A timely, heartfelt yet reasoned response to recent political comment on children’s right to play, which I am happy to put my name to. Please share far and wide – and more importantly, please raise the issue with your local candidates. My thanks to Adrian, and to Penny Wilson of Play Association Tower Hamlets, for their hard work in pulling this together.
Over 100 playworkers and play advocates have united to refute the UKIP claim that immigration stops children playing out together, and to highlight the real reasons for the decline in outdoor play.
This is a copy our letter, which is being sent to 3000 election candidates today, calling for government support for community play.
Play advocates are encouraged to adapt it with local examples and quotes from families to use in local campaigns*
*Please remove signatories if the letter is altered in any way.
Dear Candidate,
Following the recent assertion, from Nigel Farage of UKIP, that immigration divides communities to the extent that children can no longer play outside together, we would like to assure you that in our experience of supporting community play over many years, this is not true.
We would, however, like to highlight evidence of the real barriers to outdoor play.
Play is in some…
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Rethinking Childhood 