There are lots of activities that are inclusive of disabled people in Surrey, but knowing where to find them can be tricky. You can search for specific activities like wheelchair rugby or stoolball using our Activity Finder and see some key local providers of activities for disabled people in the section further down this page.
There are often details of some specific activities for young people on our Para Games page, or you could also check out the Surrey Local Offer for SEND for more general physical activity options.
Activities sometimes take place in local authority community / day centres so find out where your nearest ones are located, remembering that they may be in a neighbouring borough.
Research - inclusive activities in Surrey
Two surveys' results released in Feb 2022 - one for parents/carers of children with additional needs and disabilities and another for professionals supporting them - show how young people in Surrey can be helped to take part in more sport and physical activity.
A staggering 74% of them would like to be given opportunities to be more active. You can read more by clicking in the boxes below, but key findings include:
- Anxiety, fear of judgement and not having anyone to do activities with are the three main barriers to participation from young people with additional needs.
- Managing young people's ' expectations by providing more upfront info can really help ease anxiety (see our inclusivity tips sheet for more ideas). Images and videos are particularly useful for some.
- To increase accessibility and participation, smaller group sessions are preferred, run by providers whose staff have some understanding of the needs of young people with disabilities. If this greater knowledge can be offered alongside occasional one to one support (perhaps supplied by parents or siblings who are able to participate at a subsidised rate), anxiety can often be further reduced.