Taking part in any kind of sport can bring a sense of achievement, social connection and emotional wellbeing.
This is especially important for children and young people, and particularly for those with special educational needs and disability (SEND).
Did you know that only 17.2% of SEND children feel like that they have the opportunity to be active, compared to 39.2% of their non-disabled peers, according to the Youth Sport Trust charity?
But, thankfully, sessions for SEND children are growing across the borough.
All kinds of sport, and swimming
A new SEND multi-sports session for 8-16 year-olds started up earlier this year at Greenford Sports Centre, in Southall, to encourage more SEND children and young people to take part in sports and exercise.
Brentford FC Community Sports Trust runs the sessions, supported by Ealing Council.
Chris Tribe is the disability sports manager for the trust. He said: “It’s important to be able to offer these sessions and we’d love to see more young people coming along. We offer a variety of different sports each week and it is a really friendly, welcoming and inclusive environment and offers the opportunity to build new friendships too.”
The sessions cost £8. For more information, and to discuss your child’s specific needs, email Chris: ctribe@brentfordfccst.com
A similar, free sports programme is run at Northolt Leisure Centre by Motion4Kids for 16-25 year-olds. Call 0207 993 9883 or go to the Young Ealing website.
And, that’s not all. There are inclusive swimming sessions available at both Dormers Wells Leisure Centre in Southall, and the Acton Centre. These are generally quieter sessions and can be more suitable for children living with a disability, SEND, neurodivergence and other long term health conditions.
‘I felt listened to and supported’
Selina Eshun, along with other SEND parents, asked the council and the other organisers to re-introduce these sessions after they had stopped during the Covid-19 pandemic.
She said: “I’m very grateful for the support we received in getting these sessions back, I felt listened to and supported. These sessions are important to us as a family. General swim sessions can be very overwhelming for someone with SEND.”
Selina won the Inclusive and Active accolade at Ealing Sports Awards last year. She is a mother to 2 children with SEND.
‘It’s amazing’
Selina added: “These sessions are so affordable and we can walk there too. And they are at a convenient time. SEND activities are too often really early, or late in the day, and it doesn’t always work for families.
“My son loves being in water; that’s when I really see him smile. It’s lovely to see him be so free in these sessions – it’s amazing.”
Meanwhile, Selina’s daughter has also enjoyed the SEND-friendly cricket sessions that run at the leisure centre.
She is also part of the council’s Youth Social Network which is a forum for young people with additional needs aged 13 to 25. The group meets regularly to discuss events, concerns, build friendships, and to represent other young people in the borough and introduce positive change in the community.
