Opinion: Debate - Has play been marginalised in the culture department?

YES - Rachel Murray, play development officer, Southwark Play Network

The political perception of play is that it will happen regardless of whether or not resources are put in to it. The Government needs to be educated on the importance of play and afford it appropriate resources. Play could happily sit in most other government departments, but until it is made a statutory responsibility it will be marginalised in whichever department it sits. It is the responsibility of play professionals, parents and children to lobby for play to be understood and taken seriously.

NO - Alison Moore-Gwyn, director, National Playing Fields Association

From what we have seen and experienced (we had some responsibility for children's play in the 90s) we think that a great deal of energy and time (all of which costs money) goes into every move to which children's play is subjected. Also, assuming, as Margaret Hodge says on p5 of Children Now, 29 September-5 October, that DCMS and DfES work closely, the better solution would be to make a commitment to children's play mandatory, which it is not as yet.