Super Access as a Parent of a child with additional needs

Surrey Libraries have introduced new technology that allows residents to enjoy longer and more flexible opening times. These extended hours called Super Access are offered in addition to the usual staffed times, giving people more choice about when they visit.

Read a parents experience of taking their nine year old son Levi who is autistic, to the Super Access at Dorking Library. Their story highlights how this quieter, more flexible way of visiting the library may be helpful for those who may find visiting at busier times difficult.

When I first heard about Super Access, I didn’t think it would be particularly relevant for our family of four. I regularly use the library myself and also with my 4-year-old daughter, who enjoys choosing books to borrow and getting involved in craft activities at Dorking library. The regular staffed hours suit us well, we usually visit after she has finished nursery at around 3.30.
But then I started to think about my 9-year-old son, Levi, who has a diagnosis of autism spectrum condition. Levi has always loved books from an early age and was a regular ‘rhyme timer’ as a toddler. As he has grown older and his condition has become more apparent to others, we have sadly started to use the library less with Levi. He can make fairly loud, random noises and will also approach strangers (which isn’t always so well received). He sometimes has meltdowns if he becomes dysregulated.
The library is (and always has been) an inclusive space, but as I’m sure other parents/carers of children with additional needs would agree, any public space is always a ‘high alert’ zone, fear of disturbing others or autistic behaviours being misunderstood being common worries. Which is why most of us prefer to take our children to SEN sessions (SEN soft play, SEN swimming sessions, SEN cinema sessions and so on) over regular sessions where a child having a swig of someone else’s drink (as happened at a recent soft play SEN session we attended with Levi) is a source of amused recognition for other parents/carers, rather than an embarrassing situation where you are left profusely apologising, trying to explain and in the end replacing the soft drink to placate the angry parent.
One rainy Sunday afternoon, we decided to give Super Access at Dorking library a go. Levi was happy to be in the library, it is a familiar space to him from his aforementioned rhyme time days and he headed straight down the ramp to the children’s library. There were very few other people using the library, perhaps one man on the computers? Levi happily spent some time looking at books in the ‘reading nook’ circles in the walls. He even took off his shoes to make himself comfortable and also his ear defenders (a sure sign he is feeling very regulated and content in the environment). After some time in the children’s library, Levi happily wandered around the rest of the library investigating nooks and crannies, sitting in various chairs, and making happy noises. We chose two books together to take home (I usually choose for him and so it was lovely for him to have the opportunity to choose for himself) and he liked using the self-service machine to borrow them.

For further information about Super Access in Surrey Libraries visit:

Super Access as a Parent of a child with additional needs

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