Parents of children with learning disabilities experience many closed doors when searching for activities to support their child’s development. Welcoming 0pen doors, people who care and listen to the individual and family needs are the foundation for inclusive activity providers.
As a family with one member having a learning disability we are well aware of the importance of different activities to engage, develop and enable every child to learn and grow. Each of us in a family unit is unique with our own needs, likes and dislikes, dreams and passsions. Many of these are clear from a very early age.
Jen, our daughter with Down’s syndrome, has always danced. This is Jen’s first language and the one she uses to to express herself. It’s also one that when it wasn’t happening we know that something is seriously wrong for Jen.
Jen, our first born, had been written off at birth. We were told to ‘put her in a home and forget about her’. Many times in Jen’s life we have been told she ‘won’t amount to much’ with so much ‘you can’t’, ‘that’s not possible’ and negativity. It’s been a challenge to follow our own path which has always been one of we don’t know what’s possible, but we’re going to support Jen to follow her dreams.
Being labelled as different
From the very first day many families with children labelled as ‘different’ feel excluded from their local communities and are separated out into ‘special’ clubs and education. For some that’s absolutely great, but our experience and desire was for Jen to be included in the community where we lived as a little human being with love to share and dreams to aspire to.
It can be hard for families to travel here there and everywhere to engage with ‘special’ sessions when right here in the community they live in it’s possible to include, adapt and support people like Jen to join in and feel like they are welcome. The whole family feels embraced when the community and activities are available to all. Siblings learning and playing together seen as part of the whole, simply little people with different needs and likes.
For us that means the door is always open, that families are welcomed in. That there is no checklist of requirements that allows you ‘in’ or says ‘you can’t because..’, or ‘we only have space for…’ Inclusion for us is something that we shouldn’t need to talk about because it just is!
Inclusion matters to parents of children with learning disabilities as a foundation alongside respect and equity. It expresses love to each and every person in society.
Role models for people with learning disabilities
We know the impact of creating an open door policy, with a foundation of respect, equity and love. We have created an organisation founded on love, respect and equity that embraces everyone who comes into the space. DanceSyndrome supports people with learning disabilities become leaders in their lives and role models in their communities, becoming dance leaders who co-lead community dance sessions in person and online.
We didn’t know what was possible when we set out to support Jen follow her dream when what she needed didn’t exist. DanceSyndrome has a replicable model that will work in any environment and powerful training and support for those serious about running inclusive spaces, activities, businesses and spaces.
Listening to each individual and their main carers makes a huge difference to feeling like you belong in that space, in that activity, in the community. Relying on the response of someone with a learning disability who by definition isn’t able to process information, instructions or form opinions in the ways others do will be a disservice to them and their development.
Understanding more about people with learning disabilities who have very different needs than other people labelled as ‘different’ will make a huge difference to activities provided in local communities. You may think you know but if you’ve not experienced living with someone with a learning disability the reality can be very different to what you imagine.
Our mission is to ensure that EVERYONE feels that they belong in their local community with the right support and opportunities for them – for all members of the family to feel they matter.
Inclusion matters to parents of children with learning disabilities
That’s why we were delighted to sponsor the Inclusive Business Award at ClubHub Awards 2026. Jen represented us at the awards, supported by her lead support Donna Wheeldon.
Every activity provider offering inclusive sessions is a great support to all families in the local community. Our hope is that more activity providers learn how best to support children and families with learning disabilities who often have different support needs to other children.
We all have responsibility for putting inclusion at the heart of everything we do. If you’re not sure how, get in touch. We’re on a crusade for social change creating a more inclusive society where everyone matters.