Are you holding disabled children back?
Almost 60 percent of parents with disabled children say that their son or daughter has not been able to access sports clubs, leisure activities and other facilities, because they are disabled.
Conducted by the disability charity Scope, the survey of over 500 parents suggest that improving the attitudes and confidence of staff and organisers is what would make groups and activities more inclusive for disabled children.
Parents said that their experiences of being turned away from clubs left them and their children feeling isolated and desperate. Previous research it was said that a lack of facilities was to blame, but the recent survey suggested otherwise.
Of parents whose disabled child was not able to access a service, sports clubs and leisure centres were singled out as not being inclusive.
- Seven in 10 parents said that more positive attitudes and better understanding of disability amongst staff and organisers would enable their child to be included
- Just one in 10 parents felt that staff and organisers “already had the confidence and expertise to make sure that their disabled child was included and welcomed to local groups and activities”.
“I started taking my son to football club. The organisers and other parents were really unfriendly and not understanding at all, and it made me feel angry and depressed and my son feel stressed.” Victoria, Manchester
“Parents even in this day and age seem to think my son is a leper with a contagious disease, yet he has cerebral palsy.” Helen, Surbiton
Scope, who carried out the survey with Mumsnet, say that the Government needs to set the tone for a culture change in local groups and centres, so they are accessible and inclusive for all children and families.
You may like to review your own organisation’s approach to welcoming disabled children to ensure that it is fully inclusive.
Learn more about a range of duty of care and safeguarding topics by having a look at EduCare’s training catalogue.
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