Breaking down participation in sport and physical recreation for children with disabilities: what it means and what can be seen

Abstract Background Measuring participation in sport and physical recreation is important to identify children with low participation and to measure the effectiveness of interventions. This study aims to break down what participation in sport and physical recreation means in a way that is inclusive of children with disability, focussing on how observers such as families, coaches or health professionals might be able to identify, quantify, and describe the sport or physical recreation participation of a child with disability. Methods Adults with lived experience of childhood-onset disability, rehabilitation practitioners, and sports/recreation professionals and volunteers completed a Delphi study to clarify definitions of sport/physical recreation and identify potential indicators of participation in sport/physical recreation for children with disabilities. Consensus was defined as ≥ 70% agreement. Questions were added in subsequent rounds to refine items not reaching agreement or with suggested modifications. Results Respondents ( n = 29) agreed on definitions of sport and physical recreation consistent with Sports Australia definitions, as well as detailed descriptors of type, level and environmental context of activities. Respondents also agreed on items that may be indicators of participation (attendance and involvement) to someone observing. Conclusion Findings provide insight into how sport/physical recreation participation is perceived and could be measured in a comprehensive participation assessment tool for children with disabilities. Future research should be conducted with larger populations to confirm findings, investigate the relationship between proxy indicators and individuals’ experience of involvement, and pilot test any subsequent assessment tool.