Research suggests children with disabilities excluded from play due to inaccessible playgrounds
New research reveals children with disabilities are locked out of playgrounds in the South East. Across the nation, half (50% ) of parents of children with physical disabilities surveyed say their child is excluded from play due to playgrounds being inaccessible to them.
Parents of children with physical disabilities whose child wants to visit a playground are travelling an average of 5.37 miles from their homes to reach a suitable play area. As a result, 51%1 say they are relying more on screens because there are not enough suitable outdoor play areas nearby.
The research of over 2,000 parents from across the country, showed that exclusion from play is an issue for disabled and non-disabled children alike. Almost two thirds (65% [1]) of parents say their children are playing out less than they did at the same age. Despite its leafy surrounds, things are not much better than the national average. Around a quarter of parents in the South East have struggled to find a playground that accommodates their child’s needs (24%1) and is safe for them (26%1).
Parents say the lack of play is having a negative impact on their child’s ability to make friendships, confidence and sense of adventure, and shockingly two fifths (40%) of children in the South East now prefer to spend time playing indoors or on screens, creating barriers for children accessing outdoor play.
To get the nation playing out again, Barratt Redrow, of which Redrow, Barratt and David Wilson is a part, is today making a landmark commitment to prioritise inclusive play spaces across its developments.
This new commitment will see the housebuilder incorporate inclusive and accessible play areas across their new developments in the South East, working with children and young people to design play spaces that meet the needs of the local community where possible. As the UK’s largest housebuilder this could deliver up to 100 new accessible and inclusive play spaces for parents and children to enjoy each year.
David Thomas, CEO of Barratt Redrow, said:“This isn’t just about playgrounds, it's about building places where families can truly thrive, and that starts by ensuring every child can safely and confidently enjoy the freedom, fun and benefits that outdoor play delivers.
We want local authorities and other homebuilders to work together to make inclusive and accessible play the standard, not the exception. When we build with all children in mind, we can create places that work better for everyone.”
Stuart Galloway, Sales Director at Redrow South East said:“Play isn’t a luxury, it’s something that inspires connection, confidence and childhood itself. This commitment will make a huge difference to parents and children in the South East. We want parents and homebuyers to know that when they buy a [Barratt / David Wilson / Redrow/ one of our] home, they can be confident that we’re prioritising the right things from day one.
The New Commitments to Play
As the UK’s biggest housebuilder, Barratt Redrow is ensuring play for everybody is the standard, not the exception. In practice, its new Inclusive Play Guidance will mean communities in the South East can expect:
1. Every play space being designed by Barratt Redrow will include inclusive equipment, accessible surfaces and be located in safe and easy to access locations for the whole community to enjoy.
2. Designs will allow for active, challenging, imaginative, sensory and quiet play for children and young people, while encouraging social interaction between neighbours and friends.
3. Play spaces will be integrated into high quality landscapes at the heart of our developments, bringing people closer to nature.
4. Wherever possible, Barratt Redrow will work with children and young people to ensure they are continually responding to the needs of the local community.
*Our teams work on planning applications for a period of six months before submission, therefore the new commitment will apply to all new planning applications from January 2026 onwards.
As well as children’s charity Whizz Kidz, the Barratt Redrow Commitments and New Design Guidelines were created with support from industry bodies, including Play Wales, Play England, play expert Tim Gill and children’s psychologist Prof. Helen Dodd.
For more information, visit www.barrattredrow.co.uk/playmaking