About AllPlay

About AllPlay

Background

The AllPlay program was founded in 2015 by Professor Nicole Rinehart at Deakin University. AllPlay became part of Monash University in 2021.

AllPlay began with a simple observation in 2013 on the edge of the footy field as I watched my children play, develop new skills, meet friends, and laugh” says Professor Rinehart. “As I thought about the incredible physical, social, mental health benefits sports brings to children, and knowing children learn and develop best in a natural environment, I wondered whether we could one day ‘prescribe sports’ as well as other clinical interventions to the children I saw in my clinic who experience developmental challenges and disabilities such as autism?"

Professor Nicole Rinehart, AllPlay Founder

Our purpose

At AllPlay, our mission is to end the exclusion of children with disability. Our work aims to enable children with disability and/or developmental challenges, such as autism, ADHD, cerebral palsy, language disorders and intellectual disabilities to access a range of community-based activities, such as sport and dancing.

We work with a range of people who contribute to creating a supportive and nurturing environment for all children. This includes their parents and carers, extended family and friends, health professionals, such as GPs, psychologists and therapists, teachers from day-care through to secondary school, and coaches and teachers that support them through their out-of-school activities and hobbies.

Through research and community collaboration, we hope to change attitudes, structures and systems – the main barriers to inclusion, and to provide strengths-based and evidence-based resources and information so that all young people can play and be part of the community.

Our philosophy

Behind every thing we do, there are five 'key research design principles’:

Principle 1: Evidence Based

AllPlay Resources are backed by evidence from research. Where evidence is lacking, the gap is being filled by AllPlay research in progress. Where there are still existing gaps, multidisciplinary research catches up. We readily acknowledge that there are gaps in the evidence base. By tying our work back to the evidence base we minimise the chance of doing harm and help communities thrive.

Principle 2: Meets the needs of all children

AllPlay strives to reach the one in six Australian children who have a disability or developmental challenge. We focus on the unique strengths and support needs of each child. We include all children and create programs that are culturally sensitive and inclusive of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.

Principle 3: Focus on real inclusion

The AllPlay model is focused on real inclusion rather. We want to provide the resources and social change mechanism to make inclusion a reality. At the same time, we respect the individual choices and preferences of children and their families.

Principle 4: Change the world not the child

When not everyone can be included it is usually because of the structures and systems in place, and a lack of understanding, not because of the abilities of children. We are tackling these structures and systems and are leading a social movement of inclusion to make the world fit for all children, rather than changing the child.

Principle 5: Partner to make change happen

We bring research and clinical knowledge together with peak bodies and government agencies for sport, dance and education, along with grass roots community coaches, clubs, teachers, schools and organisations and connect with children and parents to build AllPlay programs. Only through including the right people can we change the structures and systems and be impactful.