Cerebral Palsy Sport’s aim is to raise aspirations, promote inclusion and support people with cerebral palsy and other disabilities to play, participate and enjoy sport and active recreation.
Through the ‘It’s Okay to Play Project’, the aim of CP Sport is to make it easier for people with cerebral palsy and associated physical impairments to access sport and activities, just as their siblings and peers do, in school and in the community.
To do this, CP Sport have created two new resources. One for families to use, and the second for education sector and health professionals who work with young people and adults with physical disabilities.
The resources contain key information, helpful ideas and games that will allow for both audiences to support someone with a physical disability to access sport and activity that we hope will result in them leading a happier, healthier life.
Subject to government guidance on coronavirus and returning to play, the project will help ensure that within school people with a physical disability are able to take part in PE and extracurricular activity the same way their peers do. The resources will provide teachers and those that lead PE with the tools to be able to run fully inclusive sessions and activities breaking down barriers and perceptions. The family resource will provide families and carers hints and tips on how to be active with members of the family who have a physical disability. It will provide the confidence to ‘play’ within the home setting, go into the local community and access green spaces and parks and ultimately encourage the family to be active together.
A hard copy version of the family resource leaflet is included as part of the Virtual Challenge Series pack, a new fun participation event taking place between August 2020 and January 2021. There are three themed challenges – Distance, Time and Numbers, each one lasts for one month. Participants can enter for one challenge or the full series.
CP Sport hope that the project will support people with a physical disability to fulfil their potential and enjoy the benefits of being active such as feeling happier, healthier and more confident and feeling a part of their community.
The ‘It’s Okay to Play’ project has been funded through the National Lottery Community Fund.
The resources are available to download for free from the CP Sport website here: https://www.cpsport.org/resources/resources/its-okay-to-play/