Sensory rooms in Scottish stadiums

[Pingu1884]

I started going to the football at a young age with my Dad. Despite him being a Motherwell fan, he encouraged me to support my local team, St. Johnstone, and took me to my first game – a one nil defeat at home to Dundee.

 

Despite this early setback, I was hooked and for the following few years we had season tickets to McDairmid Park and attended all of St. Johnstone’s home games.

25ish years later, my own son has been asking me to take him to a football game. My son, Lewis, is 8 years old is autistic. He loves to watch games on the TV with me but really wants to see it live and in person. Unfortunately, his condition means that he could not in any way cope at a game. Too much noise, too many people, too much unpredictability are among the issues he would face trying to attend a match. 

I did a bit of research and learned about The Shippey Campaign that advocated for and have helped clubs across England to install sensory rooms at stadiums across the country to allow those with sensory difficulties to attend matches and support their team in an environment that takes their needs into consideration. 

 

In Scotland, to my knowledge only Celtic, Rangers, Greenock Morton and Airdrieonians offer sensory rooms at the ground to allow those with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other sensory conditions to attend matches safely and without fear of sensory overload.

 

Despite the SFA and most clubs having statements about how accepting they are of people with disabilities, for the most part this does not extend to those with sensory difficulties. There would be absolute uproar if any stadium in this country didn’t offer facilities for those in wheelchairs to attend matches but very little seems to be in place for those with additional sensory needs. 

I rang Hampden Park, Scotland’s national stadium, to enquire about a sensory room for the upcoming internationals and was told that they have nothing of the sort available. 

As a St. Johnstone fan, I rang McDairmid Park and asked about facilities there. They offer a loan of sensory bags with fidget toys, colouring books, bubbles and ear plugs amongst other things (that no parent of a neurodivergent child would leave the house without) but no sensory rooms.

 

Approximately 1 in 7 people in the UK can be classed as neurodivergent (meaning their brain functions, learns and processes information differently), so in all likelihood, each person reading this knows somebody who falls into this category.   

I just want to be able to take my son to football games the same as thousands of other Dads do every week. 

 

I am asking if you would be willing to sign the attached petition to try and raise awareness whilst persuading the SFA and clubs in Scotland to provide spaces so those with sensory difficulties can attend matches. 

 

Thank you. 

 

https://chng.it/wGstKftr

[RawB93]

Signed 

[Crawford]

Signed. This is an amazing campaign and urge anyone reading this to get involved. 

[Pens_Dark]

Signed. What a great campaign.

I hope the SFA and more clubs will accommodate the needs of your boy and many other people!

[williebraveheart]

Signed, good luck.

[Fifespud]

Signed. Good luck. 

[TONTROOPER]

Signed

[grumswall]

Signed and good luck with this. A great idea. 

[Raithie]

Signed. 

[AUFC 1910]

Signed.

My daughter has autism and this would greatly increase my chances of her attending

[Moorie]

Singed. My son has Autism and although he’s high function still certain triggers set him off. Good luck with this and will definitely be sharing 

[TxRover]

Wondering if Raith couldn’t find some space inside SP that would allow some isolation that, along with hearing protectors, might not work nearly as well a dedicated sensory room at a lower initial cost for now? Surely there would be a way the club could accommodate fans needing this kind of assistance somehow.