Parental perceptions of a national program that funds sport participation for low-income children and youth in Canada

Abstract

Purpose: The financial costs associated with organized sport and recreation programs can act as salient barriers to child and youth participation. Programs that provide financial assistance to parents to support engagement may help alleviate these barriers, however little is known about how these programs actually impact families. This study examined the perceptions of parents who received funds from one such program (KidSport) in Eastern Canada.Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 parents who had received KidSport funding in the previous two years. Participants were systematically recruited from two communities in the province of Nova Scotia and asked how funding impacted their children’s sport and PA participation. Data were subject to thematic analysis.Results: Financial support helped parents facilitate their children’s sport participation, which yielded important social benefits for both parents and children. However, parents were still required to navigate overlapping and intersecting barriers related to time constraints, transportation demands, and high enrollment fees often overlooked in the literature.Conclusions: Families living in low income face complex and intersecting barriers that inhibit young people’s activity engagement. Programs that fund or subsidize child and youth sport and PA can help alleviate these barriers and provide social benefits for both parents and children. Future research is needed that considers the complexity of intersecting barriers and works to create more equitable provisions for young people’s sport and PA participation.