Publications - Play for all

Providing play facilities for disabled children

This document in pdf format (Dessa_Play_Report.pdf 2.44MB)

Contents

Acknowledgements

Play forAll was commissioned by DESSA as a companion publication to Access Inside Out: A Guide to Making Community Facilities Accessible. The idea for the play guidelines germinated from discussions with Richard Webb, of Sugradh, who produced a comprehensive research document, Public Play Provision for Children with Disabilities. Play for All draws heavily on material in Public Play Provision for Children with Disabilities and we are very grateful to Richard Webb for the valuable contribution he made at the initial stage of this project. Play for all was edited by Maureen Gilbert, and DESSA would like to thank her sincerely for her expertise and commitment to the organisation and its work.

DESSA would also like to acknowledge the generous assistance and contributions of the following people who provided input and feedback during the drafting of these guidelines:

A sincere thank you to everyone for their contributions. DESSA gratefully acknowledges the financial assistance of Citizens Information Board, the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and the Family Support Agency in the production of these guidelines. Finally, a word of thanks to the DESSA Board of Management and staff for overseeing and implementing this project.

Pictures in this document have been kindly reproduced with permission from Go Play Ltd. Ireland. Thanks to the parents and children who participated in the DESSA CIP Consultation in The Ark, Dublin 2, 2006.

Foreword

As Chairperson of DESSA it gives me great pleasure to welcome the publication of Play for all: Providing Play Facilities for Disabled Children.

Play for all aims to support Community Development Projects, Family Resource Centres and other community development organisations in ensuring their play facilities are accessible and welcoming to all children. This publication should also be of assistance to planners, architects, local authority staff and interested individuals in understanding the challenges of inclusive play design. While many planners and architects are aware of inclusive design, there is still uncertainty regarding the design characteristics and elements of inclusive play spaces.

Play for all identifies ways to address play and disability issues and provides practical information in the design and outfitting of truly inclusive play spaces. It also demonstrates the importance of play for disabled children and distinguishes play from therapeutic activity.

According to the National Disability Strategy everyone has the right to participate in economic, social and cultural activities on an equal basis. It is our vision that all children will be given the opportunity to play together in challenging and fun environments, irrespective of their social backgrounds or level of ability.

Jacqui Browne Chairperson DESSA

An Introduction to DESSA

Established in 2000, DESSA, the Disability Equality Specialist Support Agency is a national agency working with community development organisations.

DESSA’s mission is to support the inclusion and active participation of disabled people in Irish life through community development methodologies. Underpinning DESSA’s strategic plan is an inclusive equality framework, setting out three areas of action – capacity building, policy development and networking – within which support is given to community development organisations to facilitate inclusive actions.

DESSA operates within the Community Development Programme (Department of Community, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs) and the Community & Family Services Resource Centres Programme (Family Support Agency, Department of Social & Family Affairs). Community development organisations such as Community Development Projects (CDPs) and Family Resource Centres (FRCs) play a vital role in ensuring the inclusion and equal participation of disabled people within their communities.

In 2005 DESSA published Access Inside Out: A Guide to Making Community Facilities Accessible. Following the success of this publication and the interest generated in the area of access, DESSA decided to publish a complement guide exploring the issue of accessible and inclusive play spaces for disabled children and their families. Play for all: Providing Play Facilities for DisabledChildren will provide those working in the community & voluntary sector and the statutory sector, in particular local authorities, with a practical resource in enabling disabled children to experience the same play and leisure opportunities as their non-disabled peers.

Alice Griffin Manager DESSA

01 Introduction

What this publication is about

Play for all aims to help Family Resource Centres (FRCs), Community Development Projects (CDPs) and other small community-based organisations to ensure that outdoor play facilities associated with their premises and centre-based activities, or any others that they use, are accessible and welcoming to all disabled children living in their local areas.

Sometimes community-based organisations can feel daunted by the topic and can find it hard to know where to start. Play for all offers community-based projects:

What this publication is not

Play for all does not give much information about indoor play. It concentrates mostly on outdoor play facilities.

Play for all does not go into any detail about access legislation or how to provide better general access to premises and services for people with disabilities. For more information on these important topics get a free copy of Access Inside Out from DESSA (see page 38 for contact details)

02 What is play and why is it important?

Play is vital to the development and well being of all children. According to the National Playing Fields Association (UK),

“play is freely chosen, personally directed, intrinsically motivated behaviour that actively engages the child”.

The meaning of this definition is important for all children, but especially for disabled children, as it distinguishes play from therapy, games, sports, arts and other activities initiated and directed by adults. More than that, play:

  • is the way that all children learn about themselves and the world in which they live
  • is a positive end in itself
  • influences children’s social, physical, intellectual, creative and emotional capacity.

Outdoor play, in particular, helps to children to develop realistic awareness of risk and danger while also keeping them active and healthy.

Variety is one of the most important aspects of children’s play. A good play environment offers a richness of opportunity that allows each child to exercise choice and to explore and develop safely at their own pace. It also offers them the chance to play alone or with others.

According to the UK Children’s Play Council a good play facility will:

  • extend the choice and control that children have over their play, the freedom they enjoy and the satisfaction they gain from it
  • recognise the child’s need to test boundaries and respond positively to that need
  • manage the balance between the need to offer risk and the need to keep the child safe from harm
  • maximise the range of play opportunities
  • foster independence and self-esteem
  • foster children’s respect for others and offer opportunities for social interaction
  • foster children’s well-being, healthy growth and development, knowledge and understanding, creativity and capacity to learn.
children playing on a see saw

Disabled children are a diverse group

(Best Play: What Play Provision should do for children, Children’s Play Council (CPC), National Playing Fields Association (NPFA), Playlink, 2000)

Want to know more?

Download Best Play from www.ncb.org.uk/cpc

Why is play particularly important for disabled children?

All the aspects of play listed above are especially important for disabled children because:

  • inaccessible environments may limit their choice of places to go and things to do
  • the nature of their impairments may limit their opportunities for stimulating, exciting or challenging activities
  • if they go to special schools or are in hospital a lot they may have very little chance to mix with local children
  • well-meaning adults may feel the need to protect them and not give them as much chance as other children get to take risks and test boundaries – or even to get dirty!

Can all children use the same play facilities?

The traditional way of thinking about disability (often called the medical model) holds that disabled children are a special group with complex needs, and that they need to play in special places and in particular ways.

The more accurate way of thinking, adopted by community-based projects and many other progressive groups and known as the social model, says simply that disabled children are children first and that they need the same opportunities for play, variety, socialising and challenge as all other children.

children playing on a seated structure

All children are individuals, and they all play in their own way. Children do not need to be able to access and use play spaces in exactly the same way, but they are all fundamentally entitled to go out to play and to meet each other if they want to (just as families with both disabled and non-disabled members have the right to do things together). Until recently the needs and requirements of disabled children were not fully considered in the planning and design of play spaces, and that made it harder for them to join in. It prevented disabled children and their parents from building the relationships and networks that bind communities together and promote social inclusion.

Whether every child can use every piece of equipment in a play space is less important then ensuring that every child has access to the social experience of play.

Community-based projects need to remember, too, that disabled children can experience barriers other than inaccessible play equipment. Attitudinal, institutional and social barriers can have a very detrimental impact on whether a disabled child uses their local playground or not.

So really it’s all about inclusive play:

“Inclusion means everyone having the right to choose to take a full part in all local services – and in being equally welcomed and able to do so. Inclusive provision is open and accessible to all and takes positive action in removing disabling barriers so that disabled and non-disabled children can participate.”

(It doesn’t just happen: inclusive management for inclusive play, Philip Douche, KIDSactive, 2002)

Inclusive play is not about meeting “special needs”; it’s about meeting all children’s needs in the same place and in a variety of different ways. (Pick & Mix: a Selection of Inclusive Games and Activities, Di Murray, 200)

wheelchair bound child in a playground

These ideas are also contained in some important policies and laws. Some of the most relevant ones are:

  • Article 3 of the UN Declaration of the Rights of the Child (1989) which asserts that play is a fundamental right of children
  • The Equal Status Acts, 2000-2004, which outlaw discrimination in the provision of services, including play spaces. The law requires service providers to make reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities
  • Objective J of the National Children’s Strategy (2000) says that “children with a disability will be entitled to the services they need to achieve their full potential”
  • Objective Four of the National Play Policy (200) is “to maximise the range of public play opportunities available to children, particularly children who are marginalised or disadvantaged or who have a disability”.

Local authorities and other statutory providers also need to comply with the access requirements of the Disability Act, 2005. The Act, however, does not apply to community-based projects.

Want to know more?

The Equal Status Acts are very important because they are legally binding. For more information on how they apply to community-based projects get a copy of Access Inside Out from DESSA. The National Play Policy and the National Children’s Strategy can be downloaded from www.nco.ie

03 How to make sure that disabled children can participate in play

children playing on a seated activity

All children, whether or not they have a disability, use play spaces differently. Some are adventurous, others are more timid. In free play children choose how they play and what they play with. It is important that child with disabilities and their families feel welcome in the play space and that they can join in play with others if they want to.

Developing play spaces that can be used by all children, disabled or not, is as much about the design of the space as it is about having the “right” equipment, whether fixed or temporary. It’s important to remember that play takes place in the head: most play equipment is just the starting point for play (imagination, experimentation, creativity etc). Play equipment is not an end in itself, and its presence is no guarantee that play will actually take place.

It is useful to remember that physical play involves one or both of two sets of skills:

  • gross motor skills, such as running, climbing, swinging, rocking, sliding, spinning and balancing
  • fine motor skills, which involve more precise touch, and which are developed through activities such as sand and water play and tactile games.

In addition to enabling these activities to occur, good play spaces will also stimulate children’s senses of sight, touch, taste and smell. When children get the opportunity to play together they will often begin to practise imaginative play in a natural way.

Disabled children may need different levels of support to enable them to use play spaces. Some may need assistance to use some of the equipment. Others may benefit from the provision of some specific kinds of equipment. But what’s essential is that the available types of play experiences and activities allow the majority of children to join in most activities, without the whole play area being obviously “for the disabled” or with a “disability corner”. An accessible play space is one in which disabled children can play freely with others, whether disabled or not.

Different disabilities, different abilities

Disabled children may need help to learn their individual capacity to use the facility and to develop new ways of playing. For some children play does not emerge as naturally and informally as it does for others. Most children learn to play simply by imitating the play of others but some disabled children have to devise new ways of playing. This is easier to do if the design of the facility encourages experiment and alternative uses.

Disabled children and play: some things to consider

Play spaces should meet the play and recreational needs of all children. Different facilities placed close to each other will encourage imitation and will lead less confident children easily from one activity to the next.

Many people think disability equals wheelchair use. In fact, only a very small percentage of disabled children use wheelchairs. Many others have reduced mobility or manual dexterity, poor physical co-ordination, vision or hearing impairments, emotional and behavioural or learning difficulties. But community-based projects don’t need to know everything about all these forms of impairment or worry about “making mistakes” or “getting things wrong”. It is far more important to identify the barriers that prevent children from using play spaces and to try to find ways to overcome them.

Most manufacturers and suppliers now provide play items on a “pick-and-mix” basis. This means that playgrounds can provide a range of experiences for disabled children similar to those enjoyed by others.

Here are some general issues which may be relevant to your community-based project:

Children with physical impairments may:

  • have difficulty with long distances, steps, steep slopes
  • be unsteady on their feet and liable to slip or trip
  • have greater space requirements than other children – wheelchairs and walkers are rigid objects that can’t breathe in to squeeze through a narrow space
  • find it hard to push heavy objects
  • find it hard to hold on to or grip ropes/poles
  • be unable to use some kinds of traditional play equipment.

children playing with a crawling net children playing on see saws

Much of the play equipment available in Ireland is imported from the UK, US and European companies which adhere to their own countries’ legislation and guidelines for inclusive design.

Big D-shaped hand grips, especially on moving items such as seesaws and spring rockers, help to stabilise children with poor balance. Rocking and seesawing in a sitting position requires active use of the muscles around the hips. Wide seats and good hand grips are a great help. For children who cannot sit up a gentle swing in a net, hammock or cantilever swing basket may be a possibility. Play equipment that allows children to secure themselves by leaning against something is useful for many kids with physical impairments, as well as for nervous or hesitant children.

Where possible, children who use wheelchairs every day should be facilitated to participate in play activities, out of their wheelchairs. Comfortable, ergonomically correct seating with good support at the feet stabilises the rest of the body. Seats in corners with two firm sides give support to the body and leave the hands free for manipulative play.

Among the play items you could consider providing are:

  • spring rockers with side and back support, broad footrests, and D-shaped handgrips. Some children will need to be held by a person sitting behind them
  • swings with back and side support, such as cantilever basket swings, net “hammocks”, group swings, “car seat” swings
group swing basket swing

Loughrea Playground, Co. Galway

  • slides with transfer platforms close by, double-width slides to accommodate friend or carer, embankment slides
  • climbers with roomier platforms, broader stairs, handles, ground level activities and play panels, overhead bars that can be reached from a wheelchair, sloping net climbers, holes in floor for grips
  • spinners at ground level and centrifugal types with an off-centre seat.

Many low-level crawling and climbing nets, tunnels and tubes can be used by children with significant mobility impairments. They find it easier to climb on sloping netting than on vertical netting, which also allows an adult to assist and take part in the activity.

Children with intellectual impairments

Some children may find complex layouts difficult to navigate, may have difficulty taking turns or may display what appears to be a lack of awareness of or a heightened sensitivity to other children.

Among the play items you could consider providing are:

  • ground level activities, such as balance beams, spring rockers, adventure trails
  • play items that need co-operation and eye contact, such as seesaws, group swings
  • role play activities, including a dressing up box on your playground
  • pictograms explaining how play items may be used.

Children with impaired vision may:

Holes in steps for better grip Good handgrips

  • be better able to find their way with clues such as kerb edging on paths, changes in textures underfoot, colour contrast etc.
  • need to hear important information that other children might just see
  • be less active on playgrounds than sighted children. Activities which encourage repetition can help to build up their experience and confidence. Consistent colour coding will help them to identify particular activities and facilities, such as toilets and exits.

Play items with good colour contrast

Among the play items you could consider providing are:

  • mirrors
  • tactile (touch) play panels
  • play items which involve sound
  • play items with consistent and good colour contrast.

Some equipment that makes sounds can become boring quite quickly, while other sound equipment is fragile and vulnerable to vandalism. Choose robust items which can be used in more than one way (e.g. tube phones, sound reflectors).

Other impairments

Children with hearing impairments may not be able to hear other kids’ voices or adults’ instructions. They may be particularly unaware of things going on behind them, and may need to see important information that other children can hear. Well-designed play spaces and equipment, and clear, easy-to-understand information boards, may help. Safety-related audible effects, such as gravel surrounds, can be designed into the playground.

Ramps Transfer platform Spring rocker

Children with autism spectrum disorder will appreciate quiet places where they can rest, hang out or play on their own. Muted colours are best here. And don’t forget that lots of children have asthma, hayfever and other breathing difficulties, so take care in choosing plants near the play space. Building for Everyone (see page 38) contains a lists of plants to use or avoid.

It’s important to remember that it’s not just children who have a recognised disability who can find play spaces too challenging. Overweight, shy, gangly, frail, hesitant or nervous children, along with children who wear glasses, can also find play spaces daunting. A range of activities to choose from, ways of getting off equipment that turns out to be too scary or difficult, places to get away from other kids: all these will encourage these children to give your playground a try, and to experience success.

Play experiences for all children

Sand and water are great play materials for children of all ages and abilities.

Creating a sensory space will allow children to develop their smell, taste and tactile senses. Huts, play houses and shelters offer all children the opportunity to chill out, chat, play fantasy games, rest or be alone for a while.

Inclusive design

“Special” design features often stand out and almost advertise their difference. This doesn’t help anyone! Inclusive design is the name given to the principles of making sure that, to the greatest extent possible, places, products and services are flexible and useable by everybody in comfort and safety.

Play items with good colour contrast Colours and contrast guide the child

Community-based projects often find it useful to put together a short statement of commitment to the principles of inclusive design and services. It is a very handy tool to have when dealing with design professionals, suppliers of play equipment etc. Showing them your statement of commitment to inclusive design lets professionals know that you are serious about inclusion, and help to ensure that your principles are carried through to the finished product.

Sand and water play

Want to know more?

Want to know more about how to draw up a statement of commitment to inclusive design? Get a copy of Access Inside Out from DESSA.

04 Consulting with children

Children and young people know their own needs and are full of creativity and ideas. The challenge for adults is to welcome them into the planning process and to make sure that their input is given due consideration. It is the children in the area who will be using the playground, so it is vital to get their views of what is required, and where. Children who are out and about a lot often know more about their neighbourhood than older people do!

Asking questions like “what playground equipment would you like?” will get you only limited responses. It is perhaps more important to ask questions like “where do you play?” and “what do you do when you play?”, as these will stimulate more creative responses and lead to more imaginative play spaces. Taking children to playgrounds outside their area can also help to stimulate ideas. Ask about other needs and concerns, such as safety, traffic etc.

Involving children and teenagers at the planning and design stages helps to increase their sense of ownership of the play space and may reduce the risk of vandalism later on.

Including disabled children in consultation

Whether they are known to you or not, there are already disabled children and their families in your community. A lot of children and young people with disabilities are socially isolated. Many go to special schools or attend specialist services with a wide catchment area, so they may have few local friends. To get in touch with these children and to find out what they want and need you will have to harness the help and support of their parents and the specialist services. But make sure that you talk to the children directly.

Are your parents accurate judges of what you like to do with your time? It’s the same for disabled children! Ask them what would make the play area useable and fun. You may well discover that all children have very similar expectations for play.

If you are using practical methods of gathering children’s views, remember that not all children can see or speak clearly, and that some will need assistance to write or draw.

Want to know how to consult children effectively?

Here are a few ideas:

  • Involve children from the start of the project. That way you should be able to avoid costly mistakes.
  • Use a variety of approaches. Meetings are not very child-centred or interesting. See page 23 for one practical method of gathering children’s ideas.
  • Put aside the adults’ agenda and listen to what children say with as much openness as you can. Children are great at thinking outside the conventional box!
  • Be creative. Use drama, stories, writing, drawing, models etc in your consultation with children. Ask the question: what would you like your play area to feel like?
  • Visit other projects – such as community or disability service providers – who have expertise in working with disabled children. Talk to the children there, not just the workers! Bring local children with you when you go to visit other playgrounds or projects.
  • Children need quick results so they can see and experience the effects of their involvement. Always give children feedback and let them know what has happened about their ideas.
  • Avoid raising unrealistic expectations.

Want to use a creative way of harnessing children’s views?

One way to do it is to use Playing for Real. This involves producing a table-top model of the area, preferably made by children. It doesn’t have to be 100% accurate. It can be made from cardboard and cornflake packets coloured with paints or magic markers. The children write or illustrate their suggestions for the area on Post-Its and then stick them onto the relevant part of the model. The model can be put on display in an FRC/CDP or other suitable location, so that other children can comment on the suggestions or add their own. The exercise can also be done in a school. It is useful for involving children who may not be confident in expressing their views.

The Children’s Society in the UK has produced a CD-ROM called How to Ask Us, which focuses on consulting children with disabilities using a multi-media approach which allows children who cannot speak or write to express their views by presenting their messages using video, music, art, photography, animation, stories, interviews and discussion.

To find out more log onto www.the-childrens-society.org.uk

Ramps should always lead to a meaningful play experience Ramps wheelchair bound child

05 Safety and risk

“All children both need and want to take risks in order to explore limits, venture into new experiences and develop their capacities, from a very young age and from their earliest play experiences. Children would never learn to walk, climb stairs or ride a bicycle unless they were strongly motivated to respond to challenges involving a risk of injury. Disabled children have an equal if not greater need for opportunities to take risks, since they may be denied the freedom of choice enjoyed by their non-disabled peers.”

(Managing Risk in Play Provision, Children’s Play Council, 2000.) To get a copy log onto www.ncb.org.uk

It is neither possible nor desirable to have “risk-free” playgrounds, because taking risks is an integral part of play. No child, including a disabled child, can be wrapped up in cotton wool and kept safe from all risk. The fear of being sued is part of today’s climate, so everyone who runs a playground has to strike a balance between that and accepting that there is a degree of risk in all play. Some people who run playgrounds fear that the costs of managing risk for disabled children would be too high and the chances of being sued would be too great. Yet campaign groups stress that many parents would rather have their children encounter risk than put up with exclusion.

The challenge for people who run playgrounds is to manage the level of risk so that children are given the chance to test and develop their abilities without being exposed to unacceptable risk. To do that you need to think about your play policy and include procedures and good practice guidelines which help to manage risk in the play area. Among other things you need to consider:

  • appropriate levels of supervision
  • the provision of appropriate equipment
  • structural aspects of the play area
  • on-going maintenance of equipment

Want to know more about consulting children and adults with disabilities?

Get a copy of Ask Me: Guidelines for effective consultation with people with disabilities. Download it free from www.nda.ie or get a free copy from the NDA (see page 38). It is available in ordinary print, large print, on tape, on diskette and in braille.

Want to know more?

There are two European and Irish Standards that apply to the safety features of playground equipment and surfacing:

  • ISEN 76 Playground Equipment
  • ISEN 77 Playground Safety Surfacing

A balance needs to be struck between providing children with exciting and stimulating play spaces and giving consideration to safety issues. A playground that is too dull or boring won’t be used or, more worryingly, may be trashed or used inappropriately. The balance of safety and risk is an area in which common sense must prevail – it’s not an exact science.

“Safety in play provision is not absolute and cannot be addressed in isolation. Play provision is first and foremost for children, and if it is not exciting and attractive to them, then it will fail, no matter how ‘safe’ it is. Designers, managers and providers will need to reach compromises in meeting these sometimes conflicting goals. These compromises are a matter ofjudgement, not of mechanistic assessment.”

(Managing Risk in Play Provision, Children’s Play council, 2000.)

All outdoor playground equipment produced in Europe and used in Ireland should conform to European and Irish standards. Ask your suppliers to provide certificated confirmation for your chosen playground surfacing and each play item. Remember, though, that by their nature standards are based on averages, so they should not be the only criteria you use when planning play spaces or choosing equipment.

Taking a risk is a balancing actA play area should be funRisk and dynamic movement

two children playing on a swing

06 Planning and designing a playground for all children to play in

Planning and designing a playground for all children to play in

If you are setting up a playground you need to be sure that you make the most of the resources available to you. The following checklist, adapted from More than Swings and Roundabouts – Planning for Outdoor Play (Children’s Play Council, 2002) may be of assistance.

  • Are the right people involved? Local authorities, partnership companies and local voluntary community groups may all have a part to play
  • How can the area be made more child-friendly and also accessible for those with disabilities?
  • Are you getting maximum benefit from the involvement of children and young people, especially disabled children?
  • Are you addressing the potential barriers, such as insurance, security, conflicting priorities?

Getting started

There is a lot more to playground design than just selecting fixed equipment from a supplier’s catalogue! Many modern items of play equipment are designed to cater for disabled users, but play equipment isn’t everything. Within a play space it’s really the equivalent of furniture in a room. It doesn’t make the whole play space.

A play area that consists of just a few items of fixed equipment in a level area of rubber matting has little to hold a child’s interest. A play area should be fun. It should be magical and should stimulate children’s imaginations. There should be sand and water, boulders and logs to play with, slopes to roll down, places to hide, things to challenge, sounds, light and colour, plants, flowers and insects.

Begin designing the play area by asking yourself:

  • Who is the play area for and how do you want the play area to feel?
  • What ages and developmental levels will it need to cater for?

Spring Rocker, Loughrea Playground, Co. Galwayspring rocker

Getting into the playground

A playground designed with the principle of universal access (see page 9) in mind would:

  • be on a level site, have a mixture of light and shade and not be too exposed or in a wind tunnel
  • have a path that is not too steep leading to it that is firm underfoot with no trip hazards or obstacles (these principles also apply to paths inside the play space)
  • have a gate at least 200 mm wide, to accommodate a wheelchair (remember, some parents may also be disabled). The gate should not be too heavy. Gates should have a spring closing mechanism so that they are not open all the time. This is particularly important if the playground is to be used by children with autistic spectrum disorder
  • have signs which give tactile and pictorial information. Not all children can see or read print.

Choosing the right surface for your play area

The best play surfaces are firm, non-slip, rubberised tiles or a “wet pour” rubber crumb surface. These can be obtained in different colours and shapes, and ground game markings, such as hopscotch, can be added. Surfaces like these are suitable for wheelchair users and children with mobility impairments. They can be more expensive than other surfacing materials, however.

Never put a hard surface under any play item, no matter what its height. Loose-fill materials (e.g. sand, bark, pea gravel) are not suitable for general surfaces in inclusive playgrounds because of the barriers they present to physically-disabled children. It is OK to use them, though, in specific situations, such as sand play areas, or to put a bark surface beneath a cable runway.

It is useful to remember that by using different colours and textures to indicate circulation areas, including steps and changes of level, and areas around equipment, help vision impaired children to orientate themselves and find their way around (see page 8).

Want to know more about how to design paths, gates etc?

Borrow a copy of Building for Everyone from your local library, or buy one (price €5) from the National Disability Authority (see page 38 for contact details)

Accessible surfacing

Accessible surfacing

Provided that it is well drained and maintained, grass is acceptable under play equipment that is less than one metre high. Most playgroups may only need a grass area, with some sand and water play, to provide a low-cost play area with high play value.

Choosing equipment for inclusive play

In choosing equipment, the most important consideration is providing access to the social experience of play for all children. No play space will have equipment which is completely compatible to every child. Factors such as age, height etc will influence the use of each aspect of the play space.

Ideally a playground should offer a sufficient range of equipment to allow use and development of both gross and fine motor skills (see page ). As many items as possible should be useable by the broadest range of children, even though they may not all use the same equipment in the same way. Children with all levels of ability should be able to find a sufficient amount of things to play with in every playground. See pages 5-9 for examples of equipment that is suitable for children with various impairments.

Of course, you will make sure that all the equipment you choose conforms to appropriate safety standards (see page 26). But remember that safety isn’t the only – or, perhaps, always the most important – issue. If the play space isn’t interesting no-one will want to play there.

As previously noted, playgrounds aren’t just about equipment. For example, they should also include quieter areas where children may hang out, relax, read or talk. Willow domes, natural areas and other spaces that are partially enclosed but open to view by adults are all suitable for this purpose. Areas like these can provide children with spaces to chill out, away from the buzz of the main play space.

And remember to include seats for adults in the playground. Seats with backrests will suit older and disabled adults. Fixed benches should be designed to allow for access by wheelchair users.

Accessible surfacing, Loughrea Playground

Seating in Loughrea Playground, Co. Galway

When planning the layout of the playground try to ensure that there is a “flow of play” from one item to the next. Easy access and exit will assist this flow. It is better to group age-appropriate play items together (e.g. toddlers’ items separate from those for older children) rather than having a scatter of play equipment.

Inclusive design checklist

The checklist below will help you to make sure that your playground facilitates the participation of all children. For detailed information about choosing and designing paths, gates, seating etc., consult Building for Everyone (see page 38).

In your playground make sure that:

  • the path to the playground is firm, is no steeper than :20 and is wide enough to allow for wheelchair access
  • the gate is wheelchair accessible
  • there is a firm surface between and beneath play items
  • at least one each of the main play activities – swinging, sliding, rocking, climbing etc – is accessible to children with mobility, learning and sensory impairments
  • there is a flow of play from one item to the next
  • the equipment “finishes the loop”, so that children with mobility impairments or wheelchair users finish a play route near to where they began
  • there are ground-level play items, e.g. activity panels, mirrors, speaking tubes
  • there are on-the-ground graphics, such as hopscotch

It’s not always about the equipment!

 

Want to know more about seating etc in open spaces such as playgrounds?

Borrow a copy of Building for Everyone from your local library, or buy one (price €5) from the National Disability Authority (see page 38 for contact details)

  • colour contrast is used to distinguish entrances, access onto equipment, steps and areas such as the ends of slides and the position of swings
  • areas for different age groups are separate from each other
  • at least some seating has back and arm rests
  • sand and water play is available and accessible (in playgrounds with controlled access).

Ask yourself:

  • are there opportunities for both lone play and group play?
  • are there opportunities for creative and social play?

The fun part – buying the equipment

Once you have a general idea of what equipment you would like to provide, the next step is to look at what’s available. The Sugradh website, www.playireland.ie, includes details of Irish suppliers. Get their catalogues, have a look their websites and ask other groups running playgrounds what they would recommend for inclusive play. Quiz them about their satisfaction with the equipment and the companies which supply it. Talk to DESSA. But when you have done all that, you still have to choose. What’s the best way of doing that?

The information in this booklet will help you to choose. Consider also these points:

  • How easy is it for children with physical impairments to get on and off the equipment?
  • Does the item allow play at different heights?
  • How many different activities can a child do on each item? Flexible and adaptable equipment that can be used in a variety of ways has better “play value” than something that can only be used in one way.

Want to see some really good examples of playgrounds designed for inclusive play?

You could visit:

  • Jobstown, Dublin 2
  • Cabinteely Park, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin
  • Newbridge Leisure Centre, Co. Kildare
  • Fitzgerald Park, Cork City
  • Balcurris Park and Albert College Park, Ballymun, Dublin 9
  • Loughrea Playground, Co. Galway
  • Library Road, Dun Laoghaire, which is run as a partnership between the County Council and Dun Laoghaire Youth Service. It has an indoor play hall, fixed equipment outside and full-time playworkers.

Several of the new playgrounds being developed in RAPID areas in Dublin are also good examples of inclusive design.

  • Roscommon Town Park, Co. Roscommon
  • What material is it made from? Timber play equipment is popular with children. Some suppliers offer play equipment made from very tough timber that is very difficult to vandalise, cut or burn. Many play items combine timber and metal.

Looking at the issues in this way may make choosing easier!

Common mistakes

  • Nowhere to go – ramps leading nowhere
  • No way in – all raised edges, no access
  • No way back – no possibility to get off
  • Nothing to do – accessible but dull
  • Nowhere near – designs which segregate
  • No sweat – does not provide risk or challenge
  • No, I’m not a wheelchair user – designs which assume all disabled children are in wheelchairs.

Once you’ve sorted out roughly what you want you can make a shortlist of about three suppliers. Ask them to check out your site and talk to you about your needs. If you have not already done so, show them your statement of commitment of inclusive design (see page 20). They will then draw up a design. Make sure that you impress upon them that you want the playground to be accessible to children with all kinds of impairments (see pages 5-9 and also Access Inside Out for ideas about how to make sure that they get the message). You can then base your final choice on how well the designs meet your needs, what after-sales support will be provided if something needs to be fixed or replaced – and, of course, the price!

The suppliers will build the playground. Depending on arrangements with the local authority, which may take over and maintain the site, the suppliers may also provide fencing, seating and signage.

playground playground detail

When it is finished the playground will be inspected by the Irish branch of RoSPA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, www.rospa.org.uk) to make sure that it meets the relevant standards before it is handed over for use. The RoSPA playground inspector in Ireland can be contacted at rwebb@indigo.ie

All design is always a compromise. You won’t be able to get it right all the time for every eventuality. Don’t worry! Just use these guidelines and do your best.

Play for every body and mind

07 How to find out more!

Some local sources of information:

  • Access Inside Out is available free from DESSA at www.dessa.ie and is an essential guide to the basics of inclusive design. Get one now and use it in conjunction with Play for All!
  • The Sugradh website, www.playireland.ie, contains general information on setting up a playground, including lists of suppliers. It complements Play for All. The website also contains the full text of a report, Public Play Provision for Disabled children, written by Richard Webb in 200.
  • Get a copy of Ask Me: Guidelines for effective consultation with people with disabilities. Download it free from www.nda.ie or get a free copy from the National Disability Authority (NDA). It is available in ordinary print, large print, on tape, on diskette and in braille.
  • The NDA’s Building for Everyone (2002) offers best practice guidelines on promoting universal access to buildings and the environment, with sections on how to design, build and manage buildings and external environments for the inclusion, access and use of everybody.
  • The National Council for the Blind in Ireland (NCBI) can supply factsheets such as Guidelines for Blind and Vision Impaired Pre-school Children, Toys for Vision Impaired Children and Babies and Toddlers: Tips for the Early Years; www.ncbi.ie

There is a lot of practical advice available from the UK. Community groups there consider many of the following to be essential reading. Even though they are written for the British situation their general advice applies in Ireland. If you can’t get them yourself your local library should be able to source them for you. Items marked with a * are available from DESSA library (to read on the premises only).

  • The Kids publication, It Doesn’t Just Happen – inclusive management for inclusive play,* (Douche, 2002) deals with putting inclusive play into practice. The book covers the ethos of inclusion and provides guidance on how to create and improve policies and practice by going step by step through the process of planning and managing inclusive play. Each section starts with some principles of inclusive play management and goes on to outline key areas to address. Call Kids on 00 207 359 3073 to get a copy
  • More than Swings and Roundabouts: Planning for outdoor Play*, Children’s Play Council, National Children’s Bureau, (2002). Download it from www.ncb.org.uk/cpc
  • Developing Accessible Play Space: a good practice guide*. Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, 2003. London. Download it from www.odpm.gov.org
  • Play for All*, a video resource pack for staff and volunteers wanting to develop inclusive play opportunities, was produced by Belfast City Council. The information in the pack is based on the experiences of a project run by Belfast City Council, in partnership with Barnardo’s, to include disabled children in mainstream summer play schemes. Issues covered include challenging behaviour, legislation, bullying and needs assessment. The pack is available from the Play Development Officer, Belfast City Council
  • Can Play Will Play: Playgrounds for Disabled Children*, Alison John and Rob Wheway, National Playing Fields Association 200; is available to download from www.npfa.org.uk
  • Pick & Mix: a Selection of Inclusive Games and Activities, Di Murray KIDSactive, 200. To get a copy send an e-mail to orders@yps-publishing.co.uk
  • Best Play: What Play Provision should do for Children, Children’s Play Council (CPC), National Playing Fields Association (NPFA), Playlink, 2000. Download from www.ncb.org.uk/cpc
  • The National Children’s Nurseries Association produced We Like this Place: Guidelines for Best Practice in the Design of Childcare Facilities (2002), which covers both indoor and outdoor play environments and includes considerations for disabled children
  • Playing Together: Guidelines for the integration of children with impairments on playgrounds in Nuremburg, GÜnter Beltzi, Nuremburg 2006.

DESSA, Fumbally Court Fumbally Lane Dublin 8

t: 01 416 3548
f: 01 453 6861
e: info@dessa.ie
w: www.dessa.ie

DESSA, Fumbally Court, Fumbally Lane, Dublin 8.
© 2007 DESSA
Design by Language
ISBN Number 978-0-9550884-1-4

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