A Government initiative encouraging disabled children to become more active is failing to have a significant impact, according to new research by Calvert Lakes.
Government guidelines issued last year recommend that disabled children should exercise for 20 minutes each day – but research by the Keswick-based outdoor activity centre indicates that the majority of disabled children are not doing so.
The Calvert Lakes survey covered 812 disabled children, aged 11-16. It found:
- 65 per cent of disabled children exercise for less than 20 minutes each day and are falling short of the Government’s recommended exercise level.
- 23 per cent of disabled children exercise for between 20 minutes and one hour each day.
- 9 per cent of disabled children exercise for between one and two hours each day.
- 3 per cent of disabled children exercise for more than 2 hours each day.
The research also found that the for 58 per cent of disabled children, their disability is a barrier to accessing outdoor spaces.
Calvert Lakes is part of the Lake District Calvert Trust, a charity founded in 1976 to enable people with disabilities to benefit from outdoor activities in the countryside.
Sean Day, chief executive of the Lake District Calvert Trust, said the research was further evidence of the need to prioritise activity opportunities for disabled children.
He said: “This research makes it clear that work still needs to be done to help disabled children become more physically active.
“In many cases, families need greater financial and practical support in order to make outdoor activities accessible for their children.
“In publishing their guidelines last year, the Government encouraged schools, parents, carers and healthcare professionals to communicate and promote their importance to enable appropriate physical activity opportunities for disabled children.
“With activity levels well below the recommended level, this message is more important than ever.”
Earlier this year, a report by Calvert Lakes revealed that the majority of disabled people wee abandoning plans for outdoor activity breaks due to the cost of living crisis.
The research found that 55 per cent of disabled people are forsaking outdoor activity breaks in 2023 due to financial concerns and 93 per cent said this would impact on their physical health and 92 per cent believed it would impact on their mental health.
Sean added: “It is widely accepted that the COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately impacted disabled people.
“The Office for National Statistics has also confirmed that disabled people in the UK are being hit even harder by the cost of living crisis than non-disabled people.
“If disabled people cut back on outdoors activities due to financial pressures their physical and mental health will suffer.”
To combat the financial pressures facing visitors, the Lake District Calvert Trust uses bursary money awarded by benefactors. This funding is, where possible, passed on to guests, enabling those who require financial assistance to receive a percentage of the total cost of their break.
“Bursary funding forms an integral part of our operation and enables us to offer help to people with disabilities who without it would not be able to take part in the specialised activities we provide,” Sean added.
“With the cost-of-living crisis, demand is higher than ever as many schools, families and individuals struggle to fund that extra dimension to their lives that can make all the difference.
“Prices at the centre are subsidised by our own fund-raising efforts, but are still beyond the means of some organisations, families or individuals who would not be able to attend without the extra help from bursary funding.
“This has become of paramount importance in the current national situation.
“Our ability to continue to provide much needed respite, and a safe and secure place for people with disabilities to enjoy the unique services we provide, has never been more important.”
