For many disabled people in Scotland, and their families or personal assistants, the difference between staying home and enjoying a full day out can be as simple, and as significant, as whether there’s a Changing Places toilet nearby. These larger, fully equipped facilities (with an adult-sized changing bench, hoist and adequate space) enable people with complex needs to use the loo safely and with dignity.
The Scottish Government’s guidance recognises this, encouraging installation in new and existing buildings across the country.
“We simply cannot go out for a day unless one is available.”
That’s how one Scottish reviewer put it during Changing Places Awareness Day: without a suitable facility, some families cut trips short or avoid them altogether. Another community member shared that when a promised facility is missing or out of order, “It just ruins our day and we have to leave.”
These short, stark statements capture the stakes: toilets aren’t a nice-to-have; they’re the difference between inclusion and isolation.
Euan’s Guide, a disability access charity founded in Scotland, regularly publishes reviews about venues with Changing Places toilets. Their community tells them these facilities are “the key to being able to enjoy a full day out without stress or discomfort,” underscoring how reliable information about hoists, benches and space lets people plan with confidence.
Brody’s story: growing up, growing barriers – until Changing Places
Scottish parent and campaigner Laura Rutherford has written extensively about her son Brody and the moment many families recognise: when a child outgrows a baby changing table and there’s no safe alternative. Her testimony describes why Changing Places are essential (not optional) for older children and adults who cannot self-transfer or need continence care, and how a lack of provision shrinks family life.
Brody’s experience echoes the Changing Places Consortium’s wider collection of family stories, which document daily compromises people are forced to make without suitable toilets, from cutting visits short to unsafe makeshift solutions. These stories show, in very human terms, why fully equipped facilities matter.
A ripple effect in communities and tourism
Provision isn’t just life-changing for individual users; it changes how communities welcome visitors. In the Scottish Parliament’s Cross-Party Group on Changing Places Toilets, speakers from a small tourist village described the “difference” a local facility has made; families can visit, stay longer and participate in everyday life that many take for granted.
That local impact is echoed by businesses and tourism bodies who encourage clear access information and celebrate venues that install these facilities.
A recent example is The Green Welly Stop in Tyndrum. Its Changing Places toilet (open seven days a week, typically 7am – 10pm) was celebrated locally for making “a real difference to local people and visitors alike,” and went on to be voted Scotland’s Best Changing Places Toilet in 2025 by the community during Changing Places Awareness Day.
For families planning a long drive through the Highlands, that single facility can turn a stressful journey into an enjoyable day out.
Policy, guidance, practice
Scotland has clear guidance on what a compliant Changing Places toilet should include, and PAMIS (Promoting A More Inclusive Society) offers expert support to organisations across Scotland that are planning, designing and installing facilities. Lived-experience drives this work: PAMIS and partners keep centring the voices of people who use these facilities and their carers, because their reality is the true measure of success.
At the same time, families and charities stress that availability and reliability are just as important as installation. Reviews frequently point to units that are locked, hidden away, or out of order – practical barriers that can undo good intentions. Making sure facilities are easy to find, well-maintained, and clearly signposted is paramount.
Dignity, independence and time together
When Changing Places toilets are available, people gain something priceless: time. Time to share a meal without clock-watching; time to explore a museum, a village, or a beach; time to enjoy the same spontaneity others take for granted. As one Scottish parent’s journey shows, without these facilities, a family’s world “will shrink”, but with them, days out become not only possible, but joyful and routine.
The momentum is building. With Scottish Government guidance, specialist support from PAMIS, and grassroots campaigning amplified by platforms like Euan’s Guide, more venues are joining in. Each new facility isn’t just a room with equipment; it’s an invitation to participate fully in Scottish life.
FAQs
1. What exactly is a Changing Places toilet?
A larger, fully accessible toilet with an adult-sized, height-adjustable changing bench, a hoist, and enough space for one or two carers. Designed for people with complex needs who cannot use a standard accessible (disabled) toilet.
2. Where can I find Changing Places toilets in Scotland?
Search the official Changing Places map and check recent reviews on Euan’s Guide to confirm opening times, equipment and usability before you travel.
3. Who supports organisations to install them?
PAMIS and Innova provide free expert advice across Scotland, from feasibility and design to compliance and staff training, working alongside the Scottish Government’s planning guidance.
4. Why do families say these facilities are life-changing?
Because without them, days out are cut short or cancelled. Community feedback frequently notes that families “cannot go out for a day unless one is available.”
5. Are there examples of positive local impact?
Yes. Tyndrum’s Green Welly Stop CPT has been praised for improving inclusion for locals and visitors and was voted Scotland’s Best Changing Places Toilet in 2025.
