Sense Active is an organisation that offers a range of inclusive sport and physical activities for people with complex disabilities to take part in. Recently, they worked in partnership with ukactive Research Institute and Sport England to undergo deep research resulting in a report on understanding the physical activity needs of families who have children with complex disabilities. There’s a lot to unpack, but worth a full read.
Upon digesting all of this insightful and useful information, TeamSportz is here to respond, address some of the key barriers along with recommendations, and also discuss how we can take part in making a difference for children with disabilities.
The report revealed that the key motivations for parents and carers to engage their children in physical activity and sport are for their child’s physical health, mental wellbeing, social interaction, enjoyment, stimulation, and inclusion. Like any child, with or without disabilities, it’s important to participate in physical activity for these reasons.
With that said, the parents and carers of children with complex disabilities face some major barriers here. The most prominent issues include: limited activity options, activity being too far away, not flexible with timings, ability to modify activities.
Here’s how TeamSportz can remove these barriers:
More activity options
Children with disabilities are limited enough as it is, so it’s important to give them the opportunity to choose from several options when it comes to activities. TeamSportz has fun interactive, coordinating exercises and drills to work on including ball dribbling, push-ups and squats.
Get active from the comfort of your home
With limited options for in-person activities, combined with being far from these families’ homes, makes it difficult and timely to travel the distance required for participation. Luckily with TeamSportz, you can engage in fun physical activities in your local park, in your garden or even inside your home - all you need is your phone. Removing the pressure and stress of trying to make it to a faraway session on time, this makes it easier for children to access these activities whenever they want.
Take breaks when you want
Carers have expressed that some of the sports activities their children have participated in do not give many breaks and the sessions tend to be long. Most of their children with complex disabilities need breaks during activity and with TeamSportz, you are in control of the time you spend on activities, taking away the stress of having to participate for a period of time that isn’t comfortable for you or your child.
Taken directly from the Sense Active report, a parent named Lisa shared, “I think as well, because [some of our children] can only take [the activities] in small chunks, if you’ve got a session that’s going on for an hour, a lot of our children, they can do five minutes, that’s what you’re gonna get from them. And so to have a really relaxed session, where you can dip in and out of it, is much more effective, I think.”
Modify your exercises
Again, this isn’t a one size fits all scenario and children with complex disabilities have different needs. With TeamSportz you can customise each activity by editing the speed, pace, and number of reps so that your child feels comfortable during, and confident after completing a task.
Carers and parents had to change the way they engage their children with complex disabilities in physical activity during the pandemic. Many expressed positive feelings towards the online sessions that were hosted for them, also sharing that they feel hybrid solutions (combination of in-person and virtual activities) would work best for their families, coming out of the pandemic. The Sense Active report revealed, “While it was agreed that in person sessions were valuable in other ways to online sessions, a majority of parents also felt that continuing the digital sessions alongside in person sessions would be beneficial as part of an ongoing hybrid offer.”
TeamSportz hopes to continue removing barriers and help children with disabilities stay active, engage in sport, and have fun while doing it.
