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To order a playground inspection or access audit simply e mail or phone me on the contacts given below
johhicks@lineone.net - Note the absence of an N in this address - its johhicks not john Hicks.
Phone me on 0121 472 1276
We also undertake accident investigations and have considerable experience in preparing expert witness statements.
Phone first to discuss the case if you wish - there is no charge for informal advice.
We will comment free of charge on proposed new installations or site planning but expect, not unreasonably we think, the opportunity to put in a price to provide the post installation report on the completed job. Best value we are sure favours us on these occasions.
Disability and Play Some definitions and a question
1. A child is disabled if he is blind, deaf or dumb or suffers from a mental disorder of any kind or is substantially and permanently handicapped by illness, injury or congenital deformity or such other disability as may be prescribed.
Section 17 (11) Children Act 1989
2. A person has a disability for the purposes of this Act if he has a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long term adverse effect on his ability to carry out normal day to day activities.
Section 1(1) Disability Discrimination Act 1995
3. By Disabled Children we mean children who experience discrimination on the grounds of their impairment(s)
Impairment is what we have
Disability is what we experience.
When children make good use of their playgrounds with their friends and benefit from the experience
..they are not being discriminated against and therefore not disabled.
CAN PLAY WILL PLAY - A consultation document NPFA
October 2003
4. The aspiration of those providing play facilities must be to create challenges for all and barriers for none. Where totally shared experience is not always possible, then at least opportunities can be created for similar and, if possible, qualitatively equal experience for all children. If every item of play apparatus is not wholly accessible, then more has to be gained from those that are
.. Additionally a part of the concept requires that like or similar experiences are available to all site users. In short, if there are slides, swings or roundabouts then everyone can slide, swing or turn even if only on some, perhaps only half, of the units.
Accessible & Inclusive Playspace John Hicks 2003 - quoted in the WICKSTEED Guide to the DDA
Question. Who is right and does it (or the insensitive language) matter?
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