With 83 per cent of voters agreeing that play should be a government priority, Play England's Manifesto for Children's Play was presented to Children's Secretary Ed Balls by local children at the organisation's Playable Communities conference in March. The document calls on parties to respond to children's increasing need for action on play by adopting three simple pledges.
Balls announced that the Play Strategy's funding programme is on track to build at least 3,500 play areas and 30 staffed adventure playgrounds by 2011, and that nearly 2,000 play areas are complete, with 23 adventure playgrounds opening this spring. A "scrapbook" — Better Outcomes Through Play, was also launched, showcasing some of the best examples from the playbuilder and pathfinder programmes, and it was announced that funding will be ringfenced until 2011.
Long-term play strategy
Looking further ahead, play advocates were urged to make the case locally and to capitalise on strong public support in order to sustain and develop provision after that date. With the Tellus4 survey showing that children's level of satisfaction with parks and play areas has increased by almost eight per cent since last year, there is clear evidence that the Play Strategy is working.
Praising Play England's work as the government's delivery partner, Balls said that such a strong national champion was important to the future of play and welcomed the "strong, constructive pressure" that had helped him to make the recent policy advances. He challenged the play sector to redouble its efforts to present the evidence base of how play provision delivers value-for-money outcomes.
Reaffirming the Play Strategy vision - for "every residential area (in England) to have a variety of supervised and unsupervised places to play, free of charge", and for "local neighbourhoods to be and to feel like safe and interesting places to play" - the Children's Secretary welcomed the consultation on new planning policy, launched last week by Communities Secretary John Denham, which identifies children's play as a top level theme within planning for a natural, healthy environment.
VOX POPS
Tim Smit, chief executive and co-founder, Eden Project "Children grow in response to their environment, so getting them outside, taking risks and making friends should be a priority for a government wanting self-reliant and innovative generations"
Bil Bailey, member, Wiltshire Council "All agree that healthy development depends crucially on children having safe spaces where they can play. That includes our streets"
Alan Sutton, London Play "London Play welcomes the play manifesto. We believe that children can regain the freedom to roam that previous generations took for granted"
Three pledges for play
Play England's Manifesto for Children's Play calls for all political parties to make three simple pledges so that children and young people have the freedom and space to play:
- To make all neighbourhoods child-friendly places where children can play outside
- To give all children the time and opportunity to play
- To give all children somewhere to play - in freedom and safety - after school and in the holidays
For the manifesto to have maximum impact Play England is inviting individuals and organisations, as well as political parties, to endorse the manifesto. To sign up and for more advice on the campaign, visit www.playengland.org.uk.
