ParalympicsGB have sent an open letter to the Prime Minister to insist that disabled children have equal access to school sport.
It arrived in the UK Government’s post box earlier today as Britain’s triumphant athletes returned from the 2024 Paralympics in Paris, having finished second in the medal table behind China with 124 medals, including 49 golds.
‘Dear Prime Minister,
Over the last 11 days at Paris 2024, the ParalympicsGB team have been energised by the incredible support from the UK public, both back home and at the venues where British fans were loud and proud.
As Paralympians, and as disabled people, we are more determined than ever to use this platform to do all we can to prevent the next generation of children being left on the sidelines in the birthplace of the Paralympic movement.Just 1 in 4 disabled children say they take part regularly in sport at school.
There are 1.5 million disabled children - 15% of the school population - and it is shocking that such a large number of young people do not have the chance to participate in sport and develop and grow as a result.
We are heartened by your support for the Equal Play campaign and we are asking you to act now to ensure every child has the same access to PE at school.
Your government has a unique opportunity to shift the dial so that by the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games, no disabled child faces this discrimination.
Now is the time for a clear plan from across Government with concrete steps for change.
We need to:
· Empower teachers with the right tools, understanding and resources to deliver truly inclusive PE.
· Adapt teacher training to ensure the next generation of teachers have the skills and confidence to deliver truly inclusive PE.
· Redefine how PE is seen within the school curriculum, ensuring it becomes a priority across the education system.
· Increase the number of disabled people entering the teaching profession.
We are ready to work with you to deliver this.
’To find out more visit https://paralympics.org.uk/
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