A campaign to bring down thousands of “no ball games” signs across London – and eventually across the UK – has launched with a “more ball games” takeover on a Lambeth housing estate.
The new signs, which show basketball hoops, were designed by the inequality charity London Sport, working with the advertising giant Saatchi & Saatchi, and are being put over “no ball games” signs on the Mursell estate in Stockwell with support from Lambeth council.
London Sport estimates there are about 7,000 signs warning against ball play across London’s housing estates, discouraging half a million children from being active.
Emily Robinson, the chief executive of London Sport, said: “‘No ball games’ signs send the wrong message, especially to children and young people. This campaign aims to drive policy change to remove barriers to active lives, starting with eliminating these signs.”
The latest data from Sport England reveals that more than half of the country’s children (52.7%) are failing to meet the chief medical officers’ recommended 60 minutes of daily exercise.
Jasmine Hoffman lives in a west London development and was so upset by the impact signs are having that she complained about her housing association, L&Q, to the housing ombudsman.
Hoffman said children had played together in the communal spaces on the Acton Gardens estate since families began moving in, but last year anti-play signs started going up.
“We moved here in 2017, when the street was still being built. Children began playing together right on their own doorsteps. We thought it was wonderful. But in April last year L&Q put several ‘no ball games’ signs up in response to complaints about the children playing on grassy areas.
“This was done without any consultation of families and with no consideration of children’s use of the space or their need and right to play. It has significantly limited their play opportunities and makes them feel less welcome outside.”
Hoffman escalated her complaint about the signs through all the stages of L&Q’s complaints procedures.
“I didn’t feel listened to and they refused to take the signs down. I went through stage one and two of their complaints process and have now written to the housing ombudsman and have had a response saying they will look at my complaint.
“What is so sad is there is something really special here, and other families feel that too. L&Q could be celebrating this. We have three families whose children are always out together, then others come from high up floors and on weekends there might be 10 children out. On a sunny afternoon even more.”
L&Q’s antisocial behaviour policy states that children playing is not antisocial behaviour unless it is causing damage to homes.
Matt Foreman, from customer services at L&Q, said: “We work closely with the community and specialist play consultants to make sure we’re meeting needs. This is why at Acton Gardens, we have both a large number of green spaces, a multi-use games area, a playground, a community centre and designated play and quiet areas.
“‘No ball games’ signs were installed in some areas at Acton Gardens in consultation with our play space consultants, following complaints about noise and damage. However, we take challenges to this signage very seriously, which is why we are arranging a meeting with our play space consultant and interested residents including Ms Hoffman.”
Hoffman says a written play policy could protect doorstep play. “Yes, there are play spaces elsewhere on the estate but this is about understanding why doorstep play matters for all children.
“Children play together from all backgrounds. They play right outside where they live so they can wave to each other and join in easily. It means a parent can watch them out of a window. It’s a completely different way of playing than going to a park with an adult.
“If L&Q had a play sufficiency strategy they could refer to when there are complaints then they would have consulted us in the first place and balanced every resident’s needs.”
On the Mursell estate, parent Helena Costa says that even the new positive signs, though important, are not enough on their own.
“The signs meant people felt they could shout at us and at the children if we tried to take them out to play. But really we need so much more for the kids, swings for older children, activities on sunny days. The traffic around here already makes it so hard for them to get out and play. There should be a lot more done to support children here.”
Councillor Claire Holland of Lambeth council told the Guardian: “Lambeth Housing is happy to support this campaign. Our child-friendly policy asks for children to be made welcome on the estates where they live.
“‘No ball games’ signs do not help children feel part of their community. This campaign is really vital for us in terms of building a child-friendly borough so that we can ensure that every child has the opportunity to play sport, get fit, play with their friends and lead happy and fruitful lives.
“Having a campaign such as this is beautiful because it really contributes to our mission to be the best borough in London for children.”
