#Newsround #playground #accessibility #disabilityawareness

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A charity is calling on the government to make sure all children have access to playgrounds.

Newsround has spoken to two children who say they are not able to play in their local playgrounds.

Research for Scope (who campaign for equality for disabled people) released in May 2022 found almost half of families (49%) feel their local playground is not accessible.

They questioned 1,000 parents of disabled children aged under 12 in England and Wales.

One in seven parents said they could not enjoy the playground as a family because siblings could not play together.

Scope is calling for national governments to put aside a pot of money to improve and refurbish playgrounds.

More than 31,000 people have signed a petition from the charity calling on the UK government to support accessible play.

What is the difference between accessible and inclusive?
An accessible playground is one which can be accessed easily by wheelchairs.

An inclusive playground is designed to include children with different disabilities so they can enjoy the equipment and play equally.

What makes an inclusive playground?

For Seth, the thing he remembers enjoying most when he was younger were games that children with more limited mobility could use.

He says he'd like to see things like brain teasers to make playgrounds more inclusive.

Tobias agrees that there needs to be equipment that children with a variety of disabilities can use and he also points out that it's important accessible equipment is not put in a separate area.

"It's also really important that this equipment is alongside the current equipment so we can enjoy using the equipment next to our friends and family," he added.

Scope gives five simple changes that would improve the accessibility of playgrounds. The charity says these would help enrich disabled children's lives across the country, but it also says that councils should consult with children that live in the local area.

1.Replace turnstiles and narrow gates with wider entrances and nearby drop curbs, so disabled children can get in. This makes the site more accessible for everyone, whether you're using mobility aids, or pushing a pram, or just need some extra room!

2.Include play equipment that can be used by wheelchair users, like accessible roundabouts or step-free structures you can roll onto.3.Avoid woodchip, gravel, and hard concrete floor surfaces. This way, children who fall more easily and wheelchair users can enjoy the playground, too.

4.Have a fence around the playground. This means children who might not be aware of the dangers of nearby roads are safe to have fun.

5.Include a range of sensory play equipment full of engaging colour, textures, and sound. This encourages all children with different sensory needs to play and explore.

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: "We are committed to improve opportunities for all children and young people to play and, in particular, to support inclusive play.

They told Newsround every local council in Wales, has to "assess for and secure sufficient play opportunities for all children, taking account of the needs of all children."

"The Welsh Government has made over £34m revenue funding available to local authorities to enable them to support the provision of play opportunities.

A spokesperson for the UK government said:

"All children deserve the same access to playgrounds and councils must think carefully about how to make them inclusive.

"We have given councils extra funding this year so they can improve their local areas, including playgrounds."

Figures from Northern Ireland show a similar picture to England and Wales. There are no up to date figures for Scotland, but last year the Scottish government gave a £60 million investment in renewing play parks across the nation.

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