AFL & Monash University Help Children with Disabilities Thrive in Football

August 4, 2023 

The Australian Football League (AFL) and Monash University in Melbourne, Australia have teamed up on AllPlay Footy, a program to make community football inclusive and accessible for all children. It includes purpose-built resources to help change attitudes on the participation of children with disabilities and methods on creating opportunities for all children to play.  

Around one in five Australian children experience developmental challenges or have a disability. They often face barriers that make sports participation difficult, including physical access, a lack of club awareness on inclusivity and lower levels of confidence on their ability to take part. Research from Monash University shows that 30% of autistic children have never participated in an organized physical activity. However, those who did showed a decrease in anxiety, social problems and overall emotional and behavioral problems, as well as improved motor abilities.

A survey of 130 community football coaches found that 80% said a child with disabilities had attended their center, but only 31% of coaches had undergone disability training. The AFL therefore wants to address its challenge of providing environments where people of all abilities are included. 

“We hear coaches and volunteers mention they’re fearful for saying the wrong thing or don’t understand the challenges faced by people with disability when playing football because they’re new to the world of disability,” says Tim Nield, the AFL’s Disability Inclusion Manager. “Through the newly created AllPlay Footy resources, we’ll be able to fill the football community with confidence in how they support people with disability in their program, enabling a positive experience for everyone.” 

The joint initiative between the league and the university’s Monash Krongold Clinic was born out of an observation that young people with neurodevelopmental disorders were not engaging in, or benefiting from, community sports. With a shared vision to increase participation levels of young people with disability in community football, researchers at the Clinic and disability inclusion leaders at the AFL are bringing All Play Footy’s evidence-informed inclusion resources to the Australian football community.

“Participating in community sports, like football, is important to many children and can have important benefits, not only for physical and mental health but for connecting young people and developing friendships and life skills,” said Professor Nicole Rinehart, AllPlay Founder and Director of the Monash Krongold Clinic. 

According to the Clinic, it takes 17 years to turn 14% of clinic research to the benefit of patient care. AllPlay Footy has taken less than 10 years to turn 100% of the research to the benefit of the community. The program has a goal of increasing participation levels of young people with disabilities to 5% by 2025 and “lifting the game” for all.

The initiative offers players with disabilities, parents, coaches and club coordinators with access to over 360 tools that support inclusion in the sport. This encompasses informational resources, practical tips and strategies, football stories, videos and a coaching course developed using research and input from the community, including those living with disability, current coaches and experts. 

“AllPlay Footy is more than sport, it is an opportunity for children with disability to thrive with their peers and to enjoy the downstream benefits of participation at school and at home. This joint initiative is a step in the right direction to ensure that community sports are inclusive environments for all children,” said Professor Rinehart.

Photos: AFL