- Parking
- Mainstream/Special
- Type of Activity
- Sport
- Age
- Primary School
- Secondary School
- 16+
- Accessibility
- Changing Places Toilets
- Wheelchair Access
- Disability
- Down Syndrome
- Learning Difficulties
- Free Entry for Carer
- Not Applicable
- Sports
- Swimming
Special Olympic clubs accept people with a physical disability or autism but only if they also have a learning disability as specifically defined by Special Olympics. For registration medical/psychological evidence has to be provided to SOGB to support the diagnosis of a learning disability.
We take swimmers from age 8 years upwards who can already swim 25m confidently (any stroke), unaided without stopping and can follow instructions. We do not teach how to swim but work on stroke development and competition technique. We are not able to provide 1:1.
Firstly, it gives the swimmers a chance to be part of a team, to feel a sense of pride and achievement, to enjoy the success of winning, to learn to support each other in times of disappointment, and have aspirations to improve, develop and succeed.
Secondly, it helps them to be fit, healthy and prevent weight problems.
Thirdly, it helps them foster friendships, improve their communication and develop social skills.
And fourthly, it is a support network for the parents, sharing information and problem-solving the many issues they have to face.
Our aim is to help swimmers develop their swimming technique and train towards whatever goals they wish to try to achieve. The swimmers range from those recently joining us who may only just be able to swim the basic 25m unaided, to those who just like to come and train but do not feel ready to compete, to those who compete in local galas, regional galas, at national level and we have one who swims at international level for the DSS GB team.
