Understandings of play for children with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD)

Abstract

This chapter develops an argument showing how the idea of play as freely chosen and personally directed needs careful consideration and perhaps a broader understanding for playworkers working with children with Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities (PMLD), who are often described as having substantial difficulty in intentional communication. Observations and semi-structured interviews were carried out in an afterschool club and holiday play scheme for children with PMLD in south east England in order to explore staff understandings of and attitudes towards the play of children with PMLD. Interweaving the data with the literature on disabled children, a focus on communication, relationships and playfulness emerged, which has potential to support playworkers working with children with PMLD.