Abstract
Physical activity packs were delivered to 53 children aged 5-15 years old with a visual impairment. Of these participants, 62% had additional impairments or medical conditions. A mixed-methods approach was used to gather participants’ experiences of physical activity prior to receiving this pack and canvas opinion on how the pack changed their activity levels.
The findings revealed inequitable experiences of physical activity. The First Steps pack made considerable progress in developing children’s physical activity levels. Participants’ motor skills, social interactions and confidence improved. Organisations working with this population might look to adopt a similar concept. Recommendations for those wishing to do so are provided.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | British Journal of Visual Impairment |
| Early online date | 13 Jan 2019 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 13 Jan 2019 |
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Developing physical activity interventions for children with a visual impairment : lessons from the First Steps initiative. / Scally, Jennifer; Lord, Rhiannon.
In: British Journal of Visual Impairment, 13.01.2019.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - Developing physical activity interventions for children with a visual impairment
T2 - lessons from the First Steps initiative
AU - Scally, Jennifer
AU - Lord, Rhiannon
PY - 2019/1/13
Y1 - 2019/1/13
N2 - Children with a visual impairment are less active than their sighted peers. Yet they are born with the potential to match their sighted peers’ motor skill competency and levels of physical fitness. Environmental barriers are one of the main causes of inequities. This paper provides insight on these issues, drawing upon a physical activity intervention called ‘First Steps’, a British Blind Sport initiative that aimed to get more children with a visual impairment more active.Physical activity packs were delivered to 53 children aged 5-15 years old with a visual impairment. Of these participants, 62% had additional impairments or medical conditions. A mixed-methods approach was used to gather participants’ experiences of physical activity prior to receiving this pack and canvas opinion on how the pack changed their activity levels. The findings revealed inequitable experiences of physical activity. The First Steps pack made considerable progress in developing children’s physical activity levels. Participants’ motor skills, social interactions and confidence improved. Organisations working with this population might look to adopt a similar concept. Recommendations for those wishing to do so are provided.
AB - Children with a visual impairment are less active than their sighted peers. Yet they are born with the potential to match their sighted peers’ motor skill competency and levels of physical fitness. Environmental barriers are one of the main causes of inequities. This paper provides insight on these issues, drawing upon a physical activity intervention called ‘First Steps’, a British Blind Sport initiative that aimed to get more children with a visual impairment more active.Physical activity packs were delivered to 53 children aged 5-15 years old with a visual impairment. Of these participants, 62% had additional impairments or medical conditions. A mixed-methods approach was used to gather participants’ experiences of physical activity prior to receiving this pack and canvas opinion on how the pack changed their activity levels. The findings revealed inequitable experiences of physical activity. The First Steps pack made considerable progress in developing children’s physical activity levels. Participants’ motor skills, social interactions and confidence improved. Organisations working with this population might look to adopt a similar concept. Recommendations for those wishing to do so are provided.
U2 - 10.1177/0264619618823822
DO - 10.1177/0264619618823822
M3 - Article
JO - British Journal of Visual Impairment
JF - British Journal of Visual Impairment
SN - 0264-6196
ER -