where she has had to leave Abby in her dirty nappy because she’s been unable to changer her.
Ms Harrison posted a video on her Facebook page of how she is forced to change her daughter, which now has more than 42,000 views and about 1200 shares.
