Take your child to the park, accompany him to nursery or simply go out to do the shopping. For many parents who use a manual wheelchair, these tasks require the help of another person. In the UK, the charity Designability has developed a stroller that attaches directly to the pram, allowing parents to move with their children independently.
Is called Accessible Pushchair and it was designed together with the people who were supposed to use it. After the first tests, the organization distributed 20 to as many British families for a six-month trial. The project has passed the safety tests required by British legislation and a first production intended for sale is now being prepared. A step that is still necessary, because at the moment the stroller cannot be purchased freely.
How the stroller that attaches to the wheelchair works
The solution is quite simple, at least if you look at it. Designability engineers have redesigned the back of a traditional stroller, replacing the rear wheel and brake system with a structure that allows it to be connected to a manual wheelchair. The result is a set that the parent can maneuver while moving in their wheelchair, without having to separately push the stroller with one hand and the wheelchair with the other.
The planning started from the concrete needs of the parents. As Designability explains in the project presentation, the first prototypes were tested by people who use manual wheelchairs, while other parents participated by providing observations and suggestions.
One of the most interesting choices concerns the possibility of using the stroller even without a wheelchair. It can therefore be shared with the other parent or carer of the child, without necessarily requiring two different products. The device completed safety tests according to the British standard BS EN 1888 in March 2023, also thanks to the technical collaboration of the stroller manufacturer Mamas & Papas.
For 20 families, going out without companions has become possible
The first delivery took place in September 2024. The person who received the stroller was Ali, a mother of three children, who told Designability that she stopped accompanying them to school alone because managing the pram and stroller at the same time had become too complicated.
In May 2025, as documented by the British organization, another 20 strollers arrived, delivered free of charge to selected families for a six-month trial. Participants were able to use them in daily activities and keep them even after the trial period.
Among them is Paul Sloan, a father who uses a wheelchair. For him, being able to go out with his children without organizing someone’s assistance every time means removing a worry from the day. And he also expressed a rather specific wish: he would like people to stop considering him an extraordinary dad just because he takes care of his children. A fairly reasonable request.
Fiona Dick, involved in the experiment, also said how painful it was to see other mothers go out freely with their children, while she needed someone to even go for a coffee. According to an estimate by Designability itself, around 20,000 parents and carers of children in the UK could benefit from a similar solution. It is an assessment of the organization, not the result of an independent census. After all, the Accessible Pushchair has become the most requested product in the history of the organization, active since 1968.
How much does it cost and when will it be available?
There is still one obstacle, this time commercial. After developing the stroller and passing safety testing, Designability looked for a manufacturer willing to make it on a large scale. There was no lack of interest in the project, but no company agreed to take on the production.
The organization therefore decided to proceed independently, preparing a first limited series intended for the British market. The indicative price announced is £699, including changes to the rear wheels and braking system. A figure that Designability considers comparable to that of other traditional strollers in the same range, even if it remains a significant expense for many families.
The model planned for sale will be usable from birth and will also include a carrycot. In a recent official communication, the organization spoke of the arrival of 200 specimens in the United Kingdom, without yet communicating a precise marketing date. For the international market, including Italy, a distribution has not been announced. However, it is possible to register your interest on the organisation’s website, even from abroad.
