Advancing inclusive participation of children and young people with disabilities in community leisure and recreation.

Abstract

Background: Participation on an equal basis with others in all life settings for children and young people with disabilities is enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC, United Nations General Assembly, 1989) and in numerous more localised policies. Participation in community leisure and recreation activities is a right of every child and young person with a disability. Inclusion is about all children having the widest choices possible and the opportunity to access those choices in their own way. Aims: Inclusive participation is the focus of this research; it set out to examine to what extent this is being achieved in community leisure and recreational activities in one community setting in the UK. Although a tautology in academic terms, ‘inclusive participation’ implies a culture that respects rights of access, sharing and choice, which combine to determine the quantity and quality of participation (Valet 2018, p.333). This places the responsibility on organisations to change and provide equality through these rights. This is important to this research because inclusive participation is understood through the level of equality delivered by organisations and experienced by children and young people with disabilities. Methodology: Parents of children and young people with disabilities and activity providers participated in action research workshops to identify the barriers and facilitating factors to inclusive participation. Through an action research approach, participants were empowered to identify actions and practical solutions that would address the barriers identified or strengthen the facilitating factors, so as to bring about change at a grass- roots level and could be implemented by activity provider participants. The research aimed to contribute to the participation of children and young people with disabilities and their families by involving them in the research and development process, along with the practitioners who facilitate leisure activities in the community. As such, it aimed to construct a collaborative and more inclusive process of research and activity planning, by creating a ‘communicative space’ (Bevan 2013). Findings: The findings illustrate how a lack of understanding about ‘hidden disabilities’ perpetuate the discrimination that families and children and young people with disabilities experience in their own communities. The findings also show how the challenge of funding detracts from addressing other key issues of inclusive participation. The findings illustrate key mechanisms for inclusive design, which focus on leadership, communication aids, recruitment and training, all requiring inclusion to be part of the design, and collaboration between activity providers and families. Discussion: The findings focused on three key themes: rights and discrimination; promoting and funding inclusion and inclusion by design. A grassroots approach is required to transform the participation of children and young people with disabilities in inclusive community, leisure and recreation.