What are the benefits of inclusive sport for my disabled child?

As a parent of a child with a disability, you might not think the world of sport is open to them – but it is! Your child can be involved in sport, and there are many different ways you can go about it, from clubs and teams to trying activities out at home.

Super Movers for Every Body is an exciting new initiative from ��˿�� Teach, the Premier League and ParalympicsGB, encouraging children of all abilities to take part in PE and sports. They could try a Paralympic sport like blind football or shot put, or an activity like adaptive swimming or cycling.

To find out more about the advantages of inclusive sport, ��˿�� Bitesize Parents’ Toolkit has been speaking to Professor Anthony J Maher, Professor of Special Educational Needs, Disability and Inclusion at Leeds Beckett University, and Rafael Young, a boccia athlete and coach at Stockport Boccia Club.

How can taking part in sport help my child?

Taking part in sports can improve a child’s confidence, their physical and mental wellbeing, and help them pick up some transferable skills.

Professor Maher says: “Participation in sport can support children to develop physically, socially, emotionally and cognitively.” Sport can improve a child’s motor skills – the ability to make movements with their muscles – and cardiovascular (heart and blood vessels) fitness, reduce their risk of becoming overweight or obese, and increase bone and muscle strength. Engaging in sport can also improve childrens’ “mental health and wellbeing, social skills, problem-solving skills and concentration.”

These benefits can be particularly beneficial to disabled children who, on average, have poorer outcomes when it comes to physical fitness and weight management when compared to non-disabled children of the same age.

Every sport has… opportunities to succeed, and opportunities to learn to struggle.” – England boccia athlete Rafael Young

Image caption,
Rafael Young playing boccia using a head placer

Rafael Young discovered sport aged 27, after seeing the Paralympic boccia team at London 2012, but wishes he could have started earlier: “Every sport has community and competitiveness, opportunities to succeed, and opportunities to learn to struggle. That kind of resilience opportunity is such an important part of developing into adulthood, but some groups of young people, for lots of different reasons, don't always get a good chance to develop those skills. Sport in general is very precious for that.”

Alongside supporting disabled children to develop teamwork, decision making and responsibility, Professor Maher says team sports “can also help to break down barriers between disabled and non-disabled children and foster feelings of shared identity, community and belonging”.

What kind of sports could my disabled child take part in?

Disability shouldn’t be a barrier to taking part in sport, some people with disabilities may need adjustments or adaptations to take part but there is a whole world of sporting opportunity out there.

“Wheelchair basketball, blind cricket, goalball, boccia and sitting volleyball are just a few examples.” – Professor Maher

Professor Maher says: “There are a growing number of sports that have been developed for disabled people. Many of these sports are tailored to the needs and abilities of disabled children. Wheelchair basketball, blind cricket, goalball, and sitting volleyball are just a few examples. The best thing about these sports is that disabled and non-disabled children can play, even compete, with and against each other.”

Some other examples of inclusive sports include those in the Super Movers for Every Body collection:

Para athletics: they’ve been part of the Paralympic Games since 1960, and include track and field events, wheelchair racing, discus, shot put and javelin, among others.
Blind football: all outfield players wear blindfolds and use their listening skills to locate a ball fitted with internal bells to shoot into goal.
Boccia (pronounced 'Bot-cha'): a Paralympic sport introduced in 1984. Two sides play indoors and, like bowls, the aim of the game is to get your ball closer to the jack than your opponent. Players are seated and the ball can be thrown, kicked, or rolled down a ramp onto the court.

Boccia is particularly inclusive - everyone plays boccia, disabled people don’t play an 'adapted' form of boccia, they just play boccia. Rafael says: “Absolutely everybody that wants to can play. There is no impairment or severity of impairment… that can stop somebody from being able to participate in some way to some degree.”

There’s the added benefit that if a child uses a ramp to roll the ball down, they may have a ramp operator who places the ball for them. That person can often be the child’s parent, who must follow the player’s instructions, thereby giving the child a sense of control and autonomy they may not have experienced before.

Find out more about the sports and activities your child could take part in, with the Super Movers for Every Body resources.

What adjustments could be made if me or my child is feeling anxious to try inclusive sport?

You might not be sporty yourself, or you or your child may feel shy or anxious about taking that step towards joining a sport or club. These so-called “internal barriers” are completely normal. Try and discuss these feelings with your child so you can find a way forward together.

It’s important to encourage and support disabled children to participate in sport from an early age to normalise it.” – Professor Maher

Rafael Young advises contacting the sports club you’re interested in via social media and asking any questions in advance: “We’ve met people coming for the first time in the car park, we’ve reserved a parking place for someone anxious about coming…”

You can also watch videos on a club’s social media feed to see how a sport is played, or via the Super Movers for Every Body website. Professor Maher also suggests (with your child’s permission) that you speak to your child’s coach or teacher about how your child feels about taking part in a sport, so that you can work on solutions.

He adds: “It’s important to encourage and support disabled children to participate in sport from an early age to normalise it. Games should be fun, creative, involve choice, and involve parents as active participants, as these can build confidence and motivation to continue participating.

“Encouraging participation, providing positive feedback, setting goals with your child, and celebrating successes and achievements are also important for improving self-confidence and are important motivators for continued engagement in sport.”

Don’t worry – whilst it’s good for you and your child to do physical activities together, you don’t have to physically join them. You can also be their champion on the sidelines.

How can I find an inclusive sports club for my disabled child?

Professor Maher advises searching online: “Activity Alliance, Youth Sport Trust and Sport England websites are useful starting points. So, too, are the websites of national governing bodies of sport, such as British Blind Sport, UK Deaf Sport, Cerebral Palsy Sport, Wheelpower and Boccia [UK].” You can also use the Disability Wales, Scottish Disability Sport (SDS) and Disability Sport NI websites as well as ParalympicsGB’s Every Body Moves online search tool, which is designed to enable you to search for local activities. Links to these organisations and more can be found in the Super Movers for Every Body article on How to get into Paralympic sports.

What if I can’t afford for my child to join sports clubs?

Both Rafael Young and Professor Maher concede there are challenges for parents of disabled children wanting to take part in sport, including “inaccessible facilities, limited local opportunities, transport and cost”. Rafael says most clubs will offer a free taster session and whilst, for boccia, there are weekly or monthly fees, they try to keep that amount low, and will always support a family if they can’t afford to pay. You can use the Family Fund towards sport, and the Youth Sport Trust may be able to help with equipment. Some clubs also have equipment to loan.

And, of course, you can always do stuff at home too to get your child into sport. Professor Maher says: “For many children, home is a safe, secure, and familiar place where they are surrounded by their loved ones. While space and equipment may be limited, creativity does not have to be.” Javelins made out of kitchen roll tubes, anyone?

This Parents' Toolkit article can help you learn more about adapting sports to a home environment.

That’s not all, we want to help all children and everybody to enjoy being active and feel good. Super Movers for Every Body created an inclusive collection of follow-along songs and dances for families. They’re short, sweet, super catchy, and just the ticket for five minutes of daily movement.