The Council for Disabled Children (CDC), a network of over 50 third sector organisations that focus on disabled children and young people, includes members that incorporate play in their services. One such member, Move Europe, teaches children with physical disabilities to move independently.
Establishing movement and play routines in early childhood is vital to promote exploration of the environment and learning about the world. The Move programme allows disabled children to actively participate in play activities and explore and engage with other children, helping them develop their communication and problem solving skills and to express their feelings.
Too often it is assumed that young disabled people can't or don't want to take part in everyday play like other children and sadly many play facilities do not take into account their support requirements. However, at CDC we know that the evidence shows that in fact disabled children and young people can and do want to play in the same way as their peers and to be able to go to the same places.
Looking ahead it's essential that we reflect on the value of play for all children for their growth and development and that we make a real effort to ensure that play and leisure activities are accessible to all children and young people, so that every child has the chance to learn, explore and move through play.
