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The leading global body for play equipment safety, the Register of Play Inspectors International (RPII) is launching the UK’s first Play Safety Week on Monday 9 September. Play Safety Week has been created to drive awareness and education in play safety at a time when many children will be returning back to school and using school equipment and also utilising play equipment on their walk and return from school.

Play Safety Week has been created for schools, organisations, and families to come together to educate, celebrate, discuss and raise awareness of what play safety really means. This includes attitudes to risk, supervision, and accidents. It aims to increase fulfilling play opportunities for children by dispelling the most common myths about play safety. It also aims to educate play equipment owners and schools on the importance of the right equipment, inspection and maintenance protocols for play equipment.

Play is a fundamental part of children’s development and is crucial for physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development. Through play, children learn essential life skills such as problem-solving, creativity, and communication, which are vital for success later in life. In today’s tech focussed world, play is even more important for children to switch off from the digital world and express themselves freely.

According to the RPII, the top 5 most common myths about play safety are:

1. Playgrounds should be completely risk-free: In fact, exposure to acceptable levels of risk is vital for child development. ¹
2. You must supervise children at all times to prevent accidents: Children learn more when they are left to explore their boundaries. There is no blanket rule that children must be supervised at all times on play equipment in the UK and adults should assess each situation individually. ²
3. Adults must intervene when children play on play equipment: According to Play England, children learn to assess and manage risks through unstructured play. Overly cautious supervision or intervention can actually hinder this learning process and also potentially lead to more accidents. ³
4. There should be no accidents on play equipment: Minor accidents are a normal part of play. These experiences help build resilience and confidence, enabling children to face challenges and setbacks in other areas of life.
5. Safer surfaces prevent all injuries: Some surfaces such as rubber significantly reduce the severity of some injuries, however they do not eliminate all risks. Children can still suffer from fractures and other injuries from falls. ⁴

David Yearley, Chair of the RPII said: “The Play Safety Week campaign has been created to raise awareness about what play safety is in today’s world. We want to educate parents, teachers and playground owners about how to manage and maintain play equipment and what constitutes ‘safe play’. The campaign also celebrates our commitment to safe play for children everywhere. The UK’s playgrounds and play centres meet some of the highest standards of safety and inclusiveness in the world, and we want to keep it that way. By working together, we can ensure that our playgrounds remain a source of joy, discovery, and growth for all.”

Liz Cheshire, Operations Director, at the Royal Society of the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), said: “At RoSPA, we fully support the Play Safety Week campaign. Play is essential for children’s holistic development, and ensuring their safety while encouraging natural risk-taking is a delicate balance. This campaign offers vital resources and education that can help schools, parents, and communities create environments where children can play, learn, and grow safely. Together, we can foster a culture of play that prioritises safety without stifling the adventurous spirit of childhood.”

The RPII has created a number of free assets for schools, parents and other organisations to download to help to educate parents, co-workers and playground owners with guidelines for play safety on a range of outdoor, indoor and inflatable equipment.

You can sign up to support and share the campaign directly on the campaign website www.playsafetyweek.org.

Sources

¹The publication “Managing Risk in Play Provision: Implementation Guide” [published by Play England, Play Scotland, Play Wales and Playboard Northern Ireland] argues that exposure to some level of risk is essential for children’s development, helping them build resilience, learn risk management, and develop physical skills. According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), children benefit emotionally and psychologically from play that involves an element of risk. RoSPA’s guidelines for playground safety advocate for a balanced approach, where children are allowed to explore and take risks in a controlled environment.

²Play England’s guide “Managing Risk in Play Provision” highlights that children who are allowed to experience risk in play develop better risk assessment skills, which are crucial for their safety in the long run. Research by the University of Essex in their “Children’s Independent Mobility” study shows that children who have more freedom to play independently tend to be more active and develop better physical and social skills.

³Play England emphasises that encountering and navigating minor risks during play helps children develop crucial risk assessment skills. Their guide, “Managing Risk in Play Provision,” states that children who are allowed to experience minor accidents learn to judge risks better and develop the ability to avoid more serious injuries in the future. The UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE), in their report “Children’s Play and Leisure – Promoting a Balanced Approach,” highlights that minor injuries like bumps and scrapes are an integral part of childhood.

⁴Research by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA)

ABOUT THE RPII

The Register of Play Inspectors International (RPII) playinspectors.com is an international body for examining and certificating inflatable, indoor and outdoor playground inspectors to ensure that playground safety standards are adhered to and is endorsed by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

The RPII has a clear vision to ensure playground safety for all types of play areas and equipment, by:

• Certifying individual play inspectors who have shown the required level of knowledge and demonstrated competence to the required standards.
• Providing a register of inspectors who reach the required standard and agree to the terms and conditions of registration.
• Promoting the Register of Play Inspectors and its members and making it widely available to organisations and individuals who may require the services of such inspectors.