The Play Safety Forum, a grouping of national agencies involved in play safety, produced this position statement to support the work of those involved in play provision of any kind, for example, play areas, playgrounds, adventure playgrounds, play centres and holiday playschemes. These include local authorities, voluntary organisations, play equipment manufacturers and inspection agencies.

The statement has relevance to other settings and environments in which children play, such as childcare provision, schools, parks and public open spaces. It will also be of interest to those involved in insurance and litigation in relation to play provision. The statement has equal relevance to children and young people of all ages from 0 to 18, and it uses the term ‘children’ to cover the whole age range. It focuses on physical injuries resulting from accidents. However, the overall approach, namely that a balance should be struck between risks and benefits, is also relevant to agencies concerned with other issues such as the personal safety of children.