CYP Now - Analysis: Children's services - Taking play into the mainstream

The challenge of integrating play within all children's services dominated the agenda at Children Now's play conference last week, with a particular emphasis placed on play's health benefits. Ben Cook reveals what was discussed at the Birmingham event.

Labour MP Helen Goodman, chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group onPlay, last week highlighted the need for a "culture of play" to improvechildren's physical and mental health.

Speaking at Children Now's Sustainable and Accessible Play conference inBirmingham last Wednesday, Goodman said a decrease in the amount of timechildren were able to play was contributing to high levels of mentalillness. "Very often childhood is being eroded," she said. "The timechildren could be spending on independent activity is lost to timedictated by adults."

She added that, by giving children more opportunities to play, theirphysical health could also be enhanced. "The Government is anxious aboutthe obesity problem, but children get most exercise from informal bitsof play."

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