Additional Support Sessions
We have loads of fun sports and activities across Aberdeen for those with additional support needs! Choose from swimming, ice skating, skiing, or snowboarding.
Participating in sports at a young age can be beneficial in helping children develop character and other important skills such as problem-solving, resilience, perseverance, confidence, and teamwork.
Aquatics Aberdeen provides a comprehensive range of opportunities across the city for individuals with additional support needs (ASN) and their families. These include swimming lessons and relaxed family sessions, offering a quiet, safe environment with adapted equipment, available at an affordable price.
Our additional support swimming programme has a number of different sessions for different levels of support.
| PASN Classes | These sessions are pre-ASN Level classes designed to help children learn skills quickly. Parents will support their child in the water and work with the teachers to set a training programme for their child. On completion of the programme the child can move to aSN1 as they will have developed basic swimming skills and confidence in the water. |
| ASN Swimming Lessons | These sessions follow a pathway to becoming better swimmers. The individual will work their way up through the levels as their confidence and ability in the water improves. |
| One-to-One | These 30-minute individual swimming lessons work to support individuals towards mainstream participation in swimming sessions. |
| Transition Squad | These sessions are for swimmers aged 8-16 years with a physical or sensory impairment, who can swim a minimum of 25 metres. |
| Autism Friendly Sessions | These are bookable sessions for families who have a child with autism. A teacher will be on hand during these sessions to give advice and help teach your child to swim in a relaxed atmosphere. Parents will support their child in the water during the session. Maximum capacity will be 24. |
For more information or to enquire about lessons please email coachedprogrammes@sportaberdeen.co.uk.
Developed in partnership with the Special Olympics, these sessions are suitable for those individuals with additional support needs and provide a pathway of progression through the sport.
Our additional support snowsports programme has a number of different sessions:
| Preschool ASN Skiing | These sessions are for children that have not yet reached school age. They will develop their skills and confidence on the slopes. |
| Junior ASN Skiing | These sessions are for beginners to the sport. They will be taught the basics and will develop their balance and confidence on the slopes as they work up through the levels. |
| Junior / Adult Intermediate and Advanced ASN Skiing | These sessions are for Juniors and Adults that have advanced from the beginner sessions and have built up their basic skiing ability and are confident on the slopes. |
ASN sessions are on a Wednesday at Adventure Aberdeen Snowsports from 16:15 to 20:45. Sessions are paid by direct debit and run on a 50-week coached programme cycle.
For more information email us at snowsports@sportaberdeen.co.uk or visit Special Olympics Grampian Area – Ski Group Facebook page.
Relaxed skating sessions are run in partnership with We Too! – a local organisation which aims to make activities more accessible for children with additional support needs.
Sessions are open to skaters of all ages and abilities with a focus on encouraging people with additional support needs to try ice skating.
Relaxed sessions are in a more welcoming environment compared to usual public sessions, as the lights are dimmed and there is no music played in the ice rink throughout the duration.
All carers attending the sessions can skate for free and adaptive equipment is available.
Click below to see when these sessions are running.