Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes are installing hundreds of new inclusive play areas on our developments to help young people with disabilities.
- New guide to ensure fair play for young people with disabilities
- Hundreds of new inclusive play areas to be installed around the country – first housebuilder to do so
The country’s largest housebuilder, Barratt Developments, and the UK’s leading charity for young wheelchair users Whizz Kidz, have worked together to launch a new guide for inclusive play areas for children with disabilities. Barratt is the first housebuilder in the country to launch an inclusive play design standard so that more children can enjoy play areas, off the back of its long term partnership with Whizz Kidz.
The new handbook gives guidance on how play spaces should be designed and built on new developments that is accessible for children with physical disabilities and those with neurodivergent conditions. Barratt will start to install the new inclusive play areas on all its new developments as the design standard is rolled out across the country. It is hoped that by the end of next year there will be 125 new inclusive play areas across England, Scotland and Wales, with hundreds more installed over the next few years for people of all abilities to enjoy.
Play areas provide an essential space for physical and social development in young people. However, if that space isn’t accessible to everyone, then many young disabled people are missing out on opportunities to develop crucial skills – and also the opportunity to simply have fun with their friends.
For the guide, Whizz Kidz asked young wheelchair users to identify key issues faced when using play areas. This feedback included quotes such as “It is extremely rare to find anything wheelchair accessible in most playgrounds we have visited” and “There is a lack of equipment accessible to my son in his wheelchair so he is often forced to sit on the sidelines while his brothers play or just push them on the swings.”
The new guidance prioritises three elements in play areas: i) a positive atmosphere that encourages interaction, ii) opportunities for collaboration and shared experiences, and iii) catering to diverse play styles for children with different abilities.
Sarah Pugh, chief executive of Whizz Kidz, said: “Play is vital for all children, but inaccessible playgrounds are stopping young wheelchair users and other disabled and SEND children from having fun and even building friendships, simply because they are not designed with their needs in mind.
“This guide will play an important role in setting standards for playgrounds which are both accessible and inclusive.”
David Thomas, chief executive of Barratt Developments, said: “At Barratt we want to design play spaces that are inclusive and accessible for people of all abilities to enjoy. Our long-term partnership with Whizz Kidz has been central to the development of this inclusive play guidance. Through engagement with them, we have gained valuable insights into how we can remove the barriers to play for young wheelchair users, those with disabilities and their families.”