Can ID children set system to climb by themselves?

Hi,all!

I'm new comer from Japan and working in a facility for therapy for children with intellectual disability.

As you know, stimulate and excersize are effective for therapy for them, not only mentally but phisically.So I want if there's any chance for children to climb trees.

So now I ask you friends, are there any accumlated experience on risks and methods for ID children climbing?

Excuse my poor capability for english, thanks.

DancingWhiskers wrote:

Hi,all!

I'm new comer from Japan and working in a facility for therapy for children with intellectual disability.

As you know, stimulate and excersize are effective for therapy for them, not only mentally but phisically.So I want if there's any chance for children to climb trees.

So now I ask you friends, are there any accumlated experience on risks and methods for ID children climbing?

Excuse my poor capability for english, thanks.

I think a facilitated tree climbing program is fantastic for ID children and teens. I have facilitated many such climbers, the benefit is clear, they will have the opportunity to excel on many levels. I recommend contacting John Gathright of Tree Climbing Japan , John has done a lot of work in this area.
-Andrew

I have put a few kids with autism on rope this year. The one lad is one of my repeat climbers. He has a ball and his parents think it's great for him. The ID climbers just require a little more patience and attentive observation.
Ron.

Thanks for replies, Andrew, Ron.

I've been member of TCJ and assisted climbing events for a year.
In this period, I'd talked some facilitators and instructers about climbing ID children, but their opinions and views were mostly negative because people of my country is not ready for risk management with tree climbing.

So I want resources to find I can persuade TCJ official or not.

Excuse my poor capability for english, for my late reply or using inappropreate terms, may be I afraid.

Thanks.
Yukihiro.

Hello Yukihiro,
In a facilitated climb context, I think it would be very safe for ID climbers. Climbers would require more attention throughout the climb than "normal" climbers. I don't know of any programs or studies in the U.S. that address ID climbers. I will check with my contacts in the experiential education field for their comments.
-Andrew

Hello Dancing Whiskers,

Your subject line said; “Can ID children set system to climb by themselves.”
I want to make sure you are not talking about children climbing by themselves...without constant supervision. They will need supervision and watched more closely than regular people.

Very important! You will need to have a good rescue system and people ready to do a rescue if there are problems. This means you will have to practice doing rescue more often with a partner who is also trained in rescue. I have personally seen children with ID fall apart emotionally. I had to go up and bring them down. It is rare, but it can happen.

Are there risks. Yes. What risks? Talk to Johnsan. He will be your best source of information unless there is someone I do not know about.

I do not know of anyone who specializes in ID children. It can be a good thing for ID people but I would never consider them able to climb by themselves.


Peter Treeman Jenkins
Founder
TCI

Good reply Treeman. I didn't realy catch the exact wording of his header until lunchtime today. And I agree. I wouldn't teach an ID person how to set up the system so they could go out by themselves and climb. No problem putting them up durring a facilatated event though. With all due precautions of course.