Connecting local families to physical activity resources for children with disabilities
The benefits of physical activity for children are well documented, and children with disabilities are no exception to that rule. Studies have consistently shown that regular physical activity can improve a child’s physical health and positively influence social skills and emotional wellbeing.
Trish Tucker, School of Occupational Therapy
Researchers in Western’s Child Health & Physical Activity Laboratory, recently completed a systematic review of the global physical activity levels of children with disabilities under the age of six to better understand how physical activity was incorporated into their lives.
“Our main findings were that although physical activity levels varied widely based on disability type, overall, physical activity levels were low”, says Occupational Therapy professor Trish Tucker, director for the lab. “This aligned with previous research which found that older children and adolescents with disabilities engaged in less physical activity than their peers without disabilities.”
Responding to the need identified through the review’s findings – and building on the Canadian Disability Participation Project’s recommendation of promoting inclusive physical activity opportunities in the sport and recreation sector as a positive first step to supporting physical activity levels – Tucker, MScOT/PhD student Leah Taylor, and their team wasted no time translating the research into action. In collaboration with the Child and Youth Network they produced a practical, online resource to support physical activity participation for families of children with disabilities in London, Ontario: Everyone Can Play.
“The Everyone Can Play resource was developed as a knowledge mobilization tool, based on the systematic review,” says Taylor, whose PhD research focuses on practical applications of occupational therapy tools when working with young children with developmental disabilities. “The overarching goal is to support children and their families in our community by providing London residents with a one-stop shop to access information for engaging in inclusive physical activity opportunities in the area.”
“The overarching goal is to support children and their families in our community by providing London residents with a one-stop shop to access information for engaging in inclusive physical activity opportunities in the area.”
To compile a comprehensive list of inclusive opportunities, the team conducted an environmental scan of sports, camps and fitness programs which specifically include adaptive, para and inclusive programming. The list will not be static, however. The Everyone Can Play resource is intended to be a living resource – users who have a suggested change, addition or update are welcome to email cyn@london.ca.
Leah Taylor, Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
“We encourage input, interaction, and feedback from the public and local organizations. We hope this resource will continue to grow and adapt over its lifespan, to serve the needs of the community,” says Taylor.
The resource not only supports the physical activity levels of families who experience disability by increasing awareness and reducing barriers to finding opportunities to get active in London, it also supports the social inclusion of all children in physical activity opportunities, regardless of ability.
Tucker and Taylor expect one impact of the resource will be to bring an awareness of the need for options that are supportive for persons of all abilities to the local community.
“We hope local organizations in the sports and recreation sector will consider opportunities to train their staff or grow their programs to make their current services more inclusive to all,” says Tucker.
By Kim McCready, January 25, 2022
