Campaigns

ParalympicsGB calls for no disabled child to be left on the sidelines

As the world tuned in to Paris 2024 we used our moment in the spotlight to launch the transformative social impact campaign Equal Play, calling for equal access to PE and school sport for disabled children.

Many Paralympians told us their own experiences of exclusion during PE lessons, sharing stories of inspiring teachers and lessons designed with inclusion at the heart. But many athletes talked about a childhood spent sat on the sidelines, watching their counterparts enjoy PE in a way that they could not. ​That needs to change.

Only one in four disabled children in the UK say they take part regularly in sport at school.​ The scale of the problem is huge, with ​1.5 million disabled children comprising 15% of the school population. Disabled children are being sidelined as pressures mount on teachers to deliver inclusive PE without the training, funding and confidence to do so, meaning kids are going without sport and play - fundamentals of their happiness, confidence, physical and mental health.

​The documentary

On the eve of the Games a powerful ParalympicsGB documentary _Equal Play _aired on Channel 4 telling the stories of Marley and Tammy, two children whose lives have been profoundly affected by their access to school sport. Marley, a teenager from London, found his confidence through boxing, while Tammy, inspired by ParalympicsGB star Hannah Cockroft, overcame barriers to physical activity at her school and discovered wheelchair racing.

Through their stories, _Equal Play _highlights the transformative power of sport and the persistent challenges disabled children face in accessing it. The documentary has won several awards and struck a chord with audiences, amplifying the call for inclusive sport in schools.