Share your experiences – and help shape UK play policy

The UK’s new play commission needs your input and ideas to help shape policies that can improve youngsters’ access to play.

A ‘call for evidence’ began in June, seeking input from individuals and organisations involved in all aspects of children’s play provision.

The closing date for submissions is 30 September, and it’s hoped that many more people, including parents, guardians and young people themselves, will share their ‘lived experiences’ of access to – or lack of it – play in their communities.

The Raising the Nation Play Commission has been created by entrepreneur Paul Lindley, founder of baby food brand Ella’s Kitchen, with the support of the Centre for Young Lives (CfYL).

As previously reported, the new commission will examine barriers to play including cuts to local authority funding, which has seen more than 800 playgrounds close since 2010, restricted access to green spaces in housing developments, changes to school break times, and the role of social media and online gaming.

‘Unforgivable absence of vision’

It will be chaired by Lindley and Anne Longfield, CfYL founder and former Children’s Commissioner for England. It will comprise 15 experts from the play, public health and child development sectors. They include Eugene Minogue, chief executive of Play England, Sue Macmillan, chief executive of Mumsnet and Tim Gill, an independent play consultant.

In particular, the commission is asking for feedback on the following questions:

• How do we boost learning through play?
• How do we expand places and environments where children can play?
• How can we use children’s right to play to ensure national and local government support children’s play?
• How do we provide children and families with more time to play?
• How do we harness technology and the digital world to boost children’s play?
• How do we encourage parents to play with their children and to encourage their children to play in the offline world?

Paul Lindley said there had been an ‘unforgivable absence of vision’ for creating play opportunities in recent years.

“Because thriving childhoods reflect thriving societies, and as play is central to thriving childhoods, it should be central to political decision-making – the way children explore, experiment and build an understanding of the world really matters,” he said.

“Yet in the last decade or more the opportunities and spaces for children to play have been decimated.  Over 800 playgrounds have closed, along with more than half of all youth centres and nearly every Sure Start Centre.  School playing fields have been sold off and, through policies encouraging the use of private cars, streets feel less safe for children to play. Secondary schools have also reduced break time by over an hour each week, whilst opportunities to train teachers to use the tool of play in lessons, as the Danish government has done, have been missed.

“All the while, the exponential growth in children’s access to smartphones, online gaming and social media accounts has taken time away from free play.  This all has serious consequences for our children’s current wellbeing and future potential, and their physical and mental health has rapidly declined.  For example, 40% of children now live with an unhealthy weight and more than 25% are obese, whilst over 1 in 6 has a probable mental health issue.  The consequences for poorer children, who may live in overcrowded homes, without access to gardens, or without the money to travel to the remaining places that welcome play, are particularly scandalous.

To submit your ideas please email a Word document outlining your evidence and recommendations to info@centreforyounglives.org.uk, and put ‘Call for Evidence – Play Commission submission’ in the subject line.