Sport is 'NOT' a Luxury

“Sport is NOT a luxury.” The perceived impact of the cost of living crisis on sport and physical activity opportunities for children and adolescents in Northern Ireland (NI): A cross sectional surveyDr Maria O'Kane & Dr Angela Carlin, from Ulster University, talk to Education Matters about the cost of living's impact on children's ability to play sport and the consequences that arise.Get the full report here: https://pure.ulster.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/220719211/s12889-025-22180-x.pdfKey findings are discussed in-depth:🔸 85% of parents believe sport is important for helping children manage stress.🔸 30% cannot afford the necessary equipment or clothing for their children to participate in sport/physical activity.🔸 35% have reduced spending on sport and physical activity since the onset of the cost-of-living crisis in 2021.🔸 24% have used credit or borrowed money to cover the cost of sport/physical activity for their children.The research team’s six key policy recommendations, aimed at addressing the growing inequalities in access, are explored.🔹 Anti-Poverty Strategy: Introduce a ring-fenced budget for child poverty with realistic targets that promote equal access to physical activity.🔹 School-Based Physical Activity: Mandate a minimum of 120 minutes of PE per week and promote whole-school physical activity initiatives.🔹 Investment in Community Sport: Increase funding for sport and leisure facilities and support clubs facing rising operational costs.🔹 NI Physical Activity Inclusion Fund: Create a dedicated fund for co-designed programmes targeting disadvantaged children and adolescents.🔹 Free/Low-Cost Opportunity Portal: Develop an online platform listing local, accessible activity options for families.🔹 National Participation Monitoring: Establish a surveillance system tracking children's activity levels by income, gender, age, and disability.Final message: Sport is not a luxury - it’s a necessity. Every child deserves access to quality PE, leisure and activities and stakeholders must work together to make it a reality.Get the full report here: https://pure.ulster.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/220719211/s12889-025-22180-x.pdfFollow us, we're worth it:🔗 Website🔗 Spotify🔗 Instagram🔗 Bluesky🔗 X (Twitter)#leadership #education #teacher #school #schoollife #inspiration #support #podcast #video World Suicide Prevention Day, teacher mental health, educator wellbeing, education podcast, teacher podcast, teacher burnout, mental health in schools, staffroom support, teacher reflection, school leadership, emotional labour, education and mental health, teacher resilience, suicide awareness, compassionate education, wellbeing in education, teacher voice, student mental health, teacher support network, education community, real talk teaching, mental health matters, teacher life, educator podcast#EducationPodcast, #PhysicalEducation, #SchoolSport, #PEInSchools, #SportIsNotALuxury, #TeacherWellbeing, #UKTeachers, #IrishEducation, #USEducation, #EuropeanEducation, #TeacherVoices, #EducationReform, #PupilWellbeing, #GirlsInSport, #SchoolLeadership, #TeachingChallenges, #TeacherSupport, #EducationPolicy, #PEFunding, #WholeChildEducation, #SportForAll, #ClassroomAndBeyond, #TeachersMatter, #EducationSystemChange, #PETeachers