More than 200 professionals and organisations that work with childrencontributed to the findings.
Friendships formed by babies and toddlers 'were often not credited withthe significance that they hold for emotional development andwell-being', said the report.
Friendship is the subject of the first survey from the Inquiry, whichalso found that children's freedom to play outside is restricted byadult anxiety. Forty-three per cent of 1,148 adults questioned said thatchildren should not be allowed out with friends until they are 14.
Chief executive Bob Reitemeier said, 'As a society we are in a quandary;on one hand we want freedom for children, but on the other we arebecoming increasingly frightened to let them out.'
Adrian Voce, director of Play England, said, 'We need to address theconcerns of parents by looking at the way public space is planned andmanaged, and look at the status children have in public space that isdominated by adult concerns such as traffic, commerce and shopping.'