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Finding Leisure |
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DefinitionAwarenessSkills Learning & RehearsalSelf-DeterminationBenefitsOvercoming BarriersTherapeutic Recreation ServicesSettingsActivity |
SettingsSchoolPlease refer to Your Child’s Rights for school-related disability legislation. If your child has been identified as having a disability, chances are he or she is receiving school services as outlined in an Individualized Education Program plan (IEP). The IEP is one of many requirements public schools must address in order to meet the mandates of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (and amendments) of 1997 (IDEA). As a part of this comprehensive law, your child may also be eligible to receive leisure and recreation program services, including leisure education.According to the legislation, the IEP must include for the child: "special education, related services, supplementary aids and services, program modifications and supports for school personnel to allow the child to advance toward attaining annual goals, be involved and progress in the general curriculum, and participate in extracurricular and other nonacademic activities and participate with other children." According to the IDEA final regulations, Recreation as a Related Service includes:
A comprehensive leisure education program would include elements from each of the above service areas. Recreational activities and other aspects of the leisure education program are usually provided by schools either during the school day or in after-school programs such as athletic teams, clubs, community service groups, and within community settings like parks, playgrounds, community centers, and amusement centers. You as a parent have the right to request and schools can hire, at their expense a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS), if not currently employed by them, as a consultant to assess the child’s leisure interests and skills, develop program goals and objectives, implement these programs themselves, or provide leadership and direction to other school personnel, who implement aspects of the leisure education program. In order to meet IEP goals and objectives, schools may be able to provide additional support staff, assistive technology, transportation, and financial support. CommunityIn nearly every city and town across the country, organized parks and recreation programs have been designed and offered that afford all children opportunities for play and fun. Recreation providers take various approaches to addressing the needs of its community members who have disabilities. Recreation service delivery has been approached in these four ways.
For additional information on community recreation, please refer to "Your Child’s Rights" for community related disability legislation and "Questions for Recreation Providers" to best accommodate your child’s specific needs when participating in community recreation. FamilyFamilies play a critical role in the leisure lifestyle development of their children. What children learn to do for fun, particularly in their early years, is often a direct reflection of the values and preferences of the parents and other family members. Parents want their children to pursue healthful alternatives. Participating in leisure activities as a family is the time when your values about leisure and appropriate and meaningful use of free time are shared and solidified. Eventually, your child will eventually develop a "leisure personality" of his or her own in time. The influence of peers, as well as what’s presented in the media, will impact your child’s perception of what’s 'fun' soon enough! However, times spent together in the child’s early years will help build strong and lasting memories that will always be there for families to cherish and enjoy.
Families can grow closer together through enjoying recreational activities together.
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This online resource has been created through a collaborative project of the National Center on Health, Physical Activity and Disability (NCHPAD) with content and design development by the National Center on Accessibility (NCA) and the Indiana University School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation. This project is funded through Grant/Cooperative Agreement Number U59/CCU522742-02 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of CDC. All rights reserved. No part of this guide may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Copyright 2013, Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama at Birmingham. |