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WILLIAM CAN SLEEP IN SAFETY ONCE AGAIN

Ten-year-old William Kinsville who lives near Witham in Essex is now able to sleep in safety thanks to Newlife the Charity for Disabled Children, and his new special bed called a SafeSpace.

William has severe autism, sensory integration disorder and severe learning disabilities. He is non-verbal and has no ability to communicate. Mum Jenny Kinsville said: “William experiences a very different world to what we consider normal and has little awareness of personal danger.”

William had outgrown his special needs cot and was able to clamber out over the rails. He was also strong enough to kick out the wooden sides. Jenny added: “We came into his bedroom one morning to find him perched on top of his wardrobe in his growbag with a big grin on his face. It was terrifying.” William wakes often during the night. His parents got little sleep because of their anxiety for his safety.

With no local statutory funding for a suitable special needs bed Jenny turned to Newlife the UK’s leading charity provider of specialist equipment for children with disabilities and terminal illness.

Newlife provided William with a SafeSpace through Newlifeable – www.newlifeable.co.uk – a service which takes redundant disability equipment and recycles and refurbishes it to meet national standards before offering it on a first come, first served basis.

Jenny said: “The SafeSpace has been transformative. When we first got the bed we were worried about how William would transition. The first night he explored and jumped around in it. The next day when he came home from school the first thing he did was go into his room looking for the SafeSpace. William is happy in the SafeSpace as he can jump around and occupy himself, without the potential risk of injury.

“Although his sleeping pattern is the same, we have peace of mind because he is safe at night. William will be able to use this bed well into adulthood. I googled around and SafeSpaces are hugely in demand and very expensive. What I like about Newlife is that they supply the equipment the child’s needs, rather than it being means tested. He absolutely loves it! Even if he does wake through the night we no longer have the worry,” added Jenny

Newlife has funded specialist equipment for 288 children in Essex, worth over £343,789. If you think you could help a child in the county, go to www.newlifecharity.co.uk/Essex for further details.

If you would like to find out more about Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children and how to access its services, call the Newlife Nurse Helpline or go to www.newlifecharity.co.uk. Alternatively, contact the Newlife County Liaison Team on 01543 431 444, email local@newlifecharity.co.uk.

Pictured: William Kinsville

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