Daycare centers and camps are twice as expensive for children with disabilities.

BarcelonaThese days, families are searching and considering offers from administrations and organizations to fill part of their little ones' summer vacation with activities and leisure activities. Prices vary widely, depending on the days and hours of attendance, whether the child spends the night away, and the type of activity. Prices range from approximately €100 for a week of eight-hour summer camps to €300 or €400 for five or six days of summer camps. However, these are the prices for activities for children who don't need any specialized support. In contrast, for children with significant disabilities, the rates soar, even multiplying by two.

Every disability has an additional cost that the family must assume.", complains Marina Frank, mother of an 11-year-old boy with a grade III disability and member of the Union of Mothers with Functional Diversity. This summer the child has managed to get a place in a one-week camp for 640 euros and another for four days for 840 euros and 1,000 for this week. ~BK_S these are camps with extra support from professionals who can provide more personalized attention to the needs of children," complain the caring mothers. For this reason, summer camps and summer camps during holiday periods are presented to these physically and emotionally "exhausted" families as a "respite" so they can rest, be aware of your children 24 hours a day.

The activities are organized independently by leisure education entities and special needs schools, in addition to the city councils. In Barcelona, the city council grants grants to alleviate expenses among families, but there is also a barrier among children with disabilities. This is explained by Maria Tavira, also a member of the Mothers' Union, a self-organized group who claims to be another interlocutor in the debate on improving dependency and disability: "The grants only cover up to the maximum price recommended by the City Council, so we have to pay because our activities are very expensive."

Constant struggle

The Association for the Defense of the Rights of People with Intellectual Disabilities (LAAD) conducted a survey among member families, and only 6% expressed satisfaction with the inclusive options available in the summer camps and summer camps. Just over half stated that it was "difficult" to find places, but they always found them. On the other hand, 25% stated that the activities were not a valid option. Of those who responded affirmatively to the availability of the services, three-quarters indicated that it was "strenuous or very expensive," and three out of ten considered that the support made them accessible.

Only 5% of the activities are public. "It's exhausting, and if you find some regular recreation or summer camp, like the town or neighborhood summer camp, you have to fight hard to get the support your child needs, because without them, they can't go or they can't be properly cared for, even if the intentions are good," notes Montse Tarridas, a member of the organization's board. Without investment in attention to diversity, only the most specialized offering remains, with more professionals providing care, which amounts to higher prices.

Tavira also points out the lack of adapted transportation for children who cannot travel by subway or bus, either due to mobility difficulties or hypersensitivity. Centers and camps suitable for these children are not found in every neighborhood or town, so families who can drive their own cars. In her case, the organization that organized the activities for her eight-year-old son has not requested an adapted vehicle. "Without transportation, it is not viable," says this mother, who calls for "regulating the prices" of the activities "so as not to further discriminate" against these children.

In the In her annual report, the ombudsman, Esther Giménez-Salinas, called on public authorities to invest more so that children with disabilities are not excluded from leisure activities, including school excursions and trips. According to the data, only 256 received support to participate in activities in 2022, although 36,000 students had a recognized disability. Among their proposals are eliminating economic barriers, developing a territorial equity plan, and updating protocols for preventing abuse in the leisure sector with the goal of building a truly inclusive, equitable, and universal system.