The report, Sharing Information with Disabled Children in the Early Years, was compiled from questionnaires and interviews with parents and early years workers as part of Scope's 'In the picture' project, which aims to improve communication about disabilities and encourage children's publishing to represent disabled children.
Author Penny Dickinson, Scope's resource and information officer, said, 'We need to develop a more inclusive culture for young children, right from the beginning of their lives. When one child saw an image of a girl using a walking frame she immediately pointed it out and said she'd found someone else "like her". We all need images "like us" to prevent us feeling isolated.'
The report found that 68 per cent of parents of disabled children have not had access to materials that explain their child's condition. Storybooks, toys and games relating to specific disabilities and treatment are not readily available, though both parents and professionals rated these as the most effective way of sharing information with under-sixes.
The report highlighted that transferable methods of good practice were not shared through local or national networks, so parents and professionals had created their own resources. Examples of good practice ranged from a homemade tactile book explaining one child's operation process, to photos, websites, symbols and reference objects.
Scope has produced a Games Bag for young disabled and non-disabled children to learn through play, and is planning to use the report's findings to devise training sessions and a toolkit. For more information visit www.scope.org.uk and to download the report go to www.childreninthepicture.org.uk.