Accessibility is a word used often, and interpreted differently by everyone who hears it. So we went straight to the source and asked our own team: what does accessibility actually look like in your day-to-day work?
Their answers came from every corner of the business, business development, design, training, and childcare delivery, but they all pointed to the same thing. Accessibility at Worldwide Kids isn’t a single initiative owned by one team, and it isn’t a policy on a page or a box to tick. It’s a thread that runs from the first partnership conversation, through design and training, to the moment a child walks into a kids club, shaping how we consult, how we design, how we train, and how we care for children every single day. That’s the standard we hold ourselves to, and it’s the standard we help our partner resorts build toward too.
Here’s what our team had to say.
Building the case for accessibility from the outset
For James Gunn, Business Development Consultant, accessibility starts before a partnership even begins. His own background in childcare means he’s qualified to properly assess a resort’s existing provision, not just from a business perspective, but from genuine industry knowledge of what good, accessible childcare actually looks like. That assessment shapes the services we propose from day one, ensuring nothing is overlooked and every family’s needs are genuinely covered.
“When establishing new partnerships, our focus is on showing luxury resorts how removing physical, sensory, emotional, and social barriers elevates the entire guest experience and sets a new benchmark for family travel.”
Designing spaces that welcome every child
Once a partnership is underway, that thinking has to translate into physical space. Francesca Piscitelli, Design Consultant, explains how accessibility shapes every design decision from concept to completion, from the earliest sketches and material choices through to how a space is finally laid out and furnished. Part of that is building a narrative within the space that every child can resonate with, regardless of their background or ability, so the story a space tells feels like it includes them. It’s not something considered after the fact; it’s built in at every stage, so the finished environment works for every child who walks into it.
“Our role is to design inclusive spaces that embrace a wide variety of physical, sensory, and cognitive needs, using flexible and adaptable design to support different ways of playing, learning, and interacting. Every child should feel welcomed and included.”
Megan Wilson, Head of Design, echoes that this thinking runs through the entire design process, not just the finished space. It shapes the questions asked at the very start of a project, the way spaces are briefed to architects and suppliers, and the standards every design is measured against before sign-off. For her, accessibility isn’t a feature to be added, it’s a lens the whole design process is viewed through, from the first concept to the final walkthrough.
“Our approach is built on a simple belief: every child deserves to feel welcomed, understood, and empowered to participate, regardless of age, ability, background, or need. From concept development through daily operations, we consider how environments, activities, and teams can create meaningful experiences for every child.”
Training teams to adapt in the moment
Great spaces need great teams behind them. Janine Ivemy, Consultant, trains childcare teams to recognise and respond to individual needs as they arise, building the confidence to notice small cues, adjust an activity on the spot, and make a child feel included without singling them out. It’s less about following a fixed protocol and more about equipping teams to think on their feet, so every child’s experience feels natural rather than adapted after the fact.
“We equip childcare teams with the knowledge, confidence, and practical skills to ensure everyone can participate, whatever their individual needs. That means learning to adapt in the moment, creating positive experiences for the whole group, not just the majority.”
Kristina Maiers, Consultant, builds on this, describing how training helps every child see themselves reflected in the experience. That means teams learning to notice not just physical needs, but the smaller, easily missed moments, a child hanging back from a group activity, a story or game that doesn’t quite resonate, and adjusting so every child feels like the experience was built with them in mind, not adapted around them as an afterthought.
“Accessibility is built into the way we deliver our childcare programmes. Every Worldwide Kids activity is designed with adaptation in mind, ensuring every child can see opportunities for themselves and feel represented. Our teams are trained to spot how and when to adapt.“
Olivia Pover, Consultant, points out that accessibility covers far more than what’s immediately visible. Physical accommodations are often the easiest to spot and plan for, but she’s equally focused on the needs that aren’t obvious at first glance: a child who’s overwhelmed by noise, one who communicates differently, or one who simply processes the world at a different pace. Recognising these invisible needs, she says, is just as central to making a space genuinely inclusive.
“Accessibility includes both visible and invisible needs. Our approach considers neurodiversity, sensory preferences, communication styles and different ways children experience the world, helping create environments where every child can feel comfortable and confident.”
Bringing it to life in the kids club
At the point of delivery, it’s our Childcare Managers who turn all of this into a lived experience for children and families. Rosie Speakman, Childcare Manager, sees her role as creating a club built on opportunity rather than limitation, where a child’s needs shape how an activity is delivered, not whether they get to take part in it at all. For her, that’s the real test of everything that’s happened before: the strategy, the design, the training. It all comes down to how a child actually feels the moment they walk through the door.
“Every child deserves to feel seen, valued, and included. As a Childcare Manager, I strive to create a Kids Club filled with opportunities rather than limitations, where all children feel safe and supported. Our activities, resources and environments ensure every child has the opportunity to enjoy, learn, and thrive.”
Hannah Byrne, Childcare Manager, describes what that support looks like on a daily, practical level. For her team, it’s rarely one big gesture, it’s the accumulation of small, consistent decisions made throughout the day: knowing when a child needs quiet space rather than group energy, when an activity needs adjusting, when a parent needs reassurance as much as their child does. It’s this everyday attentiveness, repeated consistently, that makes a kids club genuinely accessible rather than accessible in name only.
“Accessibility is vital in any kids club. Every day, we ensure that every child feels safe, comfortable and welcome and that their needs are supported. Whether this means 1:1 care, having access to a cozy corner or adapting activities, our team is prepared to ensure that our kids clubs are accessible for all.”
