Sport and recreation for children and young people in out-of-home care

Encouraging children and young people to participate regularly in sport, play, creative or other activities that they enjoy helps them develop new abilities and skills, self-esteem, confidence and a sense of purpose and identity. It can also create an opportunity for children and young people to bond with carers, which in turn improves placement stability. Creating regular opportunities for children and young people to become involved in sports, play, hobbies and other recreational activities helps promote confidence, social connections and improved health outcomes. Children from disadvantaged backgrounds suffer higher rates of accidental injury, infections, failure to thrive and general ill health. Childhood is a critical stage and a childs circumstances may have lasting effects on their mental and physical health and development. Children and young people in care often have experienced trauma, neglect and adversity. A childs experiences before entering care combined with those while in care, such as the emotional impact of being separated from their family or insecurity arising from placement changes, can lower a childs resilience (or ability to cope).

Role of carers
Carers play a crucial role in providing a healthy environment, building resilience and promoting a healthy lifestyle for the children and young people in their care. Carers can have a significant influence over a child or young persons attitudes towards sport and recreational activities. Their lifestyle, enthusiasm, encouragement, support and participation can have a major impact on getting them involved in activities which are not only a lot of fun, but can lead to a huge range of physical and mental health benefits for the whole family.

Benefits
Being involved in positive activities can help children and young people get through a difficult time in their lives. It also lets them make links in their community, interact with peers and make new friends. As well as the physical health benefits, sporting and other physical activities such as riding bikes, swimming or walking, can give opportunities for safe risk-taking, learning and developing teamwork, coordination and discipline skills. Arts and drama are a way for children and young people to express themselves creatively, including their feelings, in a safe environment. Hobbies such as music, dancing, reading, cooking and gardening let children and young people explore their interests and help them develop a sense of self-worth and enhance their quality of life. Playgroups give young children a chance to play and learn together and make it possible for carers to share ideas, develop new friendships and a support network in their local community.

Listening to kids
One of the main ways carers can deal with a child or young persons disinterest or resistance to getting involved in activities is to ask them what they would like to do and encourage their interests. For some children, making them do an activity that may seem to be in their best interests may end up being a negative experience.

August 2008

Sport and recreation for children and young people in out-of-home care continued
What carers can do at home
There are a number of things that carers can do to help children and young people to become engaged, involved and active. Carers can: encourage young children to play by playing with them, taking them to the park or going to a playgroup set a good example by being active and having interests themselves be active as a family by walking, riding bikes, swimming, fishing or doing other activities together support and encourage participation in active play, sport, creative activities and hobbies talk to the child or young person to find out what activities they have done in the past, what they are interested in, or would like to try find out about local sport and recreation clubs, groups and activities in your community and tell the child or young person about them emphasise having fun and reduce competitive situations for children developing skills give positive encouragement and help if a child is having difficulty with learning new skills encourage the child or young person to do activities with their friends at home, school or in the community restrict time spent watching television and playing computer and electronic games.

What carers can do at school

Carers can support children and young people at school in a number of ways. Carers can: contact the child or young persons school to find out what activities are offered take an interest in what the child or young person does each day at school, including favourite subjects, health, personal development and physical education classes, school sports and what they do at lunchtime go to parent/teacher nights to discuss the child or young persons progress, interests or areas where they may need extra help volunteer time to help in the classroom, be a coach of a sport team, or assist with major sporting events such as swimming carnivals and interschool sports days. If carers have difficulty accessing sport and recreational activities, or wish to discuss the child or young persons sport and recreational needs, they can contact their caseworker or local community service centre.

Useful websites
The NSW Sport and Recreations website www.dsr.nsw.gov.au is a great resource for finding out about: organisations which can give carers everything they need to know about sport and recreation activities, clubs and local competitions sport and recreation programs for kids and teens camps and sport and recreation centres tips for getting active. Visit the NSW Public Schools website www.schools.nsw.edu.au to find out: what schools do to support students such as school programs and practices that protect and promote health

opportunities for students to show their achievements in visual arts ARTEXPRESS and Operation Art opportunities for students to showcase performing arts Schools Spectacular, Star Struck, State Dance Festival school sports opportunities competitions throughout the year in various fields of study. NSW Healths website www.health.nsw.gov.au has a range of information about childrens life stages, health, nutrition, exercise and safety.

www.community.nsw.gov.au