We want the Government to amend safeguarding legislation so that all staff working in Soft Play environments are required to undergo DBS checks, ensuring consistent child protection standards across all childcare and play settings, and closing what we see as a clear safeguarding gap in current law.
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Soft Play staff are not legally required to hold DBS checks, leaving a clear gap in child protection. Children often interact with staff beyond parents’ sight.
An NSPCC report found that 1 in 20 children experience sexual abuse. The Government’s 2025 update on tackling child sexual abuse stated that every institution must help close spaces where children are vulnerable. DBS checks would align Soft Play with schools and close this safeguarding loophole.