Inaccessible childhoods: evaluating accessibility in homes,schools and neighbourhoods with disabled children |
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| Authors: | Lindsay Stephens Karen Spalding Henna Aslam Helen Scott Sue Ruddick Nancy L Young |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Geography, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada;2. School of Health Services Management, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON, Canada;3. Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada;4. Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada;5. School of Rural and Northern Health, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, Canada |
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| Abstract: | Accessible built environments are a critical component of Canada’s commitment to disabled children’s ‘right to enjoy full and decent lives’ United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. 1989. Convention on the Rights of the Child. New York. Google Scholar]. Convention on the Rights of the Child. New York.] . Although valid, reliable research data about the accessibility of built environments are key to developing related policies, these data currently do not exist. To begin to redress this gap, we conducted a case study series followed by a survey to determine the accessibility of schools, homes and neighbourhoods directly from disabled children (The ScHaN Project). To present a concise summary of the findings that can inform equitable, evidence-based policies, we developed a scoring system for their homes, schools and neighbourhoods. Although our findings illustrate that eliciting and interpreting data from these children were complex undertakings, it is clear that none of these central environments met Canada’s obligation to enhance equity by enabling their access, inclusion and participation. |
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| Keywords: | Disability children children’s geographies children and young people’s participation children’s rights research methods |
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