Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that (a) disabled and neurodivergent children have meaningful opportunities to participate and develop in grassroots sport and (b) accountability exists when clubs’ practices are not inclusive.

The Government is committed to ensuring every child, including disabled and neurodivergent children, has access to inclusive opportunities in grassroots sport and physical activity.

Our arm’s length body Sport England invests in targeted programmes aimed at making sport more inclusive, such as Neurodiverse Sport and Autism Action. It also funds partners like Activity Alliance to understand the barriers to participation for disabled and neurodiverse people, and support sports organisations to offer inclusive activity.

In addition, the Government’s new approach to school sport, the PE and School Sport Partnerships Network, aims to ensure more young people have access to high quality PE and school sport and break down barriers for children who are less active, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

The Government expects all sports bodies and clubs to fulfil their legal obligations under the Equality Act 2010. Any failure to comply with the law is not acceptable and undermines the goal of promoting inclusive and welcoming environments for all.