Pakistani Children in Sheffield and their Perception and Use of Public Open Spaces

Abstract

This study examines urban public open spaces used by Pakistani children in the city of Sheffield, UK. The children involved in the research were all from the Pakistani ethnic minority but born in Britain, and attended nine different schools in four postcode districts of Sheffield. One hundred and seventy-one children aged 7-12 returned questionnaires in the summer of 1994. The results reveal that most children visit open spaces on a daily or weekly basis and that parks and playgrounds are the places which they value most. Bullying was mentioned most frequently as the reason for feeling uncomfortable. Activities such as swings and slides, watching sports events and listening to birds were undertaken by the majority of children. Common reasons for not undertaking activities were lack of facilities and non-availability of local public open spaces.