New guidance on planning for play will 'create environments where children can thrive'

Wednesday 7 October 2009

New guidance published today by Play England, Embedding The Play Strategy, will assist local decision makers to put children's play at the heart of their local communities. The guidance shows how improving and developing play space and considering children's needs within the wider environment can benefit children, families and whole communities.

The guidance offers a recommended process for local authorities and their partners to work together across a range of services, to plan for play provision and child-friendly space, as a key to the government's aim to make England this best place in the world to grow up. The proposed process follows the planning and commissioning model recommended to Children's Trusts to ensure an integrated approach to improving outcomes for children. Good play opportunities have been shown to benefit children across each of the Every Child Matters outcomes.

The guidance, available free to download from the Play England website, will be open for consultation until the end of October. Play England is encouraging responses from Directors of Children's Services, Children's Trusts, those working in the voluntary and play sectors, as well as members of wider strategic partnerships such as commissioning, planning, transport, health, housing, schools, police, leisure and landscape architects. Play England will present the guidance and the consultation responses to government for consideration.

Adrian Voce, Director of Play England, said: 'The national Play Strategy is about developing public space that is safer and more accessible to children, as well as ensuring that they have good places to play. The recent government investment has stimulated much activity in this area, which needs to be sustained over the years to come. It is even more important in times of economic hardship to ensure that all children grow up in environments where they can thrive. This guidance outlines the important steps for local authorities and their partners to embed this aim within their policy and planning frameworks.'