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The role of play has been long undervalued in the UK. But play is an important factor both in children's learning and development and as a means of promoting community cohesion. The benefits of giving children opportunities to play are well documented, but play provision itself has usually been poorly funded and development has tended to be ad-hoc rather than strategic.

Recently though there have been welcome signs of change. In 2001 Chris Smith, then culture secretary, committed £200m from the New Opportunities Fund to the development of play spaces. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has recently undertaken a review of children's play opportunities. The resulting report, published on 21 January, recommended that this funding be focused on areas with the poorest access to play provision, with a major emphasis on ensuring that disabled children and young people can enjoy facilities alongside their non-disabled peers.


The Children Fund has also increased funding for children's play - over one in four of the first wave of Children Fund projects provided for improved play and leisure opportunities. The green paper Every Child Matters also recognised the value of unstructured and unsupervised activities - otherwise known as play. The development of children's trusts and children's centres should create opportunities to give play more importance locally, and promote its value in sectors such as health, transport and housing.

This is all good news for children and play advocates. But one area lacking in strategic direction is funding. Currently, play provision is funded from several pots - the lottery (including the Better Play initiative), Children's Fund, Living Spaces, English Heritage and Neighbourhood Renewal. This is usually short-term project funding. Funding from private developers also provides money to build play areas but does not provide the long-term funds needed for maintenance. All this means that play facilities close because they are not properly maintained.

The lack of strategy in play planning also means that certain groups of children miss out. For example, in one area there may be several playgrounds for small children but nothing for teenagers. They also need somewhere to go, meet friends and hang out. If there is nothing for them they end up using playgrounds intended for little ones and no one is happy.

Many areas of national and local government policy affect the play opportunities children and young people have. Transport links, housing, school facilities and crime all affect where children can go. This has two major implications for play providers. Firstly, local consultation with children and young people and other community representatives is essential if play provision is to meet their needs. Often the reasons why children choose to play - or not to play - in a specific place are not immediately obvious to planners.


Secondly, local agencies and different government departments need to work together to make sure all children's needs are catered for. This requires a strong commitment to joined-up working. The green paper pushes this approach for other children's services but it is still missing in the area of play provision.

A play strategy, like the child care strategy, should have clear, measurable outcomes. Play opportunities are nearly always provided at local level, often by people who cannot commit full-time to the task. A clear national strategy should support local agencies in their work by providing standards. It should also help them secure support in government and elsewhere by raising the profile of play.

This is an exciting time for children's services and there are new opportunities opening in terms of money and evolving government policy. What is needed now is a bold and strategic approach.

¹ The Children's Fund - First Wave partnerships, Ofsted, Audit Commission and Social Services Inspectorate, HMI 585, 2003

Tim Gill is director of the Children's Play Council.