CONNECTING THROUGH PLAY: LUDI RESEARCH NETWORK-COST ACTION TD1309

This symposium is a presentation of the work of a COST European Project that supports research on Play and Children with Disabilities across 24 European countries. COST is Europe’s longest running funded programme to support... [ view full abstract ]

This symposium is a presentation of the work of a COST European Project that supports research on Play and Children with Disabilities across 24 European countries. COST is Europe’s longest running funded programme to support trans-national research networking, to foster excellence in inter-disciplinary research. COST is an integrated part of the Horizon 2020 research programme, contributing to Europe’s research on tackling societal challenges. One current innovative COST project is the Ludi Action, which is a network of researchers and experts on the study of PLAY AND CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES (TD-1309).
Play for children with disabilities is currently a fragmented area of study, which has resulted in the development of varied disconnected, niche projects (e.g. social robotics or adapted toys for children with disabilities, accessible playgrounds). Yet play for children has been identified as a consistently neglected aspect of children’s rights, especially for children with a disability. The Ludi COST Action was established with the aim of spreading awareness on the importance of giving children with disabilities the opportunity to play, ensuring equity in their exercise of the right to play and most significantly, by putting play at the centre of multidisciplinary research and intervention. This symposium presents three projects illuminating how Occupational Therapy researchers from five countries are contributing to the Ludi Action. Each researcher represents different aspects of the Ludi focus- with attention to play for ‘play sake’, context for play, play form and play as occupational participation. Implications for Occupational Therapy research and practice will be explored.