Mum's fight with council

Published 23 Jun 2010 16:08

By Rosalyn Campbell

A JOHNSTONE mum-of-four has hit out at the council for leaving her to cope without a bathtub.

Lorraine Bates, 23, struggles with bathing her young children in the shower and says they are missing out on children's usual experience of splashing about in a tub.

Her one-and-a-half-year-old is outgrowing her baby bath but Lorraine feels she is not yet ready to be put in the shower.

Lorraine - who stays at Greenend Avenue - blasted: "My health visitor said it's not acceptable for there to be no bath for the children.

"My midwife said it's not acceptable.

"I went to social work to speak to them about it - but they said they couldn't do anything because I've not got a social worker.

"Everybody's got a bath on this road except me, except the old folks in wheelchairs who have the same type of shower as me.

"I wrote to the highest person in the council and he said I could pay for my own bath."

Lorraine claims that when she was moved into the property one and a half years ago, she was promised that the shower would be replaced by a bath.

She added: "It's murder - you can't drain the baby bath in the shower - so I have to try to put it down the toilet. It's awful trying to carry it.

"I wouldn't mind if it was just me. My boy - I've actually got to drag him in the shower and hold him underneath it - he hates it."

Lorraine's stepfather Joseph said of the three-year-old: "When he gets a bath at our house, he enjoys it - he splashes about and plays with his toys."

Childcare expert Rachel Waddilove said: "A bath is a small thing to ask for - and it's a family need.

"There are parts of the world where children don't have baths and manage perfectly alright but this is Scotland we're talking about.

"In civilised society to have a bath is a huge asset - especially with four children."

She explained that baths are useful for helping children to relax at the end of a long day - not to mention the fun they can have splashing about with toys and with their siblings.

A Renfrewshire Council spokesperson said: "Ms Bates was offered this property and accepted it in the full knowledge of its bathroom facilities.

"The bathroom in this property was adapted for a previous tenant with specific needs. While we do our utmost to match available properties such as this to new tenants with similar requirements that is not always possible.

"We also try to meet tenants' preferences wherever possible when allocating new tenants. However it would be inappropriate for the council to spend public money amending a bathroom to suit a tenant's preference when they were under no obligation to accept the property as it stands.

"We would be happy to discuss the option of Ms Bates having a bath installed herself, to ensure that it meets the appropriate standards."

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This article appeared in The Gazette 23 Jun 10

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