Barriers, facilitators and solutions for active inclusive play for children with a physical disability in the Netherlands: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND: Children with physical disabilities (PD) are less physically active than typically developing peers. The most important contributor to physical activity for primary school-aged children is outside play and therefore this should be part of every child’s life. However, children with PD experience multiple barriers to participation in playgrounds. Despite recent improvements in the accessibility of Dutch playgrounds, the participation of children with PD has not increased. This study aims to explore facilitators, barriers and solutions influencing the participation of children with PD in Dutch outdoor playgrounds, from parents’ and professionals’ perspectives. METHODS: Twelve semi-structured interviews with parents of children with PD aged 2–12 years and five focus group meetings with professionals working with these children were conducted. To ensure data saturation, we performed three member-check meetings. Two independent researchers analyzed the data using an inductive thematic approach. RESULTS: Similar barriers, facilitators and solutions were mentioned by parents and professionals. Three main themes were identified: the emotional barrier versus the physical barrier, play as a part of an inclusive society and the role of professionals in facilitating active inclusive play. The most important personal factors were physical and social problems experienced when children with PD wanted to join outdoor play. Interestingly, parents and professionals believed the social barrier was far more important than the physical one. The most important environmental factor was that the Dutch society is not sufficiently inclusive. CONCLUSIONS: According to both parents and professionals, the most important barrier to active inclusive outdoor play was social, hindering the participation of children with PD in play with typically developing peers. To overcome such problems, professionals should take an active role in empowering children with PD and their parents. Furthermore, it is important to introduce outdoor active play early, so it becomes part of normal daily life. In addition, a change in the mindset of typically developing children and their parents seems essential to achieve true inclusive active play. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12887-021-02827-5.