Three-year-old Jackson Rodger would smash his head, arms and legs off his cot until he bruised.
But things are going to change for the Dundee youngster – who has autism – now he is getting a safe spaces bed, thanks to £7,000 of Help for Kids funding.
He also has anaphylaxis, and gets sores and eczema, and the new bed will be easier to clean than the wooden one his parents, Loretta and Michael, made to help keep him safe.
Safe spaces beds are designed to support people who may be unsafe in an ordinary room or bed and often provide a sensory space for users.
Made of full PVC – which Loretta likened to the material at children’s soft play areas – the bed will provide a safer environment for Jackson to sleep in.
But this is an unusual turn of events for the family, who are used to supporting others instead of receiving help.
Just last year, his brother Jamie, 12, and sister Imogen, 8, raised money to support local homeless people.
Safer and easier to clean
Help for Kids has now placed the order for the bed and it could take up to six months to be installed.
Safe spaces beds are tailored to each individual person’s needs and Jackson’s will be fully designed specifically for him.
It means he will have space to move around safely with reduced risk of becoming injured.
Loretta said: “The safe spaces means a lot to Jackson. The bed he has is a wooden bed which is more difficult to sanitise.
“When he was in his cot, he was smashing his head off it and he was getting hurt. And he smashed his arms and legs until he bruised.
“He gets sores and eczema. But with a safe bed, it can be fully sanitised.
“He likes to jump and flap and in the safe space he will have more room to do that. So it is about the hygiene side and the safety side.
“I have osteoarthritis in my spine and it will make it better for me so I can lift it and wipe it rather than getting down.”
Help for Kids
Help for Kids is a Dundee and Perth charity that supports children through funding for individuals as well as for clubs and organisations.
It primarily supports children who are “disadvantaged through social and economic circumstances, or through health and disability”.
A Help for Kids spokesperson said: “It was a pleasure to be able to help Jackson with the safe space bed. I could see how just hard Loretta and family were working to try and give her son a safe bed to sleep in.
“Jackson is a lovely wee boy and we can’t wait to see just how this changes his life.”
On the other side of support
And the Help for Kids support is going to a hugely deserving family.
In October last year, Jamie and Imogen both did their bit to help others with their charitable ventures.
After becoming aware that many people do not get anything at Christmas, they wanted to play their part in sharing some festive joy locally.
Both the children made Christmas cards to sell and also organised a raffle.
Imogen put her knitting skills to good use to make winter hats for people facing the harsh cold night on the streets.
A keen knitter, she went to lessons and now knits on a regular basis.
And Jamie raised funds to provide selection boxes to homeless people in Dundee.
Loretta said: “We normally raise money for other people and it’s very strange to be on the other side.
“To feel how other people may have felt was very strange.
“I am very blessed with the kids.”
