‘The hidden cost of “deplaytion”’ -
@NewStatesman
Ban social media all you like – but don’t ignore their crap playgrounds
newstatesman.com/politics/so…
Councils have long struggled to maintain their playgrounds or open new ones since budget cuts were imposed more than a decade and a half ago. In the UK, nearly 800 playgrounds closed between 2013 and 2023, and we’re still seeing the effects. From Leicester to Greenwich in south London, children are on the brink of losing beloved local adventure playgrounds because of council funding pressures.
playengland.org.uk/newsblog/…
Poorer play areas are part of this picture, as are overprotective parents, traffic, digital life and the more intensive school day. The [play] commission recommends a national play strategy from the government to address the problem. The last one was 18 years ago, before most adults owned a smartphone, let alone their kids.
playengland.org.uk/newsblog/…
In the most recent Budget, Rachel Reeves announced £18m to refurbish play areas. And for the first time, proposed revisions to national planning policy include the need to consider children in street and space design.
playengland.org.uk/newsblog/…
#ItAllStartsWithPlay!
#EvrythingToPlayFor #PlaySufficiency #NationalPlayStrategy