London Play

Working for a capital where all children can play

London Playwire May 2012

17 May 2012

So it's May and Boris is back in town, the rain keeps coming down, and... the London Play team has had its ear to the ground. Ahem.

Yes, the findings from our survey of local authority play services are out - and they make rather sorry reading. Some 70 per cent of councils are either cutting play provision or do not provide any play service to cut. And this in the light of the capital's rapidly expanding young population. On the positive side, there's nothing like a bit of grim news to galvanise people into action. Play teams across London are coming up with some innovative ways of rising to the challenges they face, and it has certainly renewed our vigour to get the message out about just how important play is and generate ideas about how to improve children's access to more play opportunities. In addition to more news on that, this issue includes:

Children under six should play, not sit in a classroom - says a leading academic
New Children and Families Bill to strengthen children's rights
London Play's dragon sets Waltham Forest's Wingfield Park on fire
Islington's new ‘All Bark, no Bite' treehouse
Plus... all the latest job vacancies, publications and events relevant to the London play world.

Download the May issue below.