Benefits of Physical Activity of Children With Cerebral Palsy in Mainstream Schools

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Education for Children with Disabilities 

Within the United Kingdom (UK) it is the right of every child between the ages of 5 – 16 years old to receive an education, and to be offered a free place at a state school (Education and Learning, 2014). This framework extends to children and young adults with disability. The Equality Act (2010) states that it is against the law for schools and other education providers to discriminate against children with disability. (http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/part/6). 

Special education needs (SEN) is an umbrella term utilized to describe individuals who have learning difficulties or disabilities which make it harder for them to learn than most other individuals of the same age. The needs of children and young people have been categorized into four areas by the 0-25 SEND Code of Practice (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-code-of-practice-0-to-25). 

These include; 

• Communicating and interacting
• Cognition and learning
• Social, emotional and mental health difficulties 
• Sensory and/ or physical needs 

Disability exists in many children and young people who have SEN. The Equality Act (2010) defines disability as; 

‘A physical or mental impairment which has a long-term (a year or more) and substantial adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.’ 

Cerebral Palsy is classed as a disability as it is a life-long condition which needs regular input for specialists and therapists.

Individuals with disability often require higher levels of provision, to ensure they are given the same opportunities than those who are not disabled (Debenham, 2012). In order to aid the delivery of the national curriculum to children and young people with SEN, an Individual Education Plan (IEP) can be designed to optimise the education that individual receives. Using the curriculum being followed as a basis, the IEP creates strategies which are being utilised in order to help them meet their additional needs. IEP’s can be used in both mainstream schools and specialist schools. (http://www.specialeducationalneeds.co.uk/iep---individual-education-plan.html). 

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CP and Mainstream Schooling

Policies/Provisions -

Disabilities in Mainstream Schooling: “Being a Part, Not Apart”

The Council for Disabled Children (CDC) is an blanket term for a group of organizations that hold a range of perspectives on inclusion. It is a group of council members with diverse backgrounds including professionals, parent representatives and representatives of disabled people. The CDC’s main sector is based in England, but with links to other UK nations. The CDC celebrates what is working well in the education system and family life for children and young people with disabilities and impacts this with their policies (CDC 2014).  

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The CDC website can be accessed here; 

http://www.councilfordisabledchildren.org.uk

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Timeline: Schooling and Children with Disabilities 

 

 

 

   

   

 

 

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(CDC, 2014)

CDC’s Inclusion Policy

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The CDC promotes and supports the inclusion of disabled children and into mainstream school settings. The CDC believes that “with the proper support and encouragement, many more disabled children could be included into the mainstream school system” (CDC 2014, p.5). This would not only be to their benefit but also to the benefit of their peers (CDC 2014). 

The CDC believes that special schools should hold a close link to the mainstream setting so that one day all children are included into the mainstream schooling system (CDC, 2014). 

Principles include; 

“◘ a welcome for all disabled children, secure relationships and support for families when they need it;

◘ respect for difference and a commitment to building friendships and community to the benefit of everyone” 

• equality of access to play, learning, leisure and all aspects of life; 

• the active participation of children and their families in decision-making; 

◘ a proactive approach to identifying and removing barriers

◘ timely access to information and topeople with empowering attitudes, supportive skills and expertise”. 

(CDC 2014, p. 6)

Inclusion Scotland 2014 

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Education

• Inclusion Scotland Disabled People’s Organisation (ISDPO) believe that “Separating disabled children from their non-disabled peers does nothing to prepare disabled children for later in life in a predominantly non-disabled world” (ISDPO 2014, p. 4). 

and 

• Disabled people would be happy to see more younger people mainstreamed in the school setting in order to prepare both them and their non-disabled peers for later in life (ISDPO 2014, p. 4-5). 

Inclusion Scotland’s current ‘vision’ can be accessed at: 

http://www.inclusionscotland.org/documents/AVisionBooklet.pdf

Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTS): Provisions in Scotland 

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The Education (Scotland) Act 2004 - Ensures that all young students who require additional support to benefit from their school education, receive it (LTS 2014)

“Additional Support” = “provision which is additional to, or otherwise different from, the provision made generally in mainstream schools” (LTS 2014, p. 7)

Presumption of Mainstream Schooling

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Standards in Scotland’s Schools Act 2000 introduced a “presumption of mainstreaming” which states that; 

• All children and young people will have access to mainstream education unless there are exceptional circumstances (LTS 2014, p. 7). 
• They key principles to such support is through true knowledge your students as a learner and person, as well as understanding their barriers. COMMUNICATION and TEAMWORK with the student, their parents, carers and professional supporters is vital (LTS 2014, p.10). 

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Making it Happen

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Creating and Maintaining an Inclusive Community; “School is a Place for Everyone”

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The Education Scotland Act 2004 states that School must be considered a place where; 

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◘ “certain principles are the heart of all that happens

• each and every individual has a value and worth 
• people feel they belong
• people learn 
• everyone can achieve
• responsibility is shared
• there is no exclusion by expectation 
• prejudice and discrimination are countered and their negative effects greatly diminished”                 (LTS 2014, p.16))

Literature Review 

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Including Children with CP in mainstream physical education lessons (Hilderley and Rhind 2012)

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A study was done in order to investigate elementary school children with CP’s perceptions on the advantage of and barriers to, attending mainstream physical education classes. The study was conducted through individual interviews with students with CP, teachers and teaching assistants (Hilderley and Rhind 2012).

Following analysis, the study concluded 3 main advantages of CP students attending mainstream physical education classes;

1. Psychological benefits (improved self-esteem/body image)
2. Social Benefits (developing relationships) 
3. Physical benefits (improved mobility)

Barriers were identified as being; 

1. Environmental (appropriate facilities) 
2. Organizational (appropriate staff:class size) 
3. The disability (wheelchair)
4. Attitudinal (of peers/staff and child) 

In conclusion, there is a an obvious need for mainstream school teacher’s to work on promoting the potential advantages and overcoming barriers to the inclusion of students with CP. Additionally, it is clear that this is done most easily through understanding people’s own perceptions on inclusion (Hilderley and Rhind 2012) 

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So, What Can Mainstream School Teachers Do?? 

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It is important for teachers to understand that children with CP enjoy the same types of things and can do the same types of things that children without CP can (The Nemours Foundation 2014). 

The following tips may help mainstream primary school teachers promote inclusivity for students with CP; 

• Allow children with CP more time to travel to and from classes
• Allow children with CP a longer amount of time in order to complete assessments
• Ensure your classroom is easy to get around and free of obstacles
• Understand that children with CP may miss more class time due to medical appointments 
• Include parents, medical staff, therapists, and the student in order to develop the best education plans for a student with CP 
• Be prepared for possible medical emergencies by planning ahead with parents in case your students with CP need advanced assistance                                                                                                                      (The Nemours Foundation 2014)  

Disability Inclusion Training for the Education Sector                                                       (Scottish Disability Sport, 2012)

In 2012 Scottish Disability Sport (SDS) received financial backing from both the Scottish government and Education Scotland in order to offer disability inclusion training. The training is aimed at early years and primary teachers, specialist PE teachers, trainee teachers and learning support staff. It is offered at no cost. The training is tailored to encourage disabled children to lead a full and active lifestyle, through inclusion with their non disabled peers (SDS 2012). 

To find out more or to register, access this link: http://www.scottishdisabilitysport.com/sds/index.cfm/news/latest-news1/successful-disability-inclusion-training-for-the-education-sector/

MOVEMENT OPPORTUNITIES VIA EDUCATION (MOVE) PROGRAMME

 In the 1980’s, Linda Bidabe designed the Movement Opportunities Via Education (MOVE) program. The program was designed, as it was being found that pupils with severe disability were leaving school with less skills than when they first attended. The emphasis of the program is to develop functional and meaningful outcomes for the individual utilising current theories of motor development and activity based programs (Kern County Superintdent of Schools, 1990). The program has been developed to support those with differing levels of abilities and in a multitude of different settings.

A top-down Motor milestone assessment is used; therefore concentrating on the current abilities of the child. From the simpler tasks to a more complex tasks, individuals are taught skills to optimise their independent functioning (van der Putten, Vlaskamp, Reynders, & Nakken, 2005). Activities relate to sitting, standing, transferring and walking. By using a collaborative team approach and a six step method, MOVE develops goals and priority goals to implement an intervention (Bidabe, Barnes, & Whinnery, 2001). The six steps of MOVE are as follows: 

1. Testing/ Assessment – Parents, child and MOVE team determine current functional mobility skills. 
2. Goal Setting – Select specific functional activities that relate to the needs of the individual and the desires of the family
3. Task analysis – Motor skills are selected which are needed to perform activities identified in step 2. The team can determine which functional mobility skills to emphasise within the programme.  
4. Measuring prompts – The amount of assistance an individual needs to perform a task. 
5. Reducing prompts – How to reduce prompts as the individual’s ability level increases. 
6. Teaching skills – Determine practice opportunities throughout the individual’s daily routine and IEP.

(Barnes and Whinnery, 2002).

References

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