Children’s views about factors affecting access to home, school and community play

ABSTRACT

Despite Article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, there are continuing concerns around children’s access to play and limited focus on gaining children’s views about this. This systematic literature review examined children’s views on factors affecting their access to play at home, school and in the community. Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria and were assessed using qualitative and quantitative frameworks. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) framework was used, and nine studies were included in the final synthesis. Analysis looked at children’s views in relation to temporal, spatial and psychological factors affecting play access, but found there was significant overlap between the domains. Factors were then explored further from a social and ecological perspective. Two conceptual models were developed from the findings, which may help practitioners understand factors affecting play access. Implications for future research and practice were considered.

KEYWORDS:

• Article 31
• children’s views
• play access
• home
• school
• community

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes on contributors

Rebecca Finney is an educational psychologist at Wigan Council Educational Psychology Service, UK. Her research interests include children’s rights, play access and involving children in research. Address: Educational Psychology Service, Wigan Council, Wigan Life Centre South, College Avenue, Wigan, WN1 1NJ.

Cathy Atkinson is Curriculum Director of the Doctorate in Educational and Child Psychology programme at the University of Manchester, UK and a practising educational psychologist. Her research interests include children’s right to play, motivational interviewing and therapeutic approaches. Address: Manchester Institute of Education, Ellen Wilkinson Building, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL. Email: [email protected]

Additional information

Funding

This project was funded through England’s Department for Education (DfE) National College for Teaching and Learning (NCTL) ITEP award 2016–2019.