Press Release

Play England hails ‘a good plan for childhood’

11 December 2007

Play England welcomes the Children’s Secretary Ed Balls’ promise of ‘substantial’ new funding for adventure playgrounds and other ways to allow children more opportunities to play outdoors.

Speaking on BBC Breakfast this morning, the Secretary of State said that a strong and clear message from parents, children and young people in the Government’s recent consultation, was that they wanted more ‘bright, interesting and supervised playgrounds’. ‘Every parent’, he said, ‘wants their children to be happy, healthy and playing … with decent places to go and play, where they can be safe but also learn about risk. Supervised adventure playgrounds really work’.

Adrian Voce, director of Play England, part of NCB said: ‘this is fantastic news for children. Play is the essence of childhood; just ask any adult what they recall most enjoying as a child. A good plan for play is a good plan for childhood. What Ed Balls has said today suggests that he has really listened to children and to the concerns that exist about the decline in outdoor play opportunities. The government has looked at the benefits of good play provision and is ready to respond.

‘Play is a universal need, needing universal provision. It needs to be at the heart of our country's vision for childhood, not just rhetorically but physically, in the fabric of our communities and public spaces. We’re looking forward to a serious national play strategy that will command all party support.'

This announcement will come as a great boost to local authorities and the communities, which have spent nearly two years working hard to develop local play strategies, supported by Play England as part of the Big Lottery Fund Children’s Play initiative.

• Copyright 2008 Dod's Parliamentary Communications Ltd
• About ePolitix.com
• Stakeholders
• Contacts
• Terms & Conditions
• Blog guidelines