Designing inclusive playgrounds in Switzerland: why is it so complex?

<p>Playgrounds designed with the intention to be inclusive are one approach<br> to creating equal opportunities for all children, including those with<br> disabilities, in terms of their right to play. However, when building<br> inclusive playgrounds, the focus is often limited to the physical<br> environment. Yet, studies investigating children’s play in inclusive<br> playgrounds have shown that other aspects of inclusion, such as social<br> inclusion, are equally as important as the physical environment.<br> Nevertheless, there is a lack of knowledge about how inclusion is<br> considered in the design of inclusive playgrounds. Therefore, this study<br> aimed to explore the design and use of inclusive playgrounds among<br> people involved in the provision of inclusive playgrounds and<br> advocates of children with disabilities from a Swiss context. Four focus<br> groups were conducted with 26 participants involved in providing<br> inclusive playgrounds or having a professional or personal relationship<br> with children with disabilities. Results revealed no uniform<br> understanding of inclusive playgrounds. Barriers to inclusive playground<br> provision included negative attitudes, lack of knowledge about<br> inclusion and the absence of policies for inclusion. Through the focus<br> group discussions, it was proposed that a community network is<br> needed, to bring together children with disabilities and their families<br> with playground providers when designing inclusive playgrounds. In<br> this context, user involvement can inform the design of playgrounds<br> and support the understanding of the needs of people with disabilities<br> in playgrounds, among other things. To enhance inclusion for children<br> with disabilities on inclusive playgrounds, design approaches that<br> consider social inclusion, like Universal Design, are proposed.</p>The Version of Record of this manuscript has been published and is freely available in Children's Geographies 22.05.2022 http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/14733285.2022.2077093