Unequal access to school grounds after hours

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2024-07-14 03:00

New Zealand

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School grounds kept open after school hours can provide neighbourhood access to safe play spaces - something crucial for childhood development - but NZ researchers have found that not all kids will evenly benefit. Looking at data from almost 400 primary and intermediate schools in Auckland, the research team found that schools in lower socio-economic areas were more likely to close their grounds for community use, citing vandalism and theft concerns as their main reason. However, the schools in lower-decile areas that did keep their grounds open found that doing so actually lowered vandalism levels. The research team says their approach may offer useful insights to schools that are currently closed.