Car journeys are a constant worry for Hayley, mum of four-year-old Charlie. Her son has global developmental delay and no awareness of danger – so he will free his arms from the safety straps of his car seat, putting himself at the risk.

Charlie, who lives in the West Midlands, will soon be too big for his existing car seat, but a standard booster wouldn’t be appropriate for him. That’s why Newlife is appealing to ‘local heroes’ to help him get a special-needs seat costing £665. The safety harness and the design of the seat would keep Charlie secure and give Hayley peace of mind.

Charlie was taken ill when he was ten days old; this resulted in brain damage. He is now severely visually impaired and unable to walk unaided, needing support from his walker or an adult. Most of the time Charlie uses a buggy when out and about with his family. He has a basic level of understanding and communication.
In order for Charlie to travel safely he needs a special car seat with a five-point harness. Hayley said: ‘Charlie is very tall for his age and now exceeds the weight limit and height of the chair. The harness is no longer secure as it’s too small to fit over his shoulders properly. And we can’t buy a car seat on the mainstream market that’s big enough for him and has a five-point harness.

‘The seat Charlie needs is lower than standard car seats and easily accessible for him to slide onto. We want Charlie to learn how to climb into the car himself as he is too heavy to carry.
Hayley added: ‘Our local statutory service was unable to fund the equipment that Charlie needs and with it costing £665 it’s beyond our budget – which is why I turned to Newlife for help.’