Access to family leisure facilities

That’s it son, kick your legs – Well done!”
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Being able to take your child out and enjoy quality leisure time together is important for all parents. Accessing leisure facilities may, for a disabled parent, be fraught with difficulties. Here, some parents comment on their experiences.

Parent and toddler groups

The following quotes show the value of forward planning and organisation.

“I really love to take my son out to mums and toddler groups so he can socialise with children his own age. I now only go to ones in my local community centre as they know my needs and understand that sometimes I cannot help set up/put away or wash up. I hate it when I go to other groups where they don’t know me and they automatically assume that I am being lazy when I don’t offer to help.”

“My local group is brilliant, but then I do help run it. I felt awkward being unable to help with the activities so I offered to be on the committee and now liaise with the council for funding and getting accessible equipment. We have also applied for and received extra funding for books and toys, which give positive images of disabled people. Everything is accessible to me and we work together to make sure that we are as welcoming and accessible to everyone else who wants to attend.”

Service policies on access

Another disabled parent found that service policy can be a problem.

“I really wanted to take my toddler to Tumble Tots, as me being on crutches means that he has less chance to practice walking at home, but I found access a problem …”

Tumble Tots meetings are held in accessible buildings, but parents are expected to participate fully in all aspects of their child’s play, which involves, for example, holding their child’s hand on high balances, or helping them move around the equipment. This is impossible for a parent who uses crutches. Tumble Tots head office stated:

“As an organisation we welcome children and parents with disabilities but you will appreciate that we provide physical play and our programme requires children up to the age of three years to be supported in the session by a parent/carer. If the particular centre has an additional member of staff available they will always try to assist but as you will appreciate this is not always possible if the class is very busy.

“However, our advice to our franchisees is where someone has a disability, either the parent or child, let them come and have a go and they can then make their minds up as to whether it is for them.”

As suggested, taking along another adult may be helpful, but not ideal.

Sports facilities

Access to sports facilities, such as swimming or football, can be difficult. Sometimes finding suitable changing facilities may be a problem. Disabled changing rooms are often not family friendly so parents may have to choose between the two types.

Sometimes, a change in attitude is all that is required, as these fathers’ comments show.

“With councils enforcing guidelines for the supervision of children in pools, I always worry that we will be refused entry as a staff member may not consider me to be a responsible adult’. I may look unsteady on dry land but in the water I’m the same as any other parent.”

“I always found it difficult to watch my sons’ football training. To register at the portacabin I had to go up three steps, and then stand for an hour to watch the training session. But since the head coach injured his knee and was on crutches for six weeks, they have been so helpful –  all it takes is a little understanding and now we all get so much more out of the sessions.”

Change in attitudes needed

Gradually many public places are being made more accessible, but to improve the attitudes of providers and sensitivity to individual needs will take more than a bag of cement and a trowel.

Next: Parents experience...Adapting to change