DCMS Evidence Session

In September 2025, the UK parliament Committee for Culture, Media and Sport ran a special evidence session on Play.

Why did this happen?

Following an open call for proposals, Playing Out, Play England the Centre for Young Lives all proposed the DCMS Select Committee focus on play. Given the urgent need for change in this area for children, and the recent publication of the Play Commission report and recommendations, the 2023/24 Inquiry into Children, Young People and the Built Environment, Play England’s new 10 year strategy and much more, the moment was right. The proposal was successful.

Who took part

Playing Out (Ingrid Skeels), Play England (Eugene Minogue) and Nicola Noble (Head of Surrey Square Primary School) were invited to give oral evidence, alongside Baroness Anne Longfield (Centre for Young Lives), Paul Lindley (Raising the Nation) and Tim Gill (Rethinking Childhood) – nearly all of us having been Commissioners on – or leading  – the Play Commission.

What we told them

The film above gives main highlights from our session where together we covered the benefits of outdoor free play, barriers and inequalities, play and sport, big picture policy changes that need to happen and our final messages – and pleas – to parliament that government act on these issues and make change for children. The full two hour evidence sessions can be watched on-line too  and this also includes evidence given around education and play.

How can we use this for change?

The impact of the session depends as much on how far it is known about, connects up with other policy approaches around children and play, and how far government is held to account. Our collection of shorter clips is useful for this.

Next steps

The DCMS Select Committee is currently writing to the Department to raise issues and questions arising from the evidence sessions. We will update here.

Read also our Playing Out Manifesto and other big picture policy developments from the past two years, all of which are pointing to the same cross departmental policy changes needed to restore children’s freedom to play, move, socialise and belong where they live, for free.