Play England launches “It All Starts With Play” – a 10-year national play strategy

Play England, led by Executive Director Eugene Minogue, has launched “It All Starts With Play!”, a 10-year strategy to restore a play-based childhood for every child in England by 2035. The strategy was built through a year of open sessions and co-design with children, families, playworkers, researchers, and decision-makers, and was launched at the House of Commons in May 2025 alongside the first-ever All-Party Parliamentary Group on Play.

Its central asks: make play a normal, visible, everyday part of childhood again, introduce play sufficiency legislation (as Scotland and Wales have), and ensure play is inclusive and accessible by removing physical, societal, and systemic barriers. It is a strong reference point for anyone advocating for the right to play in school-age care.

Source: Play England – playengland.org.uk/strategy.