Family Fund’s initiative offers mobility support to families raising disabled, or seriously ill, children under three

The programme will give families with very young children with complex needs access to a lease car tailored to their individual mobility requirements.

Following an initial pilot, the charity The Motability Foundation has committed to funding the Family Fund Mobility Support programme for the next three years. This will ensure that 1,215 families have easier access to appointments, reliability during emergencies and enough space to attend to their children’s urgent medical needs, when required.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the Family Fund Mobility Support programme, a child must have one of the following:

• substantial equipment needs, due to their condition or treatment. This means things like a mobility aid, oxygen/suction or other bulky monitoring or medical equipment
• an immune-suppressing condition
• high levels of pain, impacting their mobility needs
• an unstable condition, requiring frequent unexpected emergency treatment
• a significant number of appointments on a frequent basis, at multiple treatment centres

Louise Wood, Chief Operating Officer at Family Fund, said:

“Our pilot project showed that this scheme is invaluable to families raising a very young disabled, or seriously ill child, with complex care needs. Families we work with told us that a suitable car is life-changing. It allows them to better manage the intensity of their children’s care and support needs. They can also do more of the things which really matter to them in life.

“An accessible car means families can get to frequent hospital and GP appointments. It ensures they have the same opportunities as any other family, like family holidays and days out. Things so many of us take for granted.”

A vital support for families

Olivia was born prematurely at 28 weeks and has a genetic disorder that means she has a developmental delay, a weakened immune system and can’t walk or talk. She has frequent stays in hospital for courses of antibiotics and treatment for her condition. Her mum explains:

“We have a Snappi buggy to help with Olivia’s posture. It’s quite bulky and separates into two. We also have a big changing bag and the equipment we need to pump feed. One half would fill my boot and the other half would go on the back seat. Then with Olivia’s car seat taking up the other half, we couldn’t go anywhere as a family.”

“Olivia is under four different hospitals and specialists, from Newcastle to Liverpool, so we’re always driving miles and miles to get to appointments. My car was very old and wasn’t going to last with all the travelling we are doing. As I’m out of work to care for her, I couldn’t get a car on finance. The Family Fund Mobility Support Programme was a real lifesaver.”

Barry Le Grys, MBE, CEO of Motability, said: “Throughout the pilot stages, such an enormous difference has been made to the lives of many families who already have so much to contend with on a day-to-day basis. Being able to use Motability’s charitable funds to provide reliable and suitable transport, and the reassurance that brings, is at the heart of what we do. We are delighted to continue our support for this vital scheme for another three years.”

Family Fund Mobility Support will identify potentially eligible families, working with them to select a car that suits their individual needs. It will then award a grant for a specific lease car with a worry-free package. This will include insurance, maintenance and breakdown cover. Families will be supported by Motability Operations Ltd, the independent commercial company delivering the day-to-day running of the Motability Scheme under contract to The Motability Foundation.

Family Fund and Motability Operations operate this programme under authorisation and regulation of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

For more information about the Family Fund Mobility Support programme, or to see if your family could be eligible, please visit our Family Fund Mobility Support programme page.

If you are raising a disabled or seriously ill child under the age of three, and think you might be eligible, please complete the online form using the button below.