Cotton wool culture stifling the nation's children

LGA press release - May 27 2009

Parents must shake-off the cotton-wool culture and just let children be children, council leaders said today, as they pledged to put the adventure back into the nation’s playtimes.

Research by the Local Government Association has found playgrounds have swept away the “no ball-games allowed” culture to introduce zip wires, giant climbing structures, tree houses and tunnels, funded by £235million announced as part of the Children’s Plan.

Councils across England are reinventing traditional playtime by building or refurbishing more than 3,500 playgrounds by 2011, and are including an increasing amount of adventure equipment.

Across the country councils are working to give children back a sense of traditional rough and tumble fun. Council-run holiday playschemes are part of the trend, offering activities such as circus skills, BMX biking and surfing.

Cllr Margaret Eaton, Chairman of the Local Government Association, said:

“Children playing outside - getting grass stains on their clothes, twigs in their hair and grazing their knees – is a fundamental part of growing up. Children need the opportunity to have adventures and let their imaginations run free, and it’s fantastic that councils are helping provide so many places where that can happen. Crucially, going to a playground or a park is free. Families don’t have to spend a fortune on a day at a theme-park for children to enjoy some thrills and spills.

“Children benefit from physical activity and even some rough and tumble. We do our youngsters no favours by wrapping them up in cotton-wool, which can prevent them from developing skills they’ll need in their adult life. Town halls are determined not to bow to the compensation culture. The idea councils are dominated by health and safety rules is being exposed for the myth it’s always been.”

Peter Cornall, head of leisure safety at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, said:
“RoSPA believes that children can learn valuable life-long lessons, particularly about risks and how to deal with them, when they are given the chance to get out and about. Parents have to accept that their children may get injured and that bumps and grazes are not serious and are all part of growing up.
“We need to try to break down the perceived safety barriers to playing outside and having playgrounds which are challenging and exciting is a positive step towards this. Children thrive on adventure and providing good playgrounds should also discourage them from seeking out excitement in places such as construction sites, derelict buildings and railway lines where the hazards are far greater.”
ENDS

Notes to editors:

Case studies are available on request via the LGA Media Office.

RoSPA publishes advice on leisure safety on its website at www.rospa.com/leisuresafety/

Play England recently published a guide on managing risk, which is supported by the LGA. http://www.playengland.org.uk/Page.asp?originx_9424fe_1139449502553e76o_2009171038g

Author: LGA Media Office
Contact: Sarah Cordey, LGA Media Office, Tel: 020 7664 3333