Play Inequality Report calls for action

The Raising the Nation Play Commission, a year-long independent inquiry into why play is essential to children’s wellbeing and development, has published its final report. 

Delivered in collaboration with the Centre For Young Lives, the report shines a spotlight on the deep inequalities in access to safe, inclusive play across England.

Many of its findings strongly echo what Arsenal in the Community staff see on the ground in Islington, Camden and Hackney, and reinforce the importance of our ongoing community programmes across all three boroughs.

Key findings include:

• Children in deprived areas are three times more likely to lack access to safe play spaces. Islington ranks as the sixth most deprived borough in London and 53rd nationally, a status that significantly impacts children’s everyday experiences and opportunities to play.

   

• Years of cuts to local authority services have disproportionately affected estate-based and street-level provision. In spite of these challenges, 40 per cent of Arsenal in the Community’s sessions still take place on local estates, ensuring that delivery remains rooted where it’s needed most.

   

• Access to play is not just about location - it's also about feeling safe and included. Many Black, Asian and minority ethnic children report feeling less safe and less welcome in public spaces. However, responses from our Premier League Kicks survey paint a more hopeful picture: 90 per cent of participants said the sessions felt like they were “for people like them”. This is a powerful testament to the importance of inclusive, community-led design.

Premier League Kicks, funded by the Premier League through the Premier League Charitable Fund, uses the power of football and sport to inspire young people to reach their potential in some of the most high-need areas in England and Wales. 

By focusing our delivery in these boroughs, we’re not just providing activities. We’re fostering a sense of belonging, representation, safety and opportunity. This work isn’t simply about sport - it’s about restoring child-centred play as a vital part of everyday life and advancing place-based justice for the young people who need it most.

You can read the full report here.