Overview
- Nationally, 187 municipalities have at least one adapted playground while 155 do not, underscoring uneven access.
- Research cited by NOS finds at least one in three children with a disability never reaches a neighborhood playground and, among those who do, a quarter often play alone, with many feeling excluded or bullied.
- Regionally, Rijnmond counts 12 municipalities with an inclusive site and 11 without, and larger places like Nissewaard, Vlaardingen and Voorne aan Zee still lack one, while Drenthe reports 10 of its 12 municipalities now have a site.
- Stichting het Gehandicapte Kind urges municipalities to add about 50 sites to reach a goal of 70% coverage next year, stressing that inclusive play fosters development and social connection.
- Local examples highlight both solutions and hurdles: Culemborg’s playground uses high-contrast paving, bright equipment and a wheelchair swing, and Papendrecht needed 2.5 years of fundraising to install accessible devices.