With Becky Maddern of Scope
For most kids, going to the park is a fun way to spend an hour or so. Slides! Tree climbing! Swings! Yay! But for a child with a physical disability, all they can do is watch their siblings or friends play. Not much fun.
The charity Scope is running a ‘Play Survey’ to find out how many local play spaces are accessible to everyone, regardless of ability. You can easily take part online until January 2024, and we’ll give you instructions at the end. It’s hoped that it will provide valuable data which Scope can share with local and central government to strengthen its campaign for inclusive play spaces.
To illustrate the issue, Becky Maddern, a mother of a child with a disability, took time out of her busy summer schedule to write about her family’s experience with what should be her child’s everyday pleasures.
My Child with a Disability Has the Right to Play Just Like Other Kids by Becky Maddern
As a mother of a child with a severe disability, I know firsthand what it’s like to see your child excluded from part of society. My son, Benjamin (age 8), has been diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy, Epilepsy, and Cerebral Visual Impairment (CVI). All of these conditions combine to mean that Benjamin cannot sit, crawl, stand, or walk without assistance. But despite his diagnosis and all his challenges, Benjamin is a boy with a great smile, a sassy personality, and loves to interact with his family and friends.
We are a very active family who loves the outdoors. Benjamin loves going to the park with his two older brothers. He loves to swing high on the swings and slide fast down the slides, and best of all, he has the right to do so. When Benjamin was 4, we put him on the swing set at our local park, but he was so tall that he got stuck. I realized that our local playground would no longer be accessible to our family because it didn’t have facilities for everyone.
Benjamin with his mother, Becky, carrying a backpack
The campaign is born
Four years ago, I started campaigning to make a difference, to raise awareness and make a difference not just for my son but for all families who don’t have access to and can enjoy play areas. I started by contacting my local MP and attending city council meetings to raise awareness and share Benjamin’s experience. Then my campaigning efforts started to broaden further to include communicating with other stakeholders such as landscapers, playground manufacturers, housing developers, etc. Now, I have set up a Community Interest Company called PiPA PLAY (Plan Inclusive Play Areas) and am doing my best to make a difference in society, not just as a parent/guardian.
During my campaigning work, I have had the opportunity to work with disability equality charity Scope on their ‘Let’s Play Fair’ campaign, which aims to make playgrounds more inclusive and accessible for disabled children because every child has the right to play. To highlight how inaccessible local playgrounds are, I have worked with Scope to develop ‘The Play Investigation’, and the campaign needs your support.
Benjamin and his brother having fun on the accessible swings
What is theatre research?
The Play Survey is a fun and easy way to find out how inclusive and accessible your local playground is for children with disabilities. We especially invite parents and carers of children with disabilities to answer some short, simple questions to explore accessibility at their local playground using our Scope online survey.
All across the country, people are taking part in play research. Together we find out which local playgrounds are great for children with disabilities and which ones need improvement. Knowledge is power, and with this new information, we can make a difference.
Scope will use the information it collects through its play research to inform local and central government, highlighting why change is needed and calling for more inclusive play spaces. Scope will also support parents to use this information to run their own campaigns and have co-produced resources to help you make change where you are.
Benjamin and his brother at an accessible roundabout
How can I participate?
But the first step is to find out what playgrounds across the country are doing about accessibility and inclusivity. You can take part in as many Play Surveys as you like at playgrounds near you. All you need is a phone or tablet with an internet connection. Learn more about Play Surveys and get involved.
Working with Scope has allowed me to meet many other amazing parents and carers who are also raising awareness and lobbying for change to ensure play spaces are accessible and inclusive in design and when renovated. For me Scope’s work is crucial to raising awareness more quickly and bringing about more effective change. The play survey will make people think and recognise that many children, young people and their families feel isolated and excluded from play spaces. Play is essential for child development and every child has a need and a right to access their local play space. Together, let’s make it happen.
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Special Needs Jungle was founded in 2008 by Tania Tirraoro as a personal SEN blog and is now an award-winning, multi-authored site covering special needs, disabilities, mental health and rare conditions for children and young people from birth to 25 years old.
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