Today is the first ever International Day of Play.
The right to play is enshrined in Article 31 of the UNCRC. It says that every child has the right to relax, play and take part in a wide range of cultural and artistic activities.
Babies, children and young people from Armed Forces families have some unique opportunities to play. If posted abroad, play can include exposure to different cultures and opportunities to learn a new language. There can be better opportunities for informal play and social groups due to the strong sense of community and safety that comes with living on or near a base. “Play on the patch in Bushey was amazing – kids would just pile onto the road and play until teatime!”
Heather, Forces Children Scotland’s Ruby Boots co-ordinator, reflects on her childhood as an army child posted to the Falkland’s. “The opportunity to play in the Falklands was like going back in time, without distractions or risks of the modern world, we had a lot of freedom. Children were in and out of each other’s houses but mostly spent our days outside, using our imagination to create games. We made dens in the man-made forest; we played all day on the various beaches (dodging land-mine warning signs – as a child I felt so safe and free, but in hindsight I was avoiding remnants of the past conflict), swam with porpoises and penguins, hiding from elephant seals, and sledging to school in the winter months. Being able to play in a safe and tight-knit community, while being educated on how to look after our surrounding environment and wildlife, as well as each other, was an invaluable experience which I wish every child had access to.”
There can also be challenges to accessing play when you are a child from a forces family. For those living behind the wire, it can be difficult to play with your school friends from the wider community. Conversely, if you live outside the wire, it can be difficult to play with those behind it. Children report that play equipment near Service Family Accommodation (SFA) can often be in poor repair. Moving frequently can make it hard to continue friendship, access hobbies or continue club membership – there are often limited spaces or long waiting lists. Moving even a street or two due to your parent’s promotion can make it difficult for very young children to maintain friendships or play independently.
A mother of two forces children in their early years had this to say about her child’s experience of play.
“In our case we were outside the wire and my four-year-old couldn’t play with his classmates who were living inside the wire. The only way he could play with them is if I took him past two security entrances, which were patrolled by security guards with rifles, and showed my security clearance! It was hard as the patch we lived on only had one other family that had children, and due to frequent deployments not a lot of families were there to connect/play with. It was completely dependent on access to a car as it took a good 40 minutes to get inside the patch. This meant that I couldn’t always take him to play when he asked”
Children and young people from forces families talk a lot about the quality of SFA and how it can impact on the right to play and maintain friendships. They say that there can be limited space for play at home, especially in areas with limited housing stock where you don’t always get the space you need. Housing shortages and limited housing options for children with mobility difficulties or special needs can make it more difficult to play at home in terms of space and access. We know that for families moving into Moray and Helensburgh, it can be difficult to access nurseries or childminders, which are so vital in providing opportunities for socialising play.
“Moving country, you’re not able to join clubs or you join them then have to leave. Sometimes there is nothing when you move, like dancing.”
“I moved when I was 11. It was hard to have after-school clubs due to living far away, even harder when dad was away. When it’s just one parent its tricky, especially when mum was sick, and the deployed parent can’t take you.”
Access to play isn’t just important when a family moves – it can also play a significant role in maintaining wellbeing when a loved one is deployed. Starcatchers’ report, Wee People, Big Feelings, highlights the importance of play in the early years for children to make sense of parental separation through deployment. The report highlights that children can miss out on rough and tumble play traditionally carried out between children and their fathers, and childcare environments can make up for this deficit. Using toys, such as a deployment doll with the absent parent’s face, can help children to make the connection with what they are missing and help them have conversations about what they are feeling.
In co-producing our Forces Children’s Rights Charter, the children and young people said what they wanted and needed to fully access their right to play while being part of the forces community.
On the International Day of Play, I ask you, “what can you do to support a baby, child or young person from a forces family to protect their right to play?”