Can London ever establish itself as a child-friendly place to live?

A few years ago, I followed a well-trodden, and rather clichéd path: I moved out of London to have a baby. 

Whilst we toyed with the idea of staying in the capital, the lure of more space for our money, a garden, good local nurseries and schools, and being closer to family (it really does take a village) ultimately won out.

It seems we are one of many. A recent report by local government collective, London Councils, predicts a 3.6% decrease in the capital's reception pupil numbers over the next four years. Plus, the 20% drop in London’s birth rate between 2012 and 2022 (a far steeper drop than the national average) means it’s a trend likely to continue. 

We’re already seeing the repercussions of this exodus: a series of primary school closures across the capital. Just days ago, Southwark Council announced two primary schools will close this August, following in the footsteps of Hackney and Islington Councils, both of which have seen multiple primary school closures over the last year. 

On the face of it, the capital is a fantastic place to raise children. 40% of it is green space and parks, there are huge amounts of free museums and cultural venues, and lots of close-knit, community-minded neighbourhoods. 

So, what’s the problem? Why are future families flying the nest? 

Of course, there’s an obvious answer: a lack of affordable family housing (in fact, a lack of appropriate family housing in general). Free museums on your doorstep are great but aren’t much help when you can’t find a home that fits the bill. 

Beyond that, we need to look at whether the future of the city and its infrastructure, public realm and homes, are being shaped with kids in mind. If London is ever to establish itself as a truly child-friendly city, children and their needs must be better considered as part of planning policy. References to children within the National Planning Policy Framework are thin on the ground at best. As much mention is made to not approving applications for fast food venues too close to schools as it is to ensuring reasonable provision of suitable homes for families with children. 

Unless there’s a firm move to improve young people’s play, recreation and independent mobility in the capital, there’s a risk we’ll continue to see fewer and fewer young faces. In turn, that could have economic and cultural impacts, and one less demographic contributing to creating inclusive, mixed communities. 

Ultimately, until there are appropriate, and affordable, housing options that work well for family life, and neighbourhoods that work better for children, it’s unlikely London will be able to keep or attract families. And that can’t happen unless they’re key part of the conversation.