"All they can do is sit and watch": Families call for changes at Caversham playground ‘not usable’ for children with additional needs

A PARK in Caversham needs “vital improvements” to make it more accessible to children with additional needs, it has been claimed.

Concerned parents are petitioning Reading Borough Council to make changes to Albert Road Recreation Ground.

The playground has no adapted equipment and much of it is inaccessible. There is no longer a disabled parking bay and wheelchair users cannot get through the pedestrian gate on Richmond Road.

The playground itself also does not have formal paths to wheel over.

Councillor Isobel Ballsdon (Con, Caversham Heights), has taken an interest in this, having visited there along with the 69th Reading First Caversham Heights cub scouts group.

Youngsters experimented with the equipment to imagine how children with additional needs might navigate the playground, attempting to manoeuvre a wheelchair over the various surfaces.

Cllr Ballsdon said: “It was really amazing to see how their eyes were opened — as were mine — to the barriers for these imaginary children.”

This initiative was set up by Sarah Jones, a Beaver Scouts leader and mother of a special needs child. Her youngest son, aged four, uses a wheelchair, has Down syndrome and complex needs.

She notes that the toddler’s equipment is set on a raised bed of sand. Not only can a heavy wheelchair not be moved over the sand, but it also cannot be lifted over the ledge around it.

The same is true of the older children’s equipment area set on a raised bed of bark chips.

As such, Ms Jones’ family do not use their local park but rather get in their car and drive to the Emmer Green playground.

This one has a raft of equipment made with neurodivergent, visually impaired, non-verbal and non-ambulatory children in mind.

At Albert Road Rec, none of its swings are adapted and it does not have a roundabout.

Ms Jones said: “My son’s interests are very limited, but one of the things that he really does enjoy is going on a swing or a roundabout.

“There’s plenty of space not occupied by any equipment, tables or anything, so it would actually be very easy to install a wheelchair-accessible roundabout there.

“You could take one of the four larger children swings off and swap one of them over for a disabled swing seat.

“Such simple changes which would make a huge difference to families like ours.”

Cllr Ballsdon said: “It’s terribly sad when you hear about a family with three children — one of whom has special needs — visiting Albert Road Rec but all that child can do is sit and watch.

“That families have to get in their car and drive somewhere else instead is “just silly”, she said. “We’re in a town — everyone should be able to access a local park without having to get into their car.”

Cllr Ballsdon said she has already asked the council if it would be possible to introduce just one piece of new accessible equipment at the playground but was told it would be too expensive.

The same fate befell a request to consider changing the pedestrian access gate from Richmond Road, Cllr Ballsdon said.

This matter is set for a Reading Borough full council meeting on March 24, where the petition to make changes at Albert Road will be presented.

Cllr Ballsdon said: “I very much hope that the administration will see the strength of feeling [from residents] when they hear some of the comments. If the administration opts not to do anything, it is unclear what the next steps are, as there is a potential legal issue.

The playground does not meet modern disability access standards, contends those who wish to see it changed and may not comply with the Equality Act.

Local authorities, such as the borough council, has a legal duty to avoid discrimination, make reasonable adjustments and anticipate disabled users’ needs.

If a public park has barriers that effectively stop disabled people using it, that could be argued to be a failure to make reasonable adjustments.

A spokesman for Reading Borough Council said:

"The council believes every child deserves a place to play, and we are committed to ensuring that in Reading they have access to inclusive, safe, and engaging places to do that.

"This is why at Albert Road Recreation Ground we have recently invested in upgrades to the tennis courts and ensured they remain free to use.

"We have committed over £1.7million to upgrading play facilities across the town since 2024 and ensuring accessible play is a priority in every case.

"Over the last year, the programme has included upgrades at Westfield Road, Emmer Green, as well as Oxford Road Recreation Ground, Victoria Park and Waterloo Meadows, plus a new skate park at John Rabson Recreation Ground.

"Whilst we understand that residents near Albert Road would like to see a similar level of upgrade to the play equipment there, due to the playground being surrounded by mature trees with a root network extending around the play equipment, any such changes would significantly damage the local environment.

"Therefore we can’t currently progress changes to the play equipment there until a solution is in place that allows it to happen without the need to fell trees or impact upon the park’s open spaces.

"Although the play equipment at Albert Road Recreation Ground has not been updated recently due to the limitations described above, it is regularly inspected and maintained to ensure we can provide a range of play opportunities for children of different ages and abilities.

"Wheelchair access to Albert Road Recreation Ground is available via the main entrance to the park on Albert Road. We acknowledge the car park requires remarking, including the disabled bays, and this is something we are seeking to address."

See the Albert Road Recreation Ground petition at shorturl.at/MvJgg