Nursery World - Making play part of inspections

One week after the Big Lottery Fund announced that it will invest 155m in children's play in England (Nursery World, 7 April), the play sector is celebrating its second victory. In a letter to Lord Pendry, Privy Council and chair of the all-party sport group and long-time supporter of recreation and play, children's minister Margaret Hodge confirmed that play has now been incorporated into the Every Child Matters inspection framework.

In a letter to Lord Pendry, Privy Council and chair of the all-party sport group and long-time supporter of recreation and play, children's minister Margaret Hodge confirmed that play has now been incorporated into the Every Child Matters inspection framework.

At the consultation stage of the framework, which ended in February, play campaigners were disappointed with the limited attention given to recreation and play. But following comments from the play sector and a letter to Mrs Hodge from Lord Pendry expressing his 'dismay' at the absence of play and recreation from guidance relating to the Children Act, the Government has agreed to make amendments. Judgements will now be made in inspections of children's services against whether there are 'safe and accessible places where children can play and socialise'.

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