Sports clubs - is there a requirement to disclose my son's disability?

mrs_sparrow

I wonder if anyone else has experience of this or can advise.

I have called an endless number of clubs and groups with regards to my son starting with them, I get a response and they tell me he can start but if I tell them he has a disability no-one ever gets back to me again.

He has ADHD and Autism.

He goes to a little casual club and his coach tells me he has amazing gymnastic abilities but I cannot find a 'proper' club that will take him, or, if they do they will not progress him through more than the basics and because he is not being stretched enough this results in huge meltdowns then they tell him he has to leave. The clubs he is at now have no further equipment to train him further and we have reached a lull of him not wanting to go and do the same thing over and over.

So I was wondering if I should just not tell them he has something wrong with him and see how far it gets me. Do I have to? I do not leave him when he is at sessions so it's not like I would leave him and go, I would always be there. I really don't know what else I can do to progress him further in this sport as proper clubs are limited locally. I've even tried for 1:1 lessons but the coaches stop contacting me as soon as I disclose his conditions.

I did call British Gymnastics but they tell me they cannot help me and that they will get this lady to call me but she never does. It is just frustrating.

ETA: I've seen they have updated their site and you can now find clubs that offer gymnastics for disabled children but the nearest is an hour drive each way.

Mrs_Imp

Have you considered dancing lessons? Something like tap, ballet or modern? If he's good at gymnastics, then he might enjoy it. You may find a local dance school who'd take him for a trial, or even offer 1:1 lessons.

Look on the websites for IDTA, ISTD and RAD to see of there are any schools in your area.

dizsiebubba

I don't think it is fair on the leader to not disclose that your child has a disability... they shouldn't treat him any worse for it, but not telling them means thye could find themselves in a situation they could have handled better if they had a chance to discuss with you and think about it beforehand.

balletshoes

I'm sure you're probably already aware, but theres so much repetition with gymnastics anyway, I'm sure it occasionally tests kids' patience who don't have ADHD and Autism. If he starts at a new club, even if you don't tell them his disabilities, they'll have him doing the basics to see what level they can best put him at. Then he'll be doing the basics whichever level he's in. The basics are the building blocks and they are practised a lot.

Its the same with dance etc.

In your shoes, I might take him along and see how he gets on without telling the staff about his disabilities. However, first time he has a meltdown there you'd really have to tell them.

MissKeith

Mrs_Imp wrote: »

Have you considered dancing lessons? Something like tap, ballet or modern? If he's good at gymnastics, then he might enjoy it. You may find a local dance school who'd take him for a trial, or even offer 1:1 lessons.

Look on the websites for IDTA, ISTD and RAD to see of there are any schools in your area.

I'd be reluctant to have him start dance lessons if he's serious about gymnastics. The techniques are very different and you can easily learn bad habits that are hard to train yourself out of by switching between the two.

cheepskate_2

mrs_sparrow wrote: »

He has ADHD and Autism.

because he is not being stretched enough this results in huge meltdowns......and we have reached a lull of him not wanting to go and do the same thing over and over.

In all sports, the same activities are repeated time and time again, you cant really just blast through them.

Our son has been at clubs for his sport and even now , the basics are the same or very similar to what he was doing 5 years ago -abeit to a higher level.

I think it is unfair, with his disabilities to be putting him into a paid sport and not disclose his disability....not just for him, but also everyone else has paid as well and to have kids having meltdowns isnt really what people pay for.

I have just paid £135 for a months tennis coaching for our child and would leave the club if their time was taken up with disruptive children - disability or not.

As for 1-1 tuition, it should not matter to the trainer if the child is disabled as it will be coached to their ability, .

coaches in some sports are so busy, in my experience they are terrible at getting back in touch and it is just a game of perseverance in trying to contact them.

balletshoes

to be fair to the OP, I don't think she was suggesting she'd leave any of the coaching staff to deal with her child if he got disruptive, she'd be there and she'd deal with that.

Mrs_Imp

To be honest, with the recent olympic successes in gymnastics there are likely to be waiting lists for most gymnastics clubs, so lack of response may have nothing to do with his disabilities. If he has his heart set on gymnastics, then persevere, but if he just enjoys it, then keep looking for alternatives that he may enjoy just as much.

Surfbabe

I coach swimming (not the same as gymnastics I know but bear with me) and I had a near fatality with a swimmer because it had not been disclosed that they had epilepsy, the sort they had was a rare sort where they do not thrash around but just blank out. Luckily everything turned out ok but the parents acted totally irresponsibility in not disclosing this condition.

Please make sure you do give full disclosure of any medical and other conditions as it can make a big difference. I also teach swimmers with ADHD and Autism and as long as I know I can tailor work accordingly and also know how to deal with the 'disability'. Unfortunately in any sport progression comes from practising the basics over and over again even at the highest level.

NAR

Disability Discrimination being displayed at its worst level! :mad:

The organisations who have not accepted him should be named and shamed in your local paper. Surely there must be somebody in your local council that should be able to assist/intervene in ensuring that your son gets placed with some of these groups?

rpc

We had a kid turned up to Beavers. After he managed to get up to 8 warnings on a three-strikes system (communication failure!) he was going to get kicked out. His parents then confessed he had ADHD. Measures were put in place (one parent usually there, better adult-child ratios, etc) and things were fine from then on.

It isn't fair not to tell them.

However, I'm secretary of a sports club and if I ever got wind that enquiries were being ignored because of disabilities then I'd keel haul whoever was responsible. Taking on another ADHD child would worry me, but we'd find a way to do it. Certain conditions and disabilities are a really big barrier in our sport (e.g. epilepsy/blackouts could be fatal) but there are ways to accomodate most things. Not doing so is immoral and illegal.

I would report the sports clubs to the council and, if they have one, their governing body. This is a time when participation in sport should be encouraged!