Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Play is something that is vital for children and young people. It encourages physical health and well-being, tackles obesity, improves dexterity and motor skills, builds resilience and fitness levels. It also promotes mental well-being. Play contributes to healthy brain development. It offers opportunities to use the imagination. It grants children new chances to engage and interact with the world around themselves. But it also fulfils a more fundamental role in the creation of one’s identity. Renowned paediatrician Donald Winnicott said:

'It is in playing and only in playing that the individual child…is able to be creative and to use the whole personality, and it is only in being creative that the individual discovers the self.'

The UN’s declaration of the rights of the child afforded children the right to play. It placed a duty on Governments to ensure that right was met, codified in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. This Assembly has been proactive in meeting this, being the first Parliament to adopt a national play policy and the first to legislate for children’s play.

The Children and Families (Wales) Measure 2010 placed a duty on local authorities to assess and secure sufficient play opportunities for children, such as through fixed playgrounds. Whilst these aren’t the only opportunities for play, they remain one of the most popular and convenient options. But that is not true for all children. In particular, it is not true for those with a disability. In 2015, Sense undertook a public inquiry into the provision of play opportunities for children aged zero to five with multiple needs in England and Wales. Published in 2016, this contained some stark findings. It found a strong consensus that children with multiple needs face significant barriers to accessing play. Families wanted to be able to access mainstream play settings in the community. However, 92 per cent of parents felt that their child lacked the same opportunities to play as their non-disabled peers. Many settings were just not accessible to children with multiple needs. And this impacts on health, wellbeing and the ability of these children to interact with their friends, family and society.

Many constituents have also contacted me to tell me about the problems that they face. Since being elected, two playgrounds in my constituency have been made inclusive. In one case, Glyncoch, this was in terms of the accessibility of the playground site. And in the other case, Cilfynydd, where I had the honour of meeting a very remarkable young lady called Mia Thorne, this was in terms of installing new inclusive play equipment so that Mia could play with her friends.

An inaccessible site or inaccessible equipment can both be barriers preventing children from play. Both of these improvements were part of Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council’s incredibly ambitious £1.7 million investment in local play sites. They could be taken to say, 'We are meeting the challenge.' Rather, I think they actually work to highlight the problem. For example, one of my colleagues here invited me to see a new playground in their constituency elsewhere in Wales. The investment had cost hundreds of thousands of pounds, and it was a very impressive site with some really good bits of kit. The park itself had been made accessible as part of these works, but there was no inclusive play equipment. Children with disabilities could travel right up to the play equipment, but not use it in any way. I felt that this was a real chance that had been missed, considering the huge amount that had been invested. Just for £1,000 or so more, there could have been inclusive play opportunities provided.

So, a chance had been missed, and this is exactly where my proposal would come in. I am asking Assembly Members today to note my proposal for an inclusive play Bill. This Bill, quite simply, would enhance inclusive play opportunities by placing a duty on local authorities so that they must provide play equipment and areas that meet the needs of children with disabilities. This would build on the 2010 Measure. That already tasks local authorities with providing play sufficiency assessments and play action plans. Of the nine matters within this, two involve an awareness of inclusivity issues, but Play Wales has noted challenges around councils meeting these due to resource and capacity. My proposal would strengthen and amend this, prioritising the provision of inclusive play equipment.

I want to take a few moments to address possible obstacles to my proposal. Would such a Bill place undue financial pressures on councils, particularly in the context of wider public sector austerity? I believe that this is not the case. Changes could take place over a long-term timescale with no immediate expectations of wholesale alteration. Councils could develop and plan inclusive playgrounds on a manageable basis as part of any routine work. As the example of RCT I cited earlier suggests, councils do invest and upgrade play equipment on a fairly regular basis. My proposal would only ensure that planned upgrades include provision of inclusive pieces that are accessible or adapted for those with sensory issues—that it was a starting principle rather than a last-minute addition.

Moreover, the differential between inclusive and non-inclusive play pieces is not so substantial as may be presumed. It could be comfortably met within a playground refurbishment costed within the tens of thousands, and RCT council tell me that the average that they spend on the refurbishment of a single playground is around the £25,000 ballpark figure. This also explains why such a proposal would not lead to an unintended consequence of councils not refurbishing their play equipment. But a more challenging issue could be that there is no one-size-fits-all piece of play equipment that would suit all disabilities or all ages. However, what I would say is that there are various pieces that could benefit a number of different user groups.

Now, even if Members support my proposal today, I know there will be no sudden change in the law. However, there are several sensible proposals that could be used to further explore the issue. For example, I would like to see the publication of the play sufficiency assessments that local authorities already produce. Better sharing of information would empower children and their families so that we and they know what is actually out there. Awareness could be strengthened by some type of Green Flag good practice award, either as a free-standing initiative or as part of the already established green spaces recognition scheme. And any work done on this could be advertised through a website so that parents would be able to access and see where good practice inclusive playgrounds were situated. So, I look forward to Member’s contributions on my proposal.