Study Status: Enrolling by invitation
Recruit Status: Enrolling by invitation
Study Type: Interventional
Official Title: Exploring the Impact and Feasibility of a Pathway to Sport and Long-term Participation in Young People
Brief Summary: The importance of play and physical activity include its many benefits on positively improving health and well-being, enhancing children's and young people's thinking and performance in school, improving their sleep and enabling confidence and skill building (Janssen and LeBlanc, 2010; Budde et al., 2008; Sallis and Patrick, 1994). However, children with movement difficulties (MD) and physical disabilities are at risk of decreased physical activity and subsequently decreased physical fitness and overall health and well-being as a result. To build upon current findings and to follow-up on a continuing study, looking at the impact (responses) and recovery during and following acute exercise at different intensities in children and adolescents with and without movement difficulties, this next phase aims to provide an intervention to improve fitness levels and health measures and to strategically provide a pathway for longer term participation in physical activity in young people. Implement and evaluate a pathway to sport for 14+ year old young people who do not regularly participate in sport due to Neurodevelopmental conditions, young people presenting with poor coordination and movement, and even children and adolescents with special educational needs. The pathway hopes to promote engagement, participation, inclusion and confidence (EPIC) in sport within local schools and the community through 1) targeted recruitment, 2) confidence and skill building (EPIC Club), 3) connection to sport ('Have a go days') and 4) exit to long term participation.