Toy Libraries: Their benefits for children, families and communities waslaunched at a seminar at the House of Commons on Tuesday (12 June). Thereport said more toy lending schemes are needed to help improve accessto play for children affected by poverty and for children withdisabilities and special needs.
Play Matters, also known as the National Association for Toy and LeisureLibraries, commissioned Capacity to analyse the work of toy librariesand how they help parents, children and the wider community.
Toy libraries typically offer a range of services, with the commonfactor being that they all lend toys. They have been operating inEngland since the 1960s, and currently around 1,000 libraries in the UKserve 250,000 children and their families.
The study selected five case studies of toy libraries operating indeprived areas. The research was conducted via interviews with staff,volunteers and parent users together with reviews of reports and otherdata.
'The relationship between play, education and securing good outcomes forchildren is sufficiently established to suggest that toy librariesshould be included within the core offer of all children's centres,'said the report.
Margaret Lochrie of Capacity said, 'We would like to see toy lendingextended to areas where it is not currently available. It is notincredibly expensive and it would be a good idea for all children'scentres to offer this service. We spoke to parents who said toy lendingis the only way their children can have access to toys that otherchildren enjoy.
'Parents also told us it gives them a reason to come to the centres, soit can be a very positive way to help children's centres engage with themost disadvantaged.'