Than Children with disabilities can go to the park safely and ride on adapted swings It should not be something exceptional, nor a matter why some parents have to collect signatures and fight.
However, for Bruno, a boy from Barcelona with cerebral palsy and congenital ataxia (a movement coordination disorder), it has not been easy to enjoy back-up swings and harness where he could ride safely. Now he can do it thanks to the tenacity of his mother, Marie-Pierre Caire, who has become the visible face of a campaign that fights so that children with motor disabilities can also go to the park.
A mother's struggle for the right to play of all children
Although in Barcelona there are some parks and children's areas adapted to children with disabilities, Marie-Pierre Caire realized that none of them met the requirements for her son Bruno, and other children with the same motor disability that he suffers, could Access with ease and security.
Therefore, he decided to transfer his complaint to the City Council while initiating a campaign to collect signatures on Change.org in October 2016, with which he intended to get more accessible children's areas and safe and adapted swings For all the kids with the same condition as your child.
"My request is that Barcelona promote and intensify the implementation of new playgrounds fully adapted and accessible to children with disabilities, so that it is possible" their real and effective use "by them."
"And so we also allow parents to normalize our lives with a simple walk through the neighborhood, enjoying and watching our children smile." - Marie-Pierre wrote in her petition.
Marie-Pierre appealed then for the importance of play in children, and why all the little ones had the same rights and opportunities; something that would be achieved with the creation of adapted spaces, which would also be an excellent form of social integration.
"The game is very important in the development of a child, and not a child should be deprived of it because of the lack of adequate facilities"
"That there is no adequate furniture for children with parks is some way to discriminate against them, since they have the same rights and equal opportunities"
"The request is for my Bruno and all those children with his condition to enjoy and have more inclusion in daily life"
Other fathers and mothers with children with disabilities joined the struggle of Marie-Pierre, and recently we have learned that finallyThese little ones can have a swing adapted to their needs; the second of these characteristics that can be found in the city of Barcelona.
Now Bruno will be able to swing sitting down thanks to the backrest and harnesses; something totally new for him since until then he had only been able to do it lying on the basket-shaped swings.
Since the new swing was installed, Marie-Pierre says happily that he is always busy and that children with motor disabilities are enjoying it a lot, although ask for greater social awareness that gives these children the priority in their use.
An idea that shouldn't be something exceptional
Reading the news a feeling of anger has invaded me because no father should have to fight for something like that. All children, without distinction, should have the same right to play., and to enjoy and share moments with your brothers and friends.
And it is really sad that there are children with disabilities who have seen from afar how others play and have fun, because the park or playground is not adapted for them.
Luckily, there is increasing awareness about the issue, and parks with integration zones for children with disabilities begin to be a reality in many cities, as well as other amusement and water parks that have decided to eliminate their barriers to adapt them to all.
However, and according to the struggle that this mother has had to fight, there is still a way to go so that people with disabilities, as well as those who do not, can enjoy, live together and share the same spaces without barriers that separate us.Via La Vanguardia
In Babies and More "It's about capacity", a successful campaign to promote the inclusion of disabled children, Children with disabilities, 'Tales for Integration', stories to raise awareness about the integration of people with disabilities, An idea to imitate: parks with accessible areas for children with mobility problems, they create in the United States the first water park designed for people with special needs
