adults with learning difficulties on small childrens' play area.

[Bethshine82]

Took DS to the play area on Friday, it is not a huge play area and has one of those signs saying it is designed for use by children 14 and under.
Whilst we were there a group of around eight adults with learning difficulties and their carers arrived. The adults proceeded to go onto the playground.
AIBU to think this isn't very fair? They were adults and they weren't really aware of their strength and size. The carers weren't supervising brilliantly and twice I saw one of the adults just shove the children out of the way. Also some of the adults were shouting and screaming which frightened some of the toddlers. Many of the children left. I'm not in any way suggesting that adults with learning difficulties shouldn't be able to go out and enjoy themselves or that they shouldn't be part of the community, I'm just not sure a small childrens' play area is the place for an adults' afternoon out.

I think that the playground should only be used by children, it isn't safe otherwise really. AIBU?

Maybe MNHQ would be so kind as to put together a list of topics that have already been done just to save us having to rehash old ground [hmn] YANBU, op.

Bethshine82 - Sorry I meant that question for the posters who said that adults using the play equipment wasn't a problem

If I was the mother of small children I would feel this was unacceptable.

As I am not the mother of small children I feel these adults with learning difficulties should be allowed to use playground. Small children can stand back for a while. Adults with learning difficulties are usually dragged round the (crapper) shops around here, they look bored stiff.

I often have a go on the swings when in the park with DS

Me too, Birdy.

Well I'm most concerned that the carers were laughing at someone in their care hurting themselves.

I don't have an issue with people using equipment in a well thought out well supervised way, but this does sound as if the care was somewhat lacking. I think the best thing to do in these sorts of circumstances is find out where they are from and ring the centre with the concerns - it sounds as if the care being provided was not good quality. You could also raise concerns with the QCC If you know where they are from.

People with learning disabilities do in my experience tend to upset the general public just by existing, but in this case it sounds as if they really may not have been well cared for

YANBU although I do not begrudge the LD man who rocks up to the local playground with his mum? Carer? I'm not sure. He stays for about 5 mins, has a jolly time and leaves again. Mind, we've got to age restriction signs. Anyways, the difference between 1 and 8 is huge!

Of course YANBU, it clearly poses a danger to small children and toddlers to have much larger children or adults using the same equipment at the same time with no understanding of the dangers posed.

It was a public space clearly designated as being specifically for children.

If the carers of ld adults want to take them to use that equipment, they need to make specific arrangements to have it closed to the public.

If a small child had been hurt by a much larger, much stronger person sharing the equipment, the gobshite carers who brought adults to play on children's equipment while children were there would have been in serious trouble.

YANBU, mainly because the group was so big and the carers didn't seem to be doing much caring.

I think i would have let it go if it was one or two adults, because they would have benefited from the area if they liked it and it wouldn't be intimidating for anyone else. But a large group of adults with LDs is going to be intimidating for small children, and it is going to limit their enjoyment of the equipment that was designed for them.

It makes no difference if a simelar thread has been done before. Loads of simelar threads repeat themselves all the time on MN. And I'm sure every time, it's new for someone.

It does make me wonder where are adults who have a mentally of a child suppose to go.

It quite sad there is no where they can go

McHappyPants2012 - I was thinking the same thing, it must be very hard. I was also thinking how terrifying for elderly parents wondering how their son/daughter will be cared for when they are no longer around

i think it's a little sad to get annoyed at this scenario to be honest

we have a sn 'adventure' playground near us but it's only reachable by bus, though i bet they wouldn't allow adults with sn in.

i myself have climbed on childrens play areas and so far they've held up

FFS, where are people with learning difficulties supposed to go?? It is not ideal that people with learning disabilities are corralled into big groups for loads of reasons but this is not the fault of these individuals. Some of the reactions on this thread (not that of the op) and the language used is unspeakably awful.

What's next...

AIBU to think that people with Learning Disabilities who were in a library being loud and should make arrangements so they can go outside normal times?

AIBU to think that people with Learning Disabilities in a coffee shop being clumsy shouldn't be allowed in?

AIBU to think that people with Learning Disabilities who were in a cinema talking through the film shouldn't be able to go during normal times?

AIBU to think that people with Learning Disabilities who were in an ice rink falling over should only be allowed to go during learning disability hour?

AIBU to think that people with Learning Disabilities who were on a bus taking up space should have their own transport?

AIBU to think that people with learning disabilities shouldn't take our jobs?

AIBU to think that people with Learning Disabilities shouldn't be allowed out without a carer?

(I have heard all of these over the years, over and over again, both first hand and from others)

I know, why don't we just build big hospitals and lock people with learning disabilities up? Oh, we did that for generations and then legislation, thank fuck for the NHS and Community Care Act 1990, allowed people to live in their communities where they are still living isolated lives because the wider community doesn't want this group of people to have the same opportunities as the rest of us.

I'd like to see a thread which says AIBU to ask why are there no proper opportunities for people with learning disabilites to fully participate in the world around them in the same way that people without a disability can? And why should people fear that they will be excluded, ridiculed, abused, victimised and discriminated against when attempting to access their communities?

I have taken ds1 to a park with a swing for those with disabilities (large swing) and had to wait ages for the NT kids to stop using it (encouraged by their parents). Ooh I sucked lemons. Ds1 hit the roof!

I think it's good when soft play etc does special events for people with disabilities. Mixed age groups usually work fine there as people are just so relieved to have special sessions (and supervision is usually high).

Crikey, that is a maassive rant. An issue close to my heart

I have never wanted a like post button more.

Good list fizzy. I have never taken ds1 to the cinema although think he'd love it (no special sessions near us - I would take him to one of those) as I strongly suspect he would be noisy but I don't really give a monkeys if people object to his presence out and about. And they do all the time. Someone got n a huff today because he stood in the wrong place in a cafe queue (he wasn't pushing in - he was waiting nicely just in the wrong place). If we worried about that sort of stuff we'd never go out.

Theatre and cinema I make allowances for, but anywhere else I couldn't really care less if people get stroppy.

I am wondering whether ds1 was the person being loud in the library

Fizzy, I completely agree with the point you are trying to make. I really do. But I think the difference here is that it was a fairly large group of adults in an area meant for children. If you wouldn't find adults without LDs using something because its for children, I'm not sure you should find adults with LDs using it either.

Libraries and coffee shops etc don't fall into that catergory.

There should be more provision for those with LDs, definatly.

AThingInYourLife I agree. I do think that the council should maybe book some time for them just so everybody is safe.

playgrounds shouldn't have age limits, adults still like to swing on swings!

though i think dogs should be kept out, and smokers

i always go on the swings at the park when dd2's napping in the buggy.
i don't see the problem myself.

Haha Saintly him and many others People are so intolerant and I am particularly surprised at younger people's attitudes. Older folk are more understandable (still not excused) but care in the community has happened in their lifetime, but young folk It's fucking disgraceful.

"FFS, where are people with learning difficulties supposed to go??"

How about somewhere they don't pose a risk to small children?

The issue of whether adults with learning difficulties are well catered for is an entirely separate one from whether a lack of facilities means it's OK to put small children at risk.

When 6 year olds are not allowed to share equipment with toddlers because of the risks they pose as bigger, stronger children, it seems utterly ludicrous to pretend that adult-sized bodies without adult understanding pose no risk.

If the equipment can take it, then make arrangements for it to be used safely.

It is not OK for a group of adults to show up to a clearly marked children's play area and force the children out because they are not able to play safely.