Are playgrounds in Norrland (Northern Sweden) accessible to children with restricted mobility?

Maria Prellwitz; Maare Tamm; Rafael Lindqvist

doi:10.1080/15017410109510768

Research

Are playgrounds in Norrland (Northern Sweden) accessible to children with restricted mobility?

Authors:

Maria Prellwitz ,

Doctoral student at the Department of Health Sciences, Luleå University of Technology

About Maria

Maria Prellwitz, is a doctoral student at the Department of Health Sciences, Luleå University of Technology. Her research project is focused on children with restricted mobility and their physical and social environment.

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Maare Tamm,

Department of Health Sciences, Luleå University of Technology

About Maare

Maare Tamm, PhD, is a senior lecturer in psychology at the Department of Health Sciences, Luleå University of Technology. Her research topics are children with disabilities social and physical environments and rehabilitation in home-settings.

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Rafael Lindqvist

Department of Sociology, Umeå University

About Rafael

Rafael Lindqvist, is professor at the Department of Sociology, Umeå University. He is currently conducting research on interorganisational co-operation between welfare state agencies in vocational rehabilitation and disability policies.

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the accessibility of playgrounds to children with restricted mobility in Norrland. The investigation was carried out as a descriptive postal survey study. The questions in the survey were retrospective, i.e. addressed the issue of what had or had not been done to adapt the playgrounds for children with restricted mobility. The questionnaire was sent out to all the 54 municipalities in the province of Norrland. In the municipalities that responded to the questionnaire there were in all 2,266 playgrounds. When compiling the answers it appeared that only two of the total number of playgrounds were considered by the municipalities to be completely adapted for children with restricted mobility and that 46 playgrounds were partially adapted for them. The investigation can be seen as an illustration of the social model of disability. The inadequate adaptation of playgrounds to the needs of children with restricted mobility constitutes a very tangible societal barrier. It is a barrier, which can only be removed if the knowledge borne by those with restricted mobility and their organisations is utilised by municipal decision‐makers.

How to Cite: Prellwitz, M., Tamm, M. & Lindqvist, R., (2009). Are playgrounds in Norrland (Northern Sweden) accessible to children with restricted mobility?. Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research. 3(1), pp.56–68. DOI: http://doi.org/10.1080/15017410109510768

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Published on 08 Jul 2009

Peer Reviewed

CC BY 4.0

References

Barnes , C , Mercer , G and Shakespeare , T (1999). . . Exploring disability – a sociological introduction. , [city: Cambridge]: : Polity Press. .
Bell , P , Fisher , J , Baum , A and Greene , T (1990). . . Environmental psychology. . , (3:ed) , [city: New York]: : Harcourt Brace Jovanovich College publishers. .
Brown , J and Burger , C (1984). . . Playground designs and preschool children's behaviors. . Environment and Behavior , 16((5)): : 599.–.
Brown , M and Gordon , WA (1987). . . Impact of impairment on activity patterns of children. . Archives Physical Medicin and rehabilitation , 68: : 828.–.
Burnes , J (1996). . . “Variations in childhood occupations: Play in the presence of chronic disability. ”. In Occupational science. The evolving discipline. , Edited by: Zemke , R and Clark , F . [city: Philadelphia]: : Davis. .
Finkelstein , V (1993). . . “The commonality of disability. ”. In Disabling Barriers ‐enabling environments. , Edited by: Swain , J , Finkelstein , V , French , S and Oliver , M . [city: London]: : Sage. .
Hahn , H (1986). . . Disability and the urban environment: a perspective on Los Angeles. . Environment and Planning D: Society and Space , 4: : 273.–.
Handikappombudsmannen (1999). . . Delrapport till regeringen 1999. Undersökning om delaktighet och jämlikhet för personer med funktionshinder – en enkätundersökning bland Sveriges kommuner, , [Report to the Government 1999][city: Stockholm]:
Hayward , G , Rothenberg , M and Beasley , R (1974). . . Children's play and urban playground environments. A comparison of traditional, contemporary, and adventure playground types. . Environment and Behavior , 6((2)): : 131.–.
Howard , L (1996). . . A comparison of leisure‐time activities between able‐bodied children and children with physical disabilities. . British journal of occupational therapy , 59: : 570.–.
Imre , R (1997). . . Rethinking the relationships between disability, rehabilitation, and society. . Disability and Rehabilitation , 19((7)): : 263.–.
Imre , R and Kumar , M (1998). . . Focusing on disability and access in the built environment. . Disability & Society , 13((3)): : 357.–.
Imre , R and Wells , P (1993). . . Disablism, planning and the built environment. . Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy , 11: : 213.–.
Kitchin , R (1998). . . “Out of place”, “Knowing one's place”: space, power and the exclusion of disabled people. . Disability & Society , 13((3)): : 343.–.
Law , M , Haight , M , Milroy , B , Willms , D , Stewart , D and Rosenbaum , P (1999). . . Environmental factors affecting the occupations of children with physical disabilities. . Journal of Occupational Science , 6((3)): : 102.–.
Margalit , M (1981). . . Leisure activities of cerebral palsied children. . Israel journal of psychiatry and related sciences , 1((3)): : 209.–.
Missiuna , C and Pollock , N (1991). . . Play deprivation in children with physical disabilities: The role of the occupational therapist in preventing secondary disability. . The American Journal of Occupational Therapy , 45((10)): : 882.–.
Mogford , K (1977). . . “The play of handicapped children. ”. In Biology of play. , Edited by: Tizard , B and Harley , D . [city: London]: : Spastics International. .
Oliver , M (1996). . . Understanding Disability: from theory to practice. , [city: Basinstoke]: : MacMillan. .
Philip , M and Duckworth , D (1982). . . Children with disability and their families. , [city: Windsor]: : NFER‐Nelson. .
Plan‐ och bygglagen 1987:10. [Planning and Building Act] Svensk författnings samling 1992:1769.
Prellwitz , M and Tamm , M (1999). . . Attitudes of key persons to accessibility problems in playgrounds for children with restricted mobility: A study in a medium‐sized municipality in northern Sweden. . Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy , 6: : 166.–.
Proshansky , HM and Fabian , AK (1987). . . “The development of place identity in the child. ”. In Spaces for children. The built environment and child development. , Edited by: Weinstein , CS and David , TG . [city: New York]: : Plenum Press. .
Rembel , A (1992). . . Barnets rdttigheter‐Samhällets skyldigheter: Lagar och regler. , [city: Stockholm]: : Wahlstrom & Widstrand. .
Shaw , LG and Weinstein , CS (1987). . . “Designing playgrounds for able and disabled children. ”. In Spaces for children. The built environment and child development. , Edited by: David , TG . [city: New York]: : Plenum Press. .
SoL. Socialtjänstlagen (). . [Social service act] (1980:620). Författningshandboken 1998. , [city: Stockholm]: : Liber förlag. .
SOU (1980). . . Vissa frågor rörande handikapp. [Certain questions concerning disability]. , Vol. 16, Omsorgskommittén. .
SOU (1997). . . Barnets bästa i främsta rummet. FN: s konvention om barnets rättigheter förverkligas i Sverige. [The children's best in the front room. UN's Convention on the Rights of the Child implemented in Sweden]. , Vol. 116, [city: Stockholm]: : Fritzes. .
SOU (1999). . . Lindqvist nia ‐ nio vägar att utveckla bemötandet av personer med funktionshinder. [Lindqvist's nine – nine ways to develop the meeting with disabled people]. , Vol. 21, [city: Stockholm]: : Fakta info direkt. .
Söder , M (1989). . . Oberoende och autonomi. [Independence and autonomy.]. . Socialmedicinsk tidskrift , 4: : 155.–.
Tamm , M and Skär , L (2000). . . How I play: roles and relations in the play situations of children with restricted mobility. . Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy , 7: : 174.–.
WHO (1999). . . ICIDH‐2. International Classification of Function and Disability. , [city: Geneva]: : World Health Organisation. . Beta‐2 draft. Full Version.

[CIT0001] Barnes , C , Mercer , G and Shakespeare , T (1999). . . Exploring disability – a sociological introduction. , [city: Cambridge]: : Polity Press. .

[CIT0002] Bell , P , Fisher , J , Baum , A and Greene , T (1990). . . Environmental psychology. . , (3:ed) , [city: New York]: : Harcourt Brace Jovanovich College publishers. .

[CIT0003] Brown , J and Burger , C (1984). . . Playground designs and preschool children's behaviors. . Environment and Behavior , 16((5)): : 599.–.

[CIT0004] Brown , M and Gordon , WA (1987). . . Impact of impairment on activity patterns of children. . Archives Physical Medicin and rehabilitation , 68: : 828.–.

[CIT0005] Burnes , J (1996). . . “Variations in childhood occupations: Play in the presence of chronic disability. ”. In Occupational science. The evolving discipline. , Edited by: Zemke , R and Clark , F . [city: Philadelphia]: : Davis. .

[CIT0006] Finkelstein , V (1993). . . “The commonality of disability. ”. In Disabling Barriers ‐enabling environments. , Edited by: Swain , J , Finkelstein , V , French , S and Oliver , M . [city: London]: : Sage. .

[CIT0007] Hahn , H (1986). . . Disability and the urban environment: a perspective on Los Angeles. . Environment and Planning D: Society and Space , 4: : 273.–.

[CIT0008] Handikappombudsmannen (1999). . . Delrapport till regeringen 1999. Undersökning om delaktighet och jämlikhet för personer med funktionshinder – en enkätundersökning bland Sveriges kommuner, , [Report to the Government 1999][city: Stockholm]:

[CIT0009] Hayward , G , Rothenberg , M and Beasley , R (1974). . . Children's play and urban playground environments. A comparison of traditional, contemporary, and adventure playground types. . Environment and Behavior , 6((2)): : 131.–.

[CIT0010] Howard , L (1996). . . A comparison of leisure‐time activities between able‐bodied children and children with physical disabilities. . British journal of occupational therapy , 59: : 570.–.

[CIT0011] Imre , R (1997). . . Rethinking the relationships between disability, rehabilitation, and society. . Disability and Rehabilitation , 19((7)): : 263.–.

[CIT0012] Imre , R and Kumar , M (1998). . . Focusing on disability and access in the built environment. . Disability & Society , 13((3)): : 357.–.

[CIT0013] Imre , R and Wells , P (1993). . . Disablism, planning and the built environment. . Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy , 11: : 213.–.

[CIT0014] Kitchin , R (1998). . . “Out of place”, “Knowing one's place”: space, power and the exclusion of disabled people. . Disability & Society , 13((3)): : 343.–.

[CIT0015] Law , M , Haight , M , Milroy , B , Willms , D , Stewart , D and Rosenbaum , P (1999). . . Environmental factors affecting the occupations of children with physical disabilities. . Journal of Occupational Science , 6((3)): : 102.–.

[CIT0016] Margalit , M (1981). . . Leisure activities of cerebral palsied children. . Israel journal of psychiatry and related sciences , 1((3)): : 209.–.

[CIT0017] Missiuna , C and Pollock , N (1991). . . Play deprivation in children with physical disabilities: The role of the occupational therapist in preventing secondary disability. . The American Journal of Occupational Therapy , 45((10)): : 882.–.

[CIT0018] Mogford , K (1977). . . “The play of handicapped children. ”. In Biology of play. , Edited by: Tizard , B and Harley , D . [city: London]: : Spastics International. .

[CIT0019] Oliver , M (1996). . . Understanding Disability: from theory to practice. , [city: Basinstoke]: : MacMillan. .

[CIT0020] Philip , M and Duckworth , D (1982). . . Children with disability and their families. , [city: Windsor]: : NFER‐Nelson. .

[CIT0021] Plan‐ och bygglagen 1987:10. [Planning and Building Act] Svensk författnings samling 1992:1769.

[CIT0022] Prellwitz , M and Tamm , M (1999). . . Attitudes of key persons to accessibility problems in playgrounds for children with restricted mobility: A study in a medium‐sized municipality in northern Sweden. . Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy , 6: : 166.–.

[CIT0023] Proshansky , HM and Fabian , AK (1987). . . “The development of place identity in the child. ”. In Spaces for children. The built environment and child development. , Edited by: Weinstein , CS and David , TG . [city: New York]: : Plenum Press. .

[CIT0024] Rembel , A (1992). . . Barnets rdttigheter‐Samhällets skyldigheter: Lagar och regler. , [city: Stockholm]: : Wahlstrom & Widstrand. .

[CIT0025] Shaw , LG and Weinstein , CS (1987). . . “Designing playgrounds for able and disabled children. ”. In Spaces for children. The built environment and child development. , Edited by: David , TG . [city: New York]: : Plenum Press. .

[CIT0026] SoL. Socialtjänstlagen (). . [Social service act] (1980:620). Författningshandboken 1998. , [city: Stockholm]: : Liber förlag. .

[CIT0027] SOU (1980). . . Vissa frågor rörande handikapp. [Certain questions concerning disability]. , Vol. 16, Omsorgskommittén. .

[CIT0028] SOU (1997). . . Barnets bästa i främsta rummet. FN: s konvention om barnets rättigheter förverkligas i Sverige. [The children's best in the front room. UN's Convention on the Rights of the Child implemented in Sweden]. , Vol. 116, [city: Stockholm]: : Fritzes. .

[CIT0029] SOU (1999). . . Lindqvist nia ‐ nio vägar att utveckla bemötandet av personer med funktionshinder. [Lindqvist's nine – nine ways to develop the meeting with disabled people]. , Vol. 21, [city: Stockholm]: : Fakta info direkt. .

[CIT0030] Söder , M (1989). . . Oberoende och autonomi. [Independence and autonomy.]. . Socialmedicinsk tidskrift , 4: : 155.–.

[CIT0031] Tamm , M and Skär , L (2000). . . How I play: roles and relations in the play situations of children with restricted mobility. . Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy , 7: : 174.–.

[CIT0032] WHO (1999). . . ICIDH‐2. International Classification of Function and Disability. , [city: Geneva]: : World Health Organisation. . Beta‐2 draft. Full Version.

Reading: Are playgrounds in Norrland (Northern Sweden) accessible to children with restricted mobility?

Research

Are playgrounds in Norrland (Northern Sweden) accessible to children with restricted mobility?

Authors:

Maria Prellwitz ,

Doctoral student at the Department of Health Sciences, Luleå University of Technology

About Maria

X close

Maare Tamm,

Department of Health Sciences, Luleå University of Technology

About Maare

X close

Rafael Lindqvist

Department of Sociology, Umeå University

About Rafael

X close

Abstract

References