Two very grateful parents
Thank you all so much for the Safespace you have fitted for our son Lee. The difference it’s made to all our lives is unbelievable. Lee loves it, he sprints upstairs at bed time now! He is sleeping safe and we don’t need to worry if he does wake, we are sleeping through the night with no worries. Thanks to you all for helping sort out a problem we never thought we would solve. It’s a simple idea that works. Two very grateful parents.
Debbie’s family
Our little lady can’t and doesn’t say much and you don’t often get a reaction from her, but the Safespace got a huge clear ‘Oooh wow!’ when you delivered it. She loves it. She likes her own space sometimes, and now she can retreat to her new room and play safely. She’s sleeping better through the night too and we all (her 3 siblings too) feel more relaxed. It puts our minds at rest knowing she is safe and happy when she wakes in the night, and when she’s trying to bang her head in frustration she can’t hurt herself. So a big thank you from us all. It really is a genius idea and a solution to many safety problems.
Joe’s Mum
My son has autism and severe learning difficulties and from the age of 2 when he came out of his cot, I have had to sleep in his bedroom with him every night to ensure that he was safe. He only sleeps for about 3 hours a night and if left unsupported will seriously self harm.
By the time he was four, I was totally exhausted. I couldn’t remember the last time I actually went to bed in my room or had more than three hours sleep. My marriage was being seriously strained by our evening pattern of taking turns to sleep around him. It was like having an eternal new born baby getting up every half an hour to comfort and give feeds. My OT suggested we consider adapting his bedroom. I didn’t want any permanent adaptions as I feared that if we moved house, it would devalue the property.
A Safespace was suggested, as it would be freestanding and when we moved on from the property, it would be able to be taken with us. After the Safespace was fitted, within only four nights, my son actually signed that he wanted to go to bed. He had never done this before. He runs up the stairs and throws himself into his bed now, he has his own little safe haven. I think he also likes having space away from us! The Safespace has not increased the amount of sleep that my son has, but has given me back mine and has saved my marriage from falling apart. He loves his Safespace, he plays and jumps and bounces throughout the night and is totally safe. If he chooses to smear (little monster!), I can wipe his room down easily and the room is left clean within seconds. The windows that were designed within the Safespace, allow him access to watch his favourite lights and bubbletubes. He is totally contented. His Safespace feels like a comforting little zone, almost like a calming hug and he loves it. We are now going to save up and buy a Safespace Voyager, so that we can take him away on holiday with us.
Anna’s Mum
At Easter we spent 4 nights away from home, visiting relatives. What should have been a pleasant experience gave me plenty of cause to consider the impact that Anna’s Safespace has had on all of our lives. A temporary return to our old lives of sleepless nights, constant worry for Anna’s safety and the subsequent bad-temperedness and exhaustion made me wonder how we ever managed to live like this.
To anyone purchasing a Safespace I would say that my only regret is for the ‘lost’ time we spent before we had it. No, it’s not a miracle cure – Anna still only sleeps for 4 or 5 hours a night – but during the time that she is awake she is calm, happy, and above all unable to hurt herself. Anna’s quality of life has improved tremendously as well as our own. Anna will choose to go into her room now if life is getting a bit manic downstairs, which it frequently does with her 2 siblings at home as well. Now that we are getting ‘normal’ sleep we have found more time for each other and for our children. I have started a part-time job (not rocket science) but a start and something I wouldn’t have contemplated before… The best people to look after these children are their parents; all we need is some help.
Connor’s Mum
The Safespace is great and Connor absolutely loves it. I can’t tell you what a huge difference it has made to the whole family. Connor’s behaviour has improved dramatically because he is actually sleeping for about 8-10 hours now. Before we had the Safespace we were lucky if he slept for more than 4 hours a night. As I’m sure you will understand this was having a major effect on the whole family as well as Connor and we were really struggling to cope. The Safespace has made a tremendous difference to all our lives but especially Connor’s, who is a lot calmer, contented and happier.
Thank you so much.
Mum of James who has autism
At one point James was chipping plaster off his walls and eating it. It was getting to the point where I didn’t know what to do, and we were ready to call social services to tell them we couldn’t have him at home any longer. When I heard of Safespaces I got in touch with social services and they helped to organise one for me. James got his just before Christmas two years ago and the rest of the family got sleep as a Christmas present!
It has made a tremendous difference to our lives, the most important one being that James is still at home with us. It definitely has a calming effect on him. I would advise any parent in the same boat as us to get one.
Ben’s Mum
I wanted to let you know how we are getting on. Ben’s sleep patterns have not improved (he still won’t sleep on a bed/pillow or with covers) but we can now relax more knowing that Ben is not going to escape, or injure himself, or break any more furniture, and he seems to like his new den. For too long we could not relax, and the crashing and banging noises he made all night were awful. We can still hear him but it is more thudding than knocking, banging and crashing. He is very active inside it and it’s hard to believe how we managed before.
Thanks again for giving us hope and some ‘life’ back. He may not want to sleep, but at least now I can switch off knowing he is safe inside there. The Safespace has afforded us some peace of mind and hope for the future.
Ben’s Safespace has also had a lot of interest from visiting professionals, social workers, parents, and Ben’s special needs school.
Jenny’s parents
Our autistic daughter, now four years old, had an extremely erratic sleeping pattern; rarely sleeping longer than four hours; she was hyper-active and often grisly and uncontrollable. We were exhausted, and wondering how we were ever going to continue coping with her on such little sleep ourselves.
Our paediatrician referred us to an Occupational Therapist and eventually a Safespace was suggested. Initially we envisaged that this would mainly be useful for when she was upset and agitated, as it is completely padded and soft inside she wouldn’t be able to harm herself when throwing herself around.
However she has really taken to her Safespace and now she can actually be taken to bed at 8pm, will stay there and even go to sleep! Previously we found it impossible to get her to sleep in bed, and she continually jumped out and fought sleep till she just ‘fizzled out’ on the floor or sofa at about 10pm. Now she seems to actually enjoy going to bed. I am sure this is because she finds the Safespace a calm, safe haven with no distractions inside. It is wonderful to see her settling down to sleep happily and amazingly now she usually sleeps through the night. Even if she does wake up she cannot harm herself on anything. Because of her improved sleep she is a much happier, more contented child (though still hyperactive) and we are beginning to feel a little less like zombies.
Rachel’s Occupational Therapist
I am writing to thank you and all those involved in Rachel’s Safespace. Mum reports that Rachel is sleeping for slightly longer periods and then when she does awake, she is now able to safely play, and will sometimes do so without trying to gain adult attention, which affords Mum a little more valuable sleep! Rachel will seek out her Safespace at times during the day and appears to enjoy being in this space. We hope to be able to add some sensory lighting in the not-too-distant future. With the arrival of a new baby on the way, I have no doubt that the Safespace will prove even more invaluable!
Anne’s Occupational Therapist
I have seen a picture of Anne’s Safespace and have been told that she loves it. Thank you for all your advice and support to get this sorted, I am really pleased with the result. Your products are an excellent idea and are always made to a high standard.
Karen Alty, Deputy Headteacher, Holly Grove School
Holly Grove is a Primary School for pupils aged 3-11 years with Generic Learning Difficulties. This includes pupils with Profound and Complex needs, Severe or Mild Learning Difficulties and pupils with Autism and/or Challenging Behaviour.
Initially when I discussed purchasing a Safespace for our school, some of the staff had reservations. They said, ‘It looked like a padded cell!’ Questions were asked such as ‘How would we get the children to the Safespace when they were in crisis?’ and ‘Would the children not just misbehave to get out of lessons?’
During the first 2 months the pupils were fascinated by the Safespace and therefore did initially abuse its use by consistently either misbehaving or more commonly requesting ‘time out’.
Fortunately the novelty wore off, as it did in my previous experience, and we began to see noticeable changes in the pupils’ behaviour. We no longer have to use positive handling techniques to support our pupils in crisis, as now they are simply escorted to the Safespace to calm down. The length of time they now spend in the Safespace has reduced considerably, from approximately 30 minutes to 5 minutes.
Many of our children with autism who are non-verbal have a symbol/photograph of the Safespace displayed in class, and will now remove the symbol/photograph from the board, give it to the nearest adult, and run to the Safespace, when they have identified themselves that they need to calm down. Previously when becoming anxious these pupils would grab at the nearest adult/peer and become aggressive when adults then had to use positive handling techniques to keep everyone safe.
The Safespace is also used as a ‘Blank Canvas’ for Intensive Interaction. The only stimuli in the room is the adult and therefore this encourages positive, successful interaction. All the staff and pupils at Holly Grove now agree that the Safespace has been an invaluable investment!
See Karen and Holly Grove School on the Safespaces Films.
It is fabulous. We use it for sensory purposes and intensive interaction with our pupils, not just for dealing with challenging behaviours. It plays a big part of our classroom environment.
Gordon Heath, Senior Occupational Therapist, Jan 2010
I just wanted to give you some amazing feedback about the Cosyfit I recently provided for someone. The young man’s parents were sceptical when I first suggested one, but as we had one in our stores, I persuaded them to at least trial it. After all, they had not slept properly for 13 years as he was very unsettled and needy at night so they had nothing to lose! I phoned to see how it was going after approximately 6 weeks.
His father was raving about it. ‘It is unbelievable!’ he said. His son sleeps all night, every night since he’s had it. They are so happy, as they have never had so much sleep. Their son shows his new bed to everyone who visits the house. The only down side is that there is not one in situ where he goes for respite so does not sleep well there. And as he is no longer used to being awake all night, he was too tired to go to school the following day so had to come home to sleep in his Cosyfit! I said I would write to the respite unit and recommend they purchase one.
So well done and thanks for changing this family’s life.
Holly’s happy parents
Prior to the arrival of the Cosyfit, Holly was sleeping in an inflatable boat to minimise any risk of injury during any night time fits. The bed quickly became a safe haven both for her and us as parents. It meant that we could put her to bed safe in the knowledge that she would be as safe as possible, and that we could relax. Now that the fits are mostly under control, it has become more than a bed – it is a night time play area, a safe, warm den and most of all, the place that she relates sleep with. She can often be found making her own way into her bedroom and into the Cosyfit, and will literally play contentedly through the small hours of the night if she is awake. The positive effect that the bed has had on the lives of all three of us is simply astounding, and it is something that we would thoroughly recommend to others dealing with similar difficulties.
Sarah’s Mum
We are over the moon with the bed and it has helped us greatly in our care for Sarah. She took to the bed right away and has settled into a good sleep routine which she never had before. We are happy to recommend your services to all our friends most of whom have disabled children also.
A Happy Mum
Being a parent of a disabled child brings many challenges and one of the difficulties I faced in particular was bed-time and my son’s sleeping difficulties which resulted in many unhappy and sleepless nights for the whole family. My son’s problems stem from a rare brain condition as well as autism and seizures. He needed a bed that could be tailor-made for his safety and comfort and I struggled for a long time to find one.
Then I discovered Safespaces with the help of my son’s Occupational Therapist. After an initial consultation, Safespaces designed an amazing bed, custom-made to my son’s needs and totally suitable for his night-time environment. My son is now safe and happy in his new bed and is sleeping so much better. This bed has changed our lives in such a positive way. I cannot thank Safespaces enough for designing and providing such a wonderful piece of equipment that has made such a great impact on our lives.
Thank you Safespaces!
Sarah’s Mum
Everything is great about the Cosyfit Hi-Lo. Sarah is now safe and if she headbangs or throws herself around she doesn’t hurt herself. I love the fact that it comes in girly pink and is very spacious. She loved her bed within 10 minutes and she hates change so that’s a first!!
Manager of a short break unit
We are a short break unit and therefore need to cater for all manner of disabilities. The Cosyfit Hi-Lo is ideal for our purposes, it has resolved several issues that we had. We use it instead of a hospital bed with cot sides and it is much safer. We now have children able to watch TV in bed (through the plastic [window]). We have always had excellent, quick service from your company.
Toby’s Mum
The Cosyfit Hi-Lo is fantastic. Toby is able to sleep in a safe environment and I can sleep sound in the knowledge that he can’t fall out of bed or injure himself. It also gives me the option of putting him in a secure place where he can play/rest safely if I need to do a job/get washed & dressed when no-one else is available to watch him. The Hi-Lo function also saves my back.
David’s Dad
We have just returned from holiday in Florida and used the Voyager for the first time. What can we say! To be able to place our son in a safe and secure environment, and to know that he is both happy (he loved it!) and safe was an absolute godsend, and made the holiday stress-free and highly enjoyable. We can’t thank you enough and will be spreading the word about your company and your wonderful products. Many thanks for lifting a heavy burden from our shoulders with such a simple yet life-changing piece of equipment.
Ben’s Mum and Dad
We have just had a fantastic few days in Devon and tried out the Voyager for the first time. It was a great success as Ben accepted it (it has the same feel/smell as his original Safespace) and although he didn’t sleep anymore than normal he was safely contained and less noisy!
We are very happy and can’t wait to try it in our caravan in the Spring. This product has given us a lot of hope.
Thank you for everything you do (all of you at Safespaces), as these products really are life changing for families like ours. I can’t imagine going back to our pre-Safespace days!
Lots of love and gratitude
Thomas’s Mum
I just wanted to let you know how grateful I am for your newest invention, the Safespace Voyager. We took it on holiday last week for the first time and it transformed the week for both my son and myself. I am amazed to find that something so suitable for my ‘one- off’ son has been designed – I am so glad too! For the first time in the last 5 years I was able to pop him to bed and ’switch off’ knowing he was safe – usually holidays are such hard work. Also, Thomas was ill during our holiday so I was especially glad to have the Voyager, he was able to rest in there in the day as well, it really was a godsend. I was pleased to find I had no difficulty putting the Voyager up and down, it was amazingly quick and easy. Thanks again for a priceless piece of equipment, which I look forward to using many times in the future.
John’s Mum
I can’t believe how simple and straightforward it was to put up – we’re totally thrilled to bits and now really looking forward to our holiday this year. John went in it when I built it as if he had always used it. He loves his big one in his bedroom and was pleased as punch when he saw this one, like a duck to water!
Steven’s Mum
I am just writing to say thank you for the travel cot [Voyager] which you made for my son Steven. It has saved me a lot of stress and worry whenever I take him on holiday or down to my parents’ house. Steven really likes it and his brothers think its a den for them to play in. Thank you for your help.
