Search

Presentation about a qualitative study investigating staff of three municipalities in Ireland about their experiences regarding children's participation in (re)designing a public playspace.&nbsp

Playgrounds designed with the intention to be inclusive are one approach to creating equal opportunities for all children, including those with disabilities, in terms of their right to play. However, when building inclusive playgrounds, the focus is often limited to the physical environment. Yet, studies investigating children’s play in inclusive playgrounds have shown that other aspects of inclusion, such as social inclusion, are equally as important as the physical environment. Nevertheless, there is a lack of knowledge about how inclusion is considered in the design of inclusive playgrounds. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the design and use of inclusive playgrounds among people involved in the provision of inclusive playgrounds and advocates of children with disabilities from a Swiss context. Four focus groups were conducted with 26 participants involved in providing inclusive playgrounds or having a professional or personal relationship with children with disabilities. Results revealed no uniform understanding of inclusive playgrounds. Barriers to inclusive playground provision included negative attitudes, lack of knowledge about inclusion and the absence of policies for inclusion. Through the focus group discussions, it was proposed that a community network is needed, to bring together children with disabilities and their families with playground providers when designing inclusive playgrounds. In this context, user involvement can inform the design of playgrounds and support the understanding of the needs of people with disabilities in playgrounds, among other things. To enhance inclusion for children with disabilities on inclusive playgrounds, design approaches that consider social inclusion, like Universal Design, are proposed.

The following is an abstract summary of an oral presentation on representations of Irish Traveller children's play and practice implicationsat the World Federation of Occupational Therapists Conference in Paris. Introduction Revolution implies a fundamental change in the way that we thinkand act.An occupational rights agenda affirms our responsibility as Occupational Therapists to support children’s right to play and identify and address the barriers to play. Irish Traveller children experience systemic discrimination within schoolyards- increasingly understood as a significant place in the lives of children.Our insufficient understanding of IrishTraveller children’s play leaves us vulnerable todecontextualised and deficit focused practicesthat risk contributing to systems that sustain inequality and exclusion. There is a diverse body of information available that may assist in understanding thecomplexities ofpolitical, historical,spatialand relationalfactors relevant to Irishchildren’splay to support our practice. Objectives Toidentify, map and summarizeexistingevidenceon Irish Traveller children’s playin schoolyards. Method Thisstudy applied the methodological guidance onconducting a scoping review from the Joanna Briggs Institute.A PRISMAScrflow chart was used to track the scoping review search process. Results The scale and variety of evidence relevant to Irish children's play in schoolyards was mapped and summarised.Expected resultsinclude theidentification ofimportant constructs apparent in the existing body of workandgreaterunderstandingsof thecomplexities of factors relevant to Irishchildren’splayin schoolyards. Preliminary results on representations of Irish Traveller childrens play will be presented. Conclusion This study will provide crucial knowledge tosupportrights-basedpracticewhich requires Occupational Therapists to critically reflect on the situated and relational nature of children’s play in schoolyards.

This presentation has been given at the inaugural World Occupational Science Conference, 18-20 August 2022. It aims to explore the occupation of children sharingtheir views in designing a public playspace together with adults of the local community in the perspective of citizenship.&nbsp

The presentation was presented at the 18th WFOT Congress 2022 in Paris (WFOT International Congress 2022 (wfotcongress2022.org)). Abstract Introduction / Rationale: Through the design of inclusive playgrounds children with diverse needs should be enabled to participate in outdoor play. However, despite the presence of anti-discrimination policies in many European countries, there are only a few inclusive playgrounds. Furthermore, anti-discrimination policies often focus on the adaptation of the physical environment, which results in playgrounds being accessible, but not always inclusive or usable for play. Objectives: This project presents on qualitative research studies that explored the perceptions of playground builders and users in order to better understand how to improve social inclusion on inclusive playgrounds going beyond the adaptation of the physical environment. Method / Approach: Multiple methods were used (interviews, focus groups, observations) to explore the perceptions of playground builders (e.g. architects, landscape architects) and users (children with and without disabilities and their parents) in one area in Switzerland. The research was conducted within the P4PLAY Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Network. Results and or Practice Implications: On one side findings identified the potential of listening to the children when designing for inclusion. On the other side challenges were identified on the individual, community and political level towards the evolution of social inclusion on inclusive playgrounds. A starting point to address these challenges on inclusive playgrounds may be a cooperation among playground planners/builders and users. Conclusion: The project identified several levels of action where occupational therapists could become actively involved for the evolution of social inclusion on inclusive playgrounds for children with diverse needs. &nbsp

Public playgrounds located in the neighborhoods are one place where children with different backgrounds and needs can meet, play, socially interact and connect with each other. Children report that playgrounds are important places in their lives. As such, playgrounds could be seen as collective spaces in a community setting. However, little is known about specific playspaces in playgrounds, what children do in these places and what meaning they ascribe to these places. Thus, the presentation aims to explore children’s doings in different playspaces on playgrounds, and the meaning they associate with these places. The presentation is informed by systematic search and synthesis of qualitative evidence about playgrounds from diverse children’s perspective. The included literature is analyzed through an occupational science lens and place-attachment theory. The findings will illustrate the different occupations children do in different places on playgrounds, and the meanings the children associate with it. Furthermore, children’s doings in these places are described and explored in relation to social interactions. Looking at playspaces from a child's perspective often gives insight into a different understanding compared to an adult's perspective. Within an Occupational Science community few have looked at specific playspaces on playgrounds and explored children’s occupations in these places from a place-attachment perspective. Therefore, the findings will add to the knowledge of children’s occupations as they are shaped by environmental relationships on playgrounds.

Presentation given at Child in the City seminar which has been postponed in 2021 due to Covid pandemic however could take place on 19th and20th May 2022 in Cascais, Portugal. The ESR5 project was outlined in a parallel session with the theme "The importance of implementing children's rights in urban planning: development and design". More information about this seminar can be found atChild in the City International Seminar – How to make children’s rights mainstream in local policy planning?

Poster presented at SSO:USA Conference 2021 (Society for the Study of Occupation, USA) Abstract: Title: Developing an integrated research programme for the study of occupational science through the lens of play Statement of Purpose The P4PLAY is an innovative joint doctoral programme, established in 2020, as a collaboration between 4 academic and 15 partner organisations in Europe and the USA. The overall research goal is to develop new knowledge on the occupation of play and play deprivation; the impact of physical, socio-cultural, and policy environments on play provision; and the development of solutions to address barriers to play provision in diverse community settings. This research responds to the societal challenge of ensuring health, well-being and equality for children (UN Sustainable Goals 3 & 10). Expected outcomes aim to benefit children, families, and communities. PhD students are conducting individual projects addressing four fundamental areas of play (People, Place, Policy, Practice [P4Play]) with eight study themes: People: Expanding conceptualisations of inclusive play for children with diverse experiences of play deprivation. Exploring the impact of contemporary gender discourses on the play of families with children at risk of play deprivation. Place: Spatial inclusion: The relationship between Universal Design and policy for play provision. Redefining play in technology enhanced play spaces: enhancing children’s participation. Policy: Enhancing spatial inclusion in public playspaces through participatory approaches in planning and design. Applying complexity theory to identify and explore multiple outcomes associated with children’s play. Practice: The evaluation of children’s outdoor play. Enhancing participation through play interventions in school settings. Description of Methods The programme of research is founded in child-centred methodologies framed within a child-rights-based approach, and underpinned by occupational science concepts which support analyses of the influence of sociocultural, political and spatial contexts that influence play. Central to this programme is an exploration and development of child-centred, evidence-based, occupation-centred research and practice methods. Methodologies will include discourse analysis, narrative and ethnographic approaches embedded with tailored methods to elicit children’s voice so children’s perspectives are heard. Report of Results (anticipated findings) One innovative outcome of this grant is to produce Occupational Science researchers who can explore societal challenges, relating to inclusion, health, and well-being, and translate evidence into practice and societal solutions. Furthermore, it is anticipated that these studies will contribute to the development of innovative research methods to explore socio-spatial environments and play occupations, at a family, and community level. Discussion/Implications as related to Occupational Science Our goal is to progress a rights-based agenda for all children at risk of play deprivation through the development of a child-centred play research programme Committee on the Rights of the Child (2013). General comment No. 17 (2013) on the Right of the Child to Rest, Leisure, Play, Recreational Activities, Cultural Life, and the Arts (Article 31). Geneva: United Nations.

The Conventions of the Rights of the Child aims to facilitate children’s provision, protection, and participation to enhance their lives. Facilitating children’s participation involves providing adequate information and giving children opportunities to share their views in decision-making processes. In Ireland, children’s participation is supported by the national participation strategy 2015-2020 which has recently been followed-up by the Participation Implementation Framework. This includes the expectation that all children, including those with disabilities should participate in (re)design processes of public playspaces in their communities. This posterpresents on phase one of a PhD study that aims to explore how children’s participation is incorporated in guidelines for (re)designing public playspace.A scoping review methodology is being used to identify guidelines on (re)designing public playspaces. Data analysis involves a mapping and extracting process between frameworks of children’s participation and guidelines, tools and policies on (re)design public playspaces. Occupational therapists working in and with the local community are considered as important stakeholders in enabling children with disabilities to share their views in matters that affect, for example in creating play opportunities in the neighbourhood and contributingto social inclusion. &nbsp

Background: Play is one of the central occupations of children and essentially contributes to children’s physical, cognitive and social development, wellbeing and participation in society. The playground, as a public space, provides children with opportunities for play, social interaction and participation and can become a place to build resilience. For children with disabilities, however, participation in playgrounds is often limited due to environmental barriers. Objective: The project aims to identify resources and challenges regarding the participation and inclusion of children with and without disabilities on inclusive playgrounds. Methods: Observations of children playing on six inclusive playgrounds located in Switzerland have been collected. The observations were explored with a transactional perspective. Results: The application of universal design in the construction of inclusive playgrounds enables all children to participate. However, children with disabilities are rarely socially included on inclusive playgrounds. Suggestions to apply a transactional perspective as one way to enhance social inclusion and help to build up resilience will be illustrated. Conclusion: Considering occupational science theories could enable occupational therapist to become active on community level and to increase social inclusion and resilience on public playgrounds.

The UN CRC (2013) highlightedthe play rights of childrenfrom indigenous and minority communities as requiringspecific attention.An occupational rights agenda affirmsour responsibility as Occupational Therapists to identifyand address the barriers to children’s play.However,aninsufficient understanding of Traveller children’s play mayleave us vulnerable to practices that risk contributing tosystems that sustain inequality and exclusion. This studyaimed to develop knowledge to support practice. The primary objective of the study was to identify, map and summarize the literature onTraveller children’s play.The updated methodological guidancefor conducting a scoping review from the Joanna BriggsInstitute (Peters et al, 2020) was implemented. This poster presentation outlinespreliminary findings from the study.

The protocol describes the review question, search strategy, and inclusion and exclusion criteria for a synthesis of qualitative evidence about children's perceptions of factors enhancing play value and inclusion on outdoor playgrounds. Furthermore, it contains information about the planned data extraction process, quality assessment, and data synthesis procedure.

Poster presented at Playful Planet Conference, 7-8 July 2021https://www.playfulplanet.org.uk/play2021, describing play as an occupational right for all children, how research can inform policy, and the importance of the cooperation with policy organisations, as in the two projects presented, to strenghten the relevance of the research questions and the quality of the research process and therefore the usability of the outcomes. POLICY PROJECT 1: Applying children’s right to share their viewin (re)desiging a public playspace Children’s right to share their views on matters that affect them, is challenged in its operationalisation. Involving children, in particular seldom heard children, in decision-making processes about public playspaces in the municipalities makes sense as play is fundamental to all children and the importance of taking children’s perceptions into account has been reported before. This project aims to understand the barriers and facilitators for using strategies for children’s participation in (re)design of public playspaces and to explore what children with disabilities need for participation. Involving children in (re)designing a public playspace supports the creation of inclusive playgrounds, but moreover generates opportunities for children to take part in democratic processes and being an active citizen. POLICY PROJECT 2:Identifying and exploring multiple outcomesassociated with enacting children’s play policy The occupation of play cannot be understood as a linear, unidimensional phenomenon. Many variables and drivers, from the individual and societal context, influence play. There is potential to use occupational theories to influence play-focused-policy development and application as a way of addressing entrenched problems that limit health and well-being. Doing this requires the ability to examine and understand complex relationships between actions, people and contexts. This project aims to review methodological approaches to investigating complex systemic issues associated with play and play deprivation, and outcomes associated with community level actions to facilitate play. It further aims to develop and apply a methodology that enables a complex systems perspective on exploring policy processes associated with facilitating play to identify areas for development.

Introduction: The P4Play MarieSklodowska-Curie (MSC) Training Network is an innovative European Joint Doctorate (EJD) programme in Occupational Science for Occupational Therapists. This EJD was established in 2020 when 2.2 m was awarded to a consortium of researchers and play advocates, in the highly competitive Horizon2020 scheme. P4play is a collaboration between 4 academic universities in Ireland, Sweden, Scotland, and Switzerland, and 15 partner organisations in Europe and the USA. The P4play programme adopts a child's rights-based perspective and aims to investigate the nature of play through the lens of People, Place, Policy and Practice (P4Play). Background: After extensive scientific research, scholarly exploration, and discourse on play, a refocus on play as a right requires further study as a central concern (or occupation) in children's lives.Occupational Science, a science dedicated to the study of humans as doers or as occupational beings, offers a unique lens to explore play as an occupation.From this perspective, the P4Play proposal was developed and submitted for funding to the MSC programme, in 2019 and was successful on first submission. P4play intends to amplify children's voices and explore the intersectionality of diverse childhood experiences of play, within families, communities, and cultures, drawing from pragmatism, complexity theories, childhood studies and anthropology among others. Methods: implementing the P4play programme The P4Play research programme has employed 8 early-stage researchers dedicated to exploring the complex and situated nature of play, e.g., social-spatial inclusion, play deprivation, and policy. and the development of solutions to address barriers to play provision in diverse community settings. Eight PhD research projects are being designed and implemented to examine play from diverse perspectives and contexts, includingroma/traveller communities, families of children with disabilities, seldom-heard children and communities of socioeconomic disadvantage.A unique aspect of this programme is the inclusion of 15 international partners with interests in the field of play. These partners are engaged in play advocacy, innovations, education, playground provision, grassroots support for play in communities, government policy, and science.Through the collaboration with these partners, the programme aligns with current play advocacy and policy initiatives, which strengthens the capacity to translate research outcomes to actionable steps. This research responds to the societal challenge of ensuring health, well-being and equality for children (UN Sustainable Goals 3 & 10). Expected outcomes aim to benefit children, families, and communities Outcomes: It is hoped that this research program will have a transdisciplinary impact beyond occupational therapy and occupational science. It aims to facilitate conversations in other areas of academics, inform educators, empower communities, and encourage policymakers to reduce or remove barriers to play for diverse communities, children, and families.&nbsp

In this poster sessiontwo research projects of P4Play in the area of practice are described. Introduction:The P4Play MarieSklodowska-Curie (MSC) Training Network is an innovative European Joint Doctorate (EJD) programme in Occupational Science for Occupational Therapists. This EJD was established in 2020 when 2.2 m was awarded to a consortium of researchers and play advocates, in the highly competitive Horizon2020 scheme. P4play is a collaboration between 4 academic universities in Ireland, Sweden, Scotland, and Switzerland, and 15 partner organisations in Europe and the USA. The P4play programme adopts a child's rights-based perspective and aims to investigate the nature of play through the lens of People, Place, Policy and Practice (P4Play). Background:After extensive scientific research, scholarly exploration, and discourse on play, a refocus on play as a right requires further study as a central concern (or occupation) in children's lives.Occupational Science, a science dedicated to the study of humans as doers or as occupational beings, offers a unique lens to explore play as an occupation.From this perspective, the P4Play proposal was developed and submitted for funding to the MSC programme, in 2019 and was successful on first submission. P4play intends to amplify children's voices and explore the intersectionality of diverse childhood experiences of play, within families, communities, and cultures, drawing from pragmatism, complexity theories, childhood studies and anthropology among others. Methods:The P4Play research programme has employed 8 early-stage researchers dedicated to exploring the complex and situated nature of play, e.g., social-spatial inclusion, play deprivation, and policy. and the development of solutions to address barriers to play provision in diverse community settings. Eight PhD research projects are being designed and implemented to examine play from diverse perspectives and contexts, includingroma/traveller communities, families of children with disabilities, seldom-heard children and communities of socioeconomic disadvantage.A unique aspect of this programme is the inclusion of 15 international partners with interests in the field of play. These partners are engaged in play advocacy, innovations, education, playground provision, grassroots support for play in communities, government policy, and science.Through the collaboration with these partners, the programme aligns with current play advocacy and policy initiatives, which strengthens the capacity to translate research outcomes to actionable steps. This research responds to the societal challenge of ensuring health, well-being and equality for children (UN Sustainable Goals 3 & 10). Expected outcomes aim to benefit children, families, and communities Outcomes: It is hoped that this research program will have a transdisciplinary impact beyond occupational therapy and occupational science. It aims to facilitate conversations in other areas of academics, inform educators, empower communities, and encourage policymakers to reduce or remove barriers to play for diverse communities, children, and families. &nbsp