We can all play : participation in local playgrounds from the perspectives of children with physical impairments and their caregivers

Abstract

Participation in play and leisure activities is essential for all children, regardless of their abilities. This can only happen if play places are accessible to all. Play is considered a right for all disabled children in Article 7 and Article 30 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and Article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Committee on the Rights of the Child emphasises the need for extra efforts to be made in order to assist disabled children in fulfilling their rights. It also advocates a universal design approach and chances to explore, interact and play in a natural context (CRC, 2013). The aim of this qualitative study is to better understand the experiences of children with physical impairments who use local playgrounds to engage in creative play and interact with their peers, along with their caregivers’ perspectives. Adopting the social relational model of disability as the main conceptual framework, the study focuses on the interaction of disabled children at local playgrounds with social and structural barriers that impact on their engagement and participation. This interpretative study viewed participants as social actors who create, and can help change, their own world, conforming with emancipatory research principles (Mertens, 2015). An advisory group of three participants was set up to advice the researcher at critical stages of the research process. Following the initial meeting with the advisory group, the perspectives of six participants and their caregivers were obtained via one-to-one semi-structured interviews and Photovoice method through the completion of a scrapbook. Participants were recruited from the Child Development Assessment Unit (CDAU) and their ages ranged between 7–12 years. The data from the interviews and scrapbooks was thematically analysed using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) and Wang and Burris’s (1997) techniques respectively. The most important theme revolved around the perceptions of society on disability. Participants considered this as a major barrier at the playground due to negative perceptions towards children with physical impairments. Other emergent themes included social and structural barriers encountered at local playgrounds and the relationality between these two types of barriers, and the support provided in these places. Finally, participants offered suggestions for more inclusive recreational experiences at the playgrounds. It was concluded that although a designer can plan and design the most inclusive structural playground and faithfully follow universal design principles, social issues like disabling attitudes may still hinder children with impairments. If these children are not included in play opportunities with peers who frequent such playgrounds, full inclusion cannot be guaranteed, despite the presence of structural accommodations. The study also concludes that policymakers should evaluate and audit current access guidelines to ensure the inclusion of all children in local playgrounds.