50
Sport
Making sport accessible to all Louis Wickett-Padgham looks at what needs to be done to enable children with SEN and disabilities to benefit from physical activity
E
very child and young person, no matter how complex their disabilities, deserves the right to enjoy a physically active life. Sport and physical activity play a huge role in keeping people fit and healthy, supporting social inclusion and building confidence through learning new skills and making friends. There are so many physical, mental and social benefits to being active but, according to the Sport England’s Active Lives Children and Young People Survey 2018/19, disabled children and young people are more likely to be less active than non-disabled children. The study also showed that disabled people are more likely to have poorer wellbeing and experience loneliness.
What are the barriers to sport and physical activity? There are many reasons why those with SEN and disabilities do not have equal access to sport and physical activity: activities may not be inclusive; sports and fitness venues can be inaccessible to them; provision is often limited in many areas; staff and organisers can lack confidence in, and training on, how to deliver inclusive activities; and perceptions about the capabilities of children and young people with SEN are often inaccurate. The sport and physical activity sector has a wider role to play in ensuring that children and young people with SEN are not SEN106
Involvement in sport can be crucial in tackling isolation and loneliness left out. Whatever the barriers may be, it’s important to work towards breaking them down and providing environments where all children have the time, space and confidence to be active in a way that suits them.
What are the benefits? Aside from the obvious benefits of improving physical fitness and health, sport and physical activity can provide opportunities for children and young people with SEN and disabilities to be active, while promoting greater independence. Involvement in sport can be crucial in tackling isolation and loneliness, which is particularly important given that half of disabled people say they are lonely. In addition, an activity such as yoga, for example, can help to make everyday tasks more manageable by improving strength, balance and mobility. Creating sports opportunities for children and young people with SEN and disabilities doesn’t just help the individuals themselves but has many other far-reaching benefits. It can help to influence perceptions about what is possible for disabled senmagazine.co.uk
