The Government has promised to give 200m of National Lottery money for new and improved children's play facilities and the aim of the review, Getting Serious about Play: a Review of Child's Play is to consider how the money can best be spent.
However, the authors have been non-prescriptive, saying only that 80 per cent of the funds are to be allocated in line with local levels of child deprivation and - in order to make the money stretch further - that the funds should be tied in with other developments such as refurbishment of a park. 'It is for ministers to decide whether to concentrate the money on a limited number of the worst-off areas or to allocate some to every local authority,' said Mr Dobson.
Neither have the authors dictated what sort of play projects should be developed, pointing out that all types have been successful and some of all types have failed. However, the review does spell out the factors which the authors believe lead to success.
Tim Gill, director of the Children's Play Council, was seconded to lead the review with Mr Dobson and a team from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Education and Skills.
'First, children should have freedom and control of the play space,' he said. The right sort of supervision is also important - a distant but watchful eye is needed, which might be a park ranger, a full-time playworker or a parent.
Second, the play space should be in the part of the neighbourhood which feels secure. 'All too often it has been round the back of an estate,' said Mr Gill.
The design of equipment and layout should be top quality as the third necessity. 'Our team visited play areas in Copenhagen which were landscaped with trees, which is the sort of play area we would recommend.'
Fourth, play areas should be appropriate to local needs - in some areas there will be nothing for teenagers and in others nothing for under-fives; in others there may be a fantastic skate park which tends to attract boys and nothing for girls. It is up to authorities to survey what the neighbourhood needs.
Finally, the design should be inclusive - for example, ensuring that children in wheelchairs can sit alongside able-bodied children and have easy access along paths - and the funding should be long-term.
It is hoped that the Government will respond to the review in two to three months.
Further details on the review can be found on the DCMS website at www.culture.gov.uk.
