MPs recently debated children's access to playgrounds in Westminster Hall for the first time in eight years, highlighting that one in three children lack a nearby playground, as evidenced by the Green Space Index.
MPs debate access to Playgrounds
We were encouraged to see the topic of childrens play getting much needed airtime with MPs discussing 'access to playgrounds' in a Westminster Hall debate. Apparently MPs haven't debated this topic for 8 years, so taking play seriously really is long overdue.
Our Green Space Index was used in the discussion to help demonstrate the scale of the problem that 1 in 3 children don’t have access to a playground close to home.
With Alex Norris MP the Minister for Housing, Communities and Local Government responding “Playgrounds are a vital part of our social infrastructure. As we have heard, they contribute to the health and development of our children and young people across the nation. Importantly for us as a Government, they also build on our mission of opportunities for all by ensuring that everyone has the best start in life”.
We have set out some key recommendations for Government Ministers and Departments to start taking action in this report we co-authored:
We have been jointly calling for urgent changes to national policy and practice to prioritise the creation of child-friendly places, spaces and communities for some time, so lets see if the current ‘Political will’ translates into actions to ensure that our children and young people have access to space they need to learn, play, grow and thrive.