Play decline: Why the UK government must invest in youth

By Dr. Tim Sandle
August 21, 2024
DIGITAL JOURNAL

A children's activity area. — Image by © Tim Sandle.

Considerable research indicates that play areas enrich the lives of children. Their decline is one of the reasons for the growing physical and mental health issues among the young people in our communities.

Data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) shows that, in the UK, one in eight children live in a household with no garden. This means thousands of families rely on safe public play areas for outdoor exercise, enrichment and time to bond with their children. Furthermore, new data gathered by Aggregate Industries reveals that 793 play parks have been closed down in the last 10 years.

In addition to the closures, there have been 28,734 reports of vandalism and 2,786 injuries in play parks over the last 5 years.

This is in part a symptom of falling budgets, resulting in the failure to protect our public play areas. Over a decade of decline has hit the North and the Midlands the hardest. Budgets have been cut by more than 40% and, in the most extreme cases, by 80 percent in Sunderland, Gloucester and Barnsley.

This decline has occurred over 11 years, transpiring under the previous government’s 14-year tenure in office. With the Labour Party and a new Prime Minister now at the helm, now is the time to demand a new direction and highlight the importance of play area renewal in the UK.

To discover more, Digital Journal heard from the educational play experts at Playdale Playgrounds for their insight on the current state of UK playgrounds and what we should be demanding from the new government when it comes to the future of play in our communities.

What is ‘play decline?’

Play decline is the term given to the deterioration of traditional childhood play. Today’s young people are missing out on the enriching outdoor and physical activities that are crucial in socialisation – helping to develop the key skills of creativity, teamwork and curiosity.

There are concerns about children spending too much time in front of iPads and televisions, but with a decline in access to dedicated play spaces, these concerns have been upgraded from a cultural concern to a health epidemic.

Childhood obesity in the UK has risen significantly over the last 18 years, with House of Commons Library data revealing 234 per 1,000 10-11-year-olds are now obese, with 143 classed as overweight. It is no coincidence that these statistics have worsened as our playgrounds have declined.

Why are playgrounds important?

Playgrounds are crucial to the health of children. UNICEF has found that children who play regularly with their parents are less likely to develop anxiety, depression, aggression and sleep problems.

This problem is exacerbated when there is no reasonable access to playgrounds or parks for families. Parks near new housing developments, most commonly bought by younger families, have shrunk by a whopping 40 percent in the last 20 years – hindering the mental and physical development of children.

Playing outdoors develops confidence, independence and self-esteem in children. When playgrounds are up to scratch, it gives children a safe environment to push their boundaries, become aware of their limits and experience challenges in play.

A lack of outside space means a lack of opportunity to develop these essential skills, a scenario which can be avoided if we fix the dire state of UK playgrounds.

The current state of UK playgrounds

UK playgrounds have crumbled over the last 10 years, with budgets falling by a huge £350 million under the last government. For comparison, The Guardian found that the three-year average spend on England’s parks and open spaces stood at £1.4 billion in 2010-11. By 2021-22, this figure had dropped to just under £1 billion in real terms.

The poor condition of playgrounds is blighting our open spaces, turning parks into no-go areas for almost half of the UK’s children. In fact, 49 percent of children never or rarely visit playgrounds, according to new research.

This is unsurprising, especially when you consider the number of accidents from unsafe conditions – mainly in the areas most affected by budget cuts. In Gloucestershire, where budgets were cut by 80 percent, 168 accidents and complaints were reported between 2019 to 2022 –6 percent of the UK total. In Greater Manchester, 174 were reported – a further 6.2 percent.

How can the new government reverse the decline?

By reversing the cuts to public green spaces and infrastructure, the new government can make public parks and play areas an immediate health issue to be addressed before the situation worsens deeper.

The new government must also make parks a safer place where parents are encouraged to take their children, not a place that parents should be worried about. In October 2023, the previous government found that 30,000 hours of extra police patrols helped reduce antisocial behaviour by up to 30 percent in some areas. To stop parks from becoming areas where antisocial behaviour thrives, the new government must stick to their manifesto pledge to increase neighbourhood policing to take parks back from those who do not use them as they were intended.

Dr Amanda Gummer, Independent Chair of the Association of Play Industries, has been the first to take action in raising the crisis of the UK’s playgrounds to the new government. Gummer has requested formal meetings with the Prime Minister, Health Minister, Education Minister and the Minister for Housing, Communities & Local Government. The letters she sent to the government highlight the crucial importance of these dedicated spaces for our communities, prioritising universal access to community play and emphasising the urgent need for policy changes.

Rachel Reeves, the new Chancellor, will be announcing the first Labour government budget on 30th October. This gives the public three months to voice their concerns to their local MP, demanding for action to be taken to save our local parks and play areas.