Children and adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP) do not have the same opportunities as their peers without disabilities due to environmental barriers, therefore, the identification of community barriers is necessary to understand the aspects that may restrict participation in this context.

To describe the barriers found in the environment of children and adolescents with CP that restrict participation in the community.

Descriptive study, carried out with data collected between August 2021 and January 2023, from Participa Brasil, a multicenter study with Brazilian children and adolescents with CP. Those responsible for minors were interviewed online or in person, using a questionnaire on environmental factors and the Participation and Environment Measure for Children and Youth (PEM-CY). In this study, only the PEM-CY data referring to the community were analyzed descriptively.

The participants were 145 children and adolescents, with a mean age of 8.7 years (SD=2.7), of which 82 (56.6%) were boys. The GMFCS was classified as I (11%), II (29%), III (11%), IV (13%) and V (30%). The environment was considered a barrier to participation in the community for 48.4% of participants. Of these, 34.5% and 30.5% reported that "generally it makes more difficult" the child's participation in the community aspects such as the way in which the furniture, objects and physical structures of the environments were organized and the physical aspects necessary for the child performs to activities in the community, respectively. On the other hand, 54.5% and 53.8% answered that “generally it is not a problem” factors related to safety and the child's relationship with peers, in that order. Regarding the elements that were available or adequate, 10.3% and 8.2% stated that access to public transport and personal transport were “generally not” available to take children to community activities, respectively, and 26.9 % reported unavailability of programs and services offered in the community. Regarding information (about services and programs available for the child to participate in the community) 38% of parents mentioned that they “generally did not” have access.

As for equipment or materials that facilitate participation in the community, 48% stated that they were “generally not” available. In addition, it was observed that 8.3% and 15.9%, the minority of parents, answered that “generally not” had enough time and money, respectively, to help their child's participation in the community.

In the sample population of the study related aspects such as access to personal transport; public transportation; available time; money available; safety in the community and the child's relationship with peers were not considered barriers for most parents or guardians. On the other hand, related aspects such as the way furniture, objects and physical structures are organized; physical aspects of usual activities in the community; access to programs and services in the community; information about participation in the community and equipment and materials were the greatest environmental barriers found that restrict the participation of children and adolescents in the community.

The results provide information on where further interventions are needed to support community participation of children and adolescents with CP.