Based on responses to a freedom of information request by the Association of Play Industries (API), the report, shows that some UK regions have almost five-times the free-to-access play provision of others.
The API is now urging the Government to ‘level up’ the life chances of UK children by ensuring equal access for all to public play spaces. It has launched a new Equal Play campaign calling for ring-fenced Government funding for play, to enable local authorities to provide every child with a safe, high-quality playground nearby.
The Association put in a freedom of information (FOI) request to find out how many play areas exist and what local authorities’ plans are for 2020 and 2021.
Two previous FOI requests by the API in 2017 and 2018 highlighted a large decline in the number of playgrounds and money spent on play provision.
The responses to its latest FOI indicate that the number of play areas are no longer in reduction and the decline appears to have ‘bottomed out.’ However, it does show a postcode lottery in terms of access to free play provision. Key findings include:
- London has the second worst play provision in the UK with 866 children per playground.
- Welsh children enjoy access to over twice the number of playgrounds than children in London.
- Every playground in the North-East and North-West serves over 600 children, compared to 196 in Scotland.
'Funding for outdoor play is often sacrificed in favour of other demands'
API chair, Mark Hardy, said, ‘We are lobbying the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) to provide local authorities with access to a national funding stream for public playgrounds so that every child has a safe, local, high-quality place to play every day. The Government’s Levelling Up agenda must include children’s access to outdoor play; it is fundamental for childhood development and millions of children are being disadvantaged by this postcode lottery.
‘Nationally, play provision is extremely patchy, with some areas well-served and others woefully lacking. Cash-strapped local authorities face increasingly difficult choices in how they allocate their budgets, and funding for outdoor play areas is often sacrificed in favour of other demands, particularly over the last two years.
‘The closure of public play spaces during lockdown and the effects on children of Covid restrictions has brought about a renewed appreciation by the public of the importance of these community assets. Providing all children with somewhere safe and local to play is a relatively inexpensive and simple public health measure and will help to help to tackle soaring childhood obesity rates and mental health issues - problems hugely exacerbated by the pandemic.’
The Government has been contacted for a response.
- Support the Equal Play campaign on Twitter with #EqualPLAY
