University of Sheffield Launches Playces Platform to Tackle Playground Inequality
New digital tool aims to identify and address disparities in children's access to play spaces across England.
By Leah Sutcliffe
••3 min read
AI
Digital map interface of the Playces platform showing playground locations and areas of inequality across England.
Researchers from The University of Sheffield have launched Playces, a new digital platform designed to identify and address inequalities in children's access to playgrounds across England.
A collaborative effort between researchers at The University of Sheffield, the national charity Play England, and software company Passport365 has resulted in the creation of Playces. This new digital platform is intended to help pinpoint and rectify disparities in playground access for children and young people.
Announced at the National Play Conference by Dr Michael Martin and Dr Paul Brindley, Playces functions as a nationwide map and database of playgrounds throughout England. By examining the connections between playground locations, child populations, deprivation levels, and proximity to play areas, the platform offers local authorities crucial evidence to identify deficiencies and direct investment effectively.
The research underpinning Playces previously influenced the government's £18 million National Playground Fund, which aims to establish and enhance facilities in underserved regions.
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"Over the past 18 months, we've strived to make the inequalities that exist for children and young people's access to play in England more visible."
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"Playces puts new evidence and insight into the hands of decision-makers to support better planning and targeted investment for children's right to play."
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"For too long, decisions about where children's playgrounds are built have been made without a consistent national picture of where the need is, who it serves, and where the gaps are."
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"Playces gives local authorities, government, and partners a much stronger basis for planning and investing in playgrounds that are more inclusive, accessible, and integrated into the places where children live."
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"We're proud to have worked alongside Play England and the University of Sheffield as technology delivery partner for Playces, turning research, data, and sector expertise into a platform that's practical and accessible for everyone who uses it."
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"Our contribution has focused on making complex spatial evidence clear and useful, helping organisations understand their communities, identify inequalities in access to play and prioritise investment."
Playces integrates Play England's sector leadership, The University of Sheffield's research, and Passport365's software technology to establish a long-term national evidence infrastructure for play. The ongoing collaboration aims to deepen the understanding of play deficiencies across England.
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"Playces is designed to build a robust picture on play availability considering different play opportunities. Already we are adding adventure playgrounds and will continue to expand the platform."
Organisations interested in utilising the Playces platform to enhance play provision in their area are encouraged to contact the team via email or through the Playces website.
