Children's Play

Summary of the programme

Our £155 million Children’s Play initiative is based on the recommendations of the 2004 play review Getting Serious About Play, which defines children’s play as “what children and young people do when they follow their own ideas, in their own way and for their own reasons.”

Our Children’s Play initiative aims to:

• create, improve and develop children and young people’s free local play spaces and opportunities throughout England, according to need
• support innovation and new ways of providing for children’s play
• create a support and development infrastructure to ensure local agencies have the resources and skills to achieve the first two aims
• promote the long-term strategic and sustainable provision for play as a free public service to children
• ensure that local authorities work with other local stakeholders to develop children’s play strategies and plans
• ensure that good, inclusive and accessible children’s play services and facilities are provided locally.

Children’s Play programme

This £124 million programme is open for applications. Each local authority area has been allocated an amount of money based on the child population of the area and weighted by the level of deprivation. Application packs have been sent to all local authorities asking them to coordinate their area's application with their local play partnerships.

There will be four rounds of applications with closing dates on 24 July 2006, 13 November 2006, 12 March 2007 and 10 September 2007. Full guidance of how to apply and what can be funded is provided with the application form. Applicants will be informed of the board’s decision with three months of the closing date for the application round.

Organisations that have an interest in children's play should engage with their local authority as it reviews and develops a local play strategy and prepares its application. Local authorities are expected to consult and to use its play strategy as the basis for developing project proposals that meet local play needs. Applications are being invited from each local authority, comprising a portfolio of projects that reflect the joint interests of the local play partnership. Local authorities have nominated staff to lead their consultation. Download document here 
467KB. They welcome contact in advance of the launch of the application process.

Each local authority has received notification from the BIG of the amount of funding that can be allocated for a portfolio of projects in its area. You can see details of the funding formula and the full list of amounts, broken down by region and local authority. Download document here Childrens Play local authority allocations and contact details.398KB.

As part of the application process local authorities will be asked to develop a local play strategy to address identified needs. The Children's Play Council have produced guidance on the production and implementation of play strategies (see More Information box). The guidance sets out the importance of, and recommended processes for, play partnerships.

If you require an electronic version of the application form, please email childrens.play@biglotteryfund.org.uk to request one.

Play England Project

Children’s happiness and healthy development is at the centre of a £15 million partnership between the Big Lottery Fund and the Children’s Play Council. In February 2006 we awarded our first grant under the Children’s Play initiative to the Children's Play Council (part of the National Children's Bureau) for the Play England Project. This will be a major five-year development to help local agencies in planning for play across their area through the setting up of a national support and development infrastructure across the regions. The Play England Project is available to provide advice and support to both local authorities and the voluntary and community sector call the advice line on 020 7843 6300 or visit www.playengland.org.uk.