Play for Wales issue 33

Issue 33

Play news and briefing from the national charity for play Winter 2010

Play for Wales

www.playwales.org.uk

Richness of play

Contents page

Editorial 2

News 3-6

Interview: Huw Lewis 7

Safe places to play and hang out 8

Why make time for play 9-11

Why investing in play is important 11

Workforce Development 12-13

IPA 2011 conference 14

Join Play Wales 15

Events and Funding 16

Tackling child poverty is a keypriority for the Welsh AssemblyGovernment. The Minister forChildren, Huw Lewis has describedchild poverty as a scourge in Walesand will shortly be launching a newchild poverty strategy that aims toreduce the number of childrenliving in workless households; andreduce inequalities that exist in thehealth, education and economicoutcomes for children living inpoverty.

Child poverty is defined by the level ofincome a household with children hasavailable, with households with lessthan 60 percent of the medianincome deemed as poor. But incomepoverty brings with it social as well aseconomic inequality. Children living inpoverty have far fewer opportunitiesthan their more affluent peers andoften face difficulties in accessingquality services. Growing up in povertylimits children’s future life chances foremployment; training; enduring,positive family and social relationships;good physical and mental health andlongevity and it affects their childhoodexperiences profoundly.

Numerous consultations with childrenliving in poverty across the UK havehighlighted the sense of exclusion thatchildren in low-income householdsfeel and how the stigma of being‘poor’ affects their sense of worth andof belonging. Children repeatedlyrecall the barriers they face inaccessing their right to play,recreation and leisure in line withArticle 31 of the UN Convention onthe Rights of the Child, such as little orno clean space to play, few localamenities and poor transport links.

We know that the kind ofneighbourhood a child lives in can

make a big difference to children’sopportunities for play, recreation andlearning and for their physical safety.For example, it is estimated thatchildren living in deprived areas arethree times more likely to be injured bya car than children in other areas1. Asthe recent Good Childhood Inquiryundertaken by The Children’s Societyhighlights, children in the worst qualityhousing and the most deprived areasare least likely to enjoy many of thefacilities and opportunities they reallyneed (including the opportunity to play)outside, as well as within the home.

Since the National Assembly for Waleswas established in 1999, successiveWelsh Assembly Governments havepromoted the rights of children inWales, in particular their right to play.Wales was the first country in the UK tointroduce a policy on play recognisingthat play is at the core of children’sphysical, cognitive, social, moral andemotional development. It isinvaluable for exercising creativity, as atherapeutic tool and as a means ofcelebrating cultures and communities.Accordingly, exclusion from playrepresents a major exclusion from lifefor children living in poverty.

If the Welsh Assembly Government’saim of reducing inequalities in health,education and economic outcomesis to be realised then much moreneeds to be done (at all levels ofgovernment and by civil society) toensure the provision of appropriateand equal opportunities for play,recreational and leisure activity as wellas cultural and artistic activity forchildren living in poverty in Wales.

1 Road Safety Analysis, Child Casualties 2010: Astudy into resident risk of children on roads in GreatBritain 2004-8.

Report available to download at:www.roadsafetyanalysis.org/projects/child-casualties-2010/

Play for Wales is published by Play Wales three times a year.

Contact the Editor at:Play Wales, Baltic House, Mount Stuart Square, Cardiff CF10 5FH

Telephone: 029 2048 6050 E-mail: [email protected] Charity No. 1068926

ISSN: 1755 9243

The views expressed in this newsletter are notnecessarily those of Play Wales. We reserve the right to edit for publication. We donot endorse any of the products or eventsadvertised in or with this publication.This publication is printed on paper producedfrom sustainable forests.

Designed and printed by CarrickTel: 01443 843 520 E-mail: [email protected]

Play for Wales Winter 2010EDITORIAL

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A heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed to this magazine – wecouldn’t do it without you. This issue of Play for Wales, as well as previous issues, isavailable to download from our website news section at www.playwales.org.uk

EditorialBy Anne Crowley, Member of the Welsh Assembly Government’sChild Poverty Expert Group.

Play for Wales Winter 2010NEWS

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The Queen Elizabeth II FieldsChallenge is an exciting grassroots

legacy programme launched in June2010 to mark the Queen’s DiamondJubilee in 2012. It is the first Jubileeproject to receive officialendorsement and aims to protect2012 outdoor spaces for play, sport orrecreation in communities throughoutthe United Kingdom.

Fields in Trust Cymru is approaching allLocal Authorities in Wales and will alsobe contacting all Town and CommunityCouncils requesting nominations ofoutdoor spaces to be permanentlydedicated as Queen Elizabeth II Fields.

Rhodri Edwards, Fields in Trust CymruManager said, ‘The response so far of theLocal Authorities has been veryencouraging with 11 of the 22 authoritiesalready expressing an interest in

participating in the scheme and we hopethe response from the Town andCommunity Councils will be just as positive’.

For further information and details ofhow to get involved please visitwww.qe2fields.com

Playing Fields Challenge

SkillsActive (the sector skills councilfor playwork) has launched a new

UK Play and Playwork Education andSkills Strategy. The strategy is foundedon Article 31 of the United NationsConvention on the Rights of the Child,recognising play as fundamental tochildren’s quality of life.

The five-year strategy has beendeveloped jointly across the fournations, recognising the diverse needsof Wales, England, Northern Ireland andScotland, and has been informed byfocus groups, workshops and online

consultation, backed up by the latestresearch.

The strategy aims to maximiseagreement amongst the nations byidentifying shared goals, commonthemes and mutual objectives, with aUK focus which is flexible enough foreach nation to pursue their ownpriorities within the overall vision.

Hywel Williams, chair of the UK PlayworkEducation and Training Council (PETC)says:

‘I am delighted to be able to endorse

this important strategy which will guidethe development of playwork in thefuture. The importance of play in the lifeand development of the child cannotbe underestimated, but the importancethat the delivery of playwork is providedby professional and qualifiedplayworkers is paramount. This strategywill provide the foundation for thedelivery of the skills, knowledge andunderstanding which underpin this.’

For more information visitwww.skillsactive.com/playwork/strategy

Campaign for Smokefreeplaygrounds

SkillsActive launches new UK Play and PlayworkEducation and Skills Strategy

The campaign waslaunched when Cardiff

residents and schoolchildrentook part in a litter pick inRoath Park to raise awarenessof smoking related litterblighting their playgrounds.

ASH Wales wants children to beable to enjoy their parks andoutdoor spaces without beingadversely affected bysecondhand smoke. Accordingto a recent survey 75 percent ofadults support such an initiative.

The charity believes thatchildren have the right toexperience a smokefreeenvironment whether at home,in cars, taking part in afterschool activities or out andabout enjoying their leisure timewith friends and family. Thecharity is not asking for newpowers of enforcement, justsignage to act as a deterrent.

For further information aboutthe campaign [email protected]

On the 21st anniversary of the United NationsConvention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)

a media toolkit that provides practical advice tohelp you support the children and young peopleyou work with to present a fuller, fairer picture oftheir news, views, activities, and issues across themedia.

The toolkit, Tell it like it is, was launched at a UNCRCcelebratory event for children and young people heldat the Senedd in Cardiff Bay on 19 November 2010.

Tell it like it is has been developed as part of a WelshAssembly Government campaign to get more positivestories of children and young people in Wales into thenews and tackle the often negative perceptions thatare portrayed.

For more information and to download Tell it like it isvisit: www.uncrcletsgetitright.co.uk/mediatoolkit.aspx

Promoting positive imagesof children in the media

Public health charity ASH Wales has launched acampaign for smokefree playgrounds in Wales.

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Barriers to Playing – A Play Strategy for Conwy

Sitting in the office of Conwy’s Participation Manager inearly 2010 I was firmly committed to avoiding a

meaningless consultation with children and young peoplethat would only confirm what we already know – childrenwant to be outside playing with their friends.

The aim of the consultation was to identify the barriers tochildren and young people’s play – and how we addressthose barriers. I strongly feel this will be a major part of how weaddress sufficiency through the Children and Families (Wales)Measure.

The consultation we developed presented children and youngpeople and their parents and carers with images of a rangeof play environments from woodland and beaches toresidential streets and school playgrounds. Furthermore, weused ‘play memories’ to remind adults of how they played,and asked the fundamental question – ‘What gets in the wayof you playing in these ways?’

The responses were powerful and at times upsetting:

‘We have been told off for playing in our street so many timesby one of the neighbours that the younger kids have learntnot to bother playing out at all ...’(Young Person, age 15)

‘The cars get in the way of us playing but no one tells them off …’(Young Person, Colwyn Bay)

Traffic and grumpy grown-ups are just two examples of themajor barriers identified as part of the consultation.

This local evidence has helped hugely with engagingstakeholders from outside our usual sphere too. A consultationevent held earlier in the year attracted over 70 professionals,from planning, police and health and safety departments.

The final strategy was adopted by Conwy County BoroughCouncil’s Cabinet on 15 October 2010. For a copy of thestrategy or the Barriers to Playing Consultation report pleaseemail Martin: [email protected]

Martin King-Sheard (who is currently seconded from Play Wales for three days a week asConwy’s Principal Play Officer) writes about the process of developing Conwy’s PlayStrategy from stakeholder engagement to adoption.

Twelve children’s charities in Wales,including Barnardos, Contact a Familyand Learning Disability Wales, workedwith the Bevan Foundation to look atplay and leisure opportunities fordisabled children and young people.

We found that there is a huge shortage of opportunities.Although some children and young people do lots ofdifferent things, a signficant proportion do very littlebecause nothing is available close to where they live.Children and young people said they wanted to be ableto be with their friends without their parents or carers. Thebarriers to play and leisure consisted of lack of physical

access, the attitudes of staff and the public at leisurecentres and so forth, and lack of support for participation.

However, there are some hugely successful play andleisure activities which involve disabled children and youngpeople, whether they are integrated groups or not. Theirsuccess is due to a rights-based approach to play,dedicated staff and volunteers and a modest amount offunding.

We are working with the charities that supported the projectto finalise the recommendations, which will be published inJanuary 2011.

For further information contact the Bevan Foundation on01495 356702 or visit www.bevanfoundation.org

Victoria Winkler reports on the Bevan Foundation’s (the social justice think tank for Wales) research intoplay and leisure opportunities for disabled children and young people.

Play opportunities for disabled children research

Playing ball games reported as anti-social behaviour

Following a complaint to thepolice by a Cardiff housing

estate resident children are nowonly permitted to play ball games inthe estate’s communal areasoutside their homes until 9:30pm –even during the long summerevenings.

Christine Booth, a parent living in theCaerau Court Road area of Ely said ‘shewas shocked to receive a letter fromtheir housing association, Wales andWest (WWHA), saying that it wasinvestigating anti-social behavior on theestate’. She added ‘All they are doing isplaying football, all the parents knowwhere they are. They should be allowedto play outside their own homes.’

Andy Pritchard, WWHA Housing Officerfor the area, said ‘We have beenworking closely with this community totry to find a solution to this issue. Wehope that issues such as this can beresolved swiftly and amicably bydiscussing problems directly with thelocal community’.

This matter was originally reported in the SouthWales Echo (21 September 2010, page 15)

Play for Wales Winter 2010NEWS

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Lord Young of Grantham’s report to thePrime Minister – Common Sense,Common Safety – was published on 15October 2010. It contains importantrecommendations on health and safetypractice.The report’s analysis and resulting recommendations respondpositively to many of the concerns Play Wales, its colleaguesand its members, have been voicing for some years.

In particular, Play Wales welcomes the attention accorded to:

• Taking a ‘common sense’ approach to health and safety.Play Wales, with others, has promoted the value ofdeploying common sense to inform judgement

• Shifting ‘from a system of risk assessment to a system of risk-benefit assessment’

• Considering reviewing the Health and Safety at Work etcAct ‘to separate out play and leisure from workplacecontexts’.

We consider the following excerpts from Common Sense,Common Safety to be particularly useful to our readership.

Extract from section on children’s play areas:A further area of concern is the impact of health and safetyon children’s play areas. In legal terms, play provision isguided by the Health and Safety at Work etc Act. There is awidely held belief within the play sector thatmisinterpretations of the Act are leading to the creation ofuninspiring play spaces that do not enable children toexperience risk. Such play is vital for a child’s developmentand should not be sacrificed to the cause of overzealousand disproportionate risk assessments.

This is a further example of how legislation primarilyconceived to be applied in a hazardous environment isbeing brought into an environment for which it is unsuitedwith damaging consequences.

I believe that with regard to children’s play we should shiftfrom a system of risk assessment to a system of risk–benefitassessment, where potential positive impacts are weighedagainst potential risk. Furthermore we should considerreviewing the Health and Safety at Work etc Act to separateout play and leisure from workplace contexts.

Extract from section on educational visits

We should simplify the process that schools and similarorganisations undertake before taking children on trips. Weshould introduce a single consent form, signed by a parentor guardian, which covers all activities a child mayundertake during their time at a school, enabling parents toopt out of any specific activities. Consent is already notrequired for activities which take place during the schoolday and in order to reduce the amount of bureaucracyaround school trips we should underline this message toschools and local authorities.

Extract from section on local authorities

There is some inconsistency across local authorities, and therules on health and safety are not always applied with aview to a proper risk management approach. In someinstances it is clear that officials are giving poor advice toorganisations and individuals, who are in turn preventedfrom running an event (for example a school fête) whenthere is no legitimate reason not to on health and safetygrounds. However, there is no requirement to put thesereasons in writing and the specific grounds for the decisionare often not made transparent.

There is also currently no system for appeal or redress whenan event is banned or curtailed ‘for health and safetyreasons’. They are simply required to accept the decisionand not go ahead with the event as planned. They couldalso be discouraged from even planning such an event forfear or expectation that a local authority official will notallow it.

I would like to see the Government put a system in placewhereby individuals have the right to ask local authorityofficials who ban events on health and safety grounds toput their reasons in writing.

Play Wales says ... We hope that this review will help people accept that childrenneed and want challenges and adventure. Play Wales hasbeen campaigning for a more common sense approach foryears - promoting an approach which supports play providersto introduce risk-benefit assessments: taking into account thebenefits to children and young people of challenging playexperiences as well as managing the risks. It is this approachthat Lord Young recommends be 'developed more widely',along with a review of legislation to 'separate out play andleisure from workplace contexts'.

Play Wales is a member of the Play Safety Forum whichadvised and influenced Managing Risk in Play Provision:Implementation Guide (2008), which builds on the forum'sposition statement, Managing Risk in Play Provision (2002).Managing Risk in Play Provision sets out an approach for playproviders to introduce risk-benefit assessments.

Common Sense, Common Safety can be downloaded at:www.number10.gov.uk/news/topstorynews/2010/10/lord-young-report-55605

Common Sense, Common Safety

Play for Wales Winter 2010NEWS

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© S

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Quality StreetsCampaignSustrans is encouragingeveryone to take the firststep towards turning theirroads into quality streets –the key element of which isa 20mph speed limit. The majority (of 2000 surveyed) areconcerned that the street outside their frontdoor is not safe for their children or even aplace to meet and chat with others.

Over the last three years Sustrans hasworked with local communities to improvetheir streets with inexpensive, cost effectivere-designs aimed at minimising speedingtraffic and ‘rat-running’. Simple ideas suchas slowing down traffic and using greeneryto act as natural chicanes have beendone with minimum cost but havesignificant benefits.

In the streets where such changes havetaken place residents feel safer – 36percent say they’d be happy to let theirchildren play outdoors (compared with justnine percent before the changes weremade). The changes are also improvingquality of life and bringing people together,with 40 percent of residents now socialisingmore with their neighbours.

Alex Allen, Sustrans’ expert in street re-design explains:

‘People think of traffic as something thataffects the physical environment - takingup space, causing noise and pollution -but its effect on our social lives may beeven more profound. Traffic preventscommunity interaction and wellbeing. Wewant local authorities to make the firstmove towards more quality streets bylowering speed limits to 20mph in urbanand residential areas.’

Visit www.quality-streets.org.uk before 28 February 2011 to lobby your localcouncillor for lower speed limits.

The European Union hasdesignated 2010 as the

European Year for CombatingPoverty and Social Exclusion(EY2010). EY2010 aims to raisepublic awareness of theimportance of combating povertyand social exclusion for personal,social and economic developmentand to give a voice to those whodaily experience poverty andsocial exclusion.

The Department for Work andPensions (DWP) is the leadGovernment department in the UK(as the member state) for the year.Welsh Assembly Government officialsand representatives of the otherDevolved Administrations areinvolved in activities in connectionwith the year.

In 2009 a number of organisationsbid for funding to run events as partof the year. In Wales the BevanFoundation successfully bid for£25,000 to stage a conference(Building a Fairer Wales, 23September 2010) to encourage theexchange of solutions to poverty andto produce short films to documentthe experiences of people in poverty.

As part of EY2010 a number ofevents have been held in Cardiff,Swansea and Newport, including therecently held Poverty Summit, on thetheme Where We Live and Learn,hosted by Save the Children in Walesat Cardiff City Stadium. YoungAmbassadors targeted decision-makers from all parts of Wales with

ideas and solutions on how theirlocal communities can beimproved.

Prior to speaking at the Summit,Helen Mary Jones, Plaid Cymru AMand Chair of the National Assemblyfor Wales Children and Young PeopleCommittee commented:

‘It is unacceptable that, in 2010,thousands of children in Wales stilllive in poverty. If we are to effectivelyaddress the challenges we face as anation as we move to end thisnational discrace we must listen,properly, to the voices of childrenand young people who are livingwith the consequences of poverty.I’m really looking forward to hearingwhat the children and young peoplehave to say – I know I’ll learn a lot.’

Save the Children in Wales has alsobeen working with children andyoung people on the My Back Yard –Inspiring Community Change project,which aims to address child povertyrelated issues in their communities.Children from two primary schools inCardiff have designed thought-provoking posters to keep their localparks clean and safe. A selection ofthe posters will be displayed in publicparks around Cardiff. The posters arealso available to download on thePlay Wales website.

For more information about EY2010visit www.2010againstpoverty.euand for information about EY2010in Wales visithttp://wales.gov.uk/topics/socialjustice/ey2010

European Year forCombating Povertyand Social Exclusion

7Play for Wales Winter 2010INTERVIEW

We recently interviewedDeputy Minister forChildren, Huw Lewis, abouthis own childhood playmemories and thedifference the Childrenand Families Measure willmake to play opportunitiesfor children in Wales.

What do you remember mostabout playing as a child? I’m sure like a lot of people in my agebracket, I was part of that generation thatleft the house at daybreak and didn’treturn except only to be fed really. I wasbrought up in the South Wales Valleys so Iwas pretty much in the open air all thetime. It is very different to how my childrenexperience play today and I’m sure that’sa common experience between peoplewho grew up in the 60s and 70s.

What’s your favourite playmemory?I’m a Valleys boy so our playgroundswere the mountains. Careering downthem, climbing up them and runningdown them as fast as possible. It’s thatopen space that I remember most.

What do your own children like todo and how do you support thatas a parent?Parents today are all very concernedabout constructing activities around ourkids and that happens much more than itused to. I suppose what they really likethe most is getting that outdoor runaround and having that freedom toinvent their own play, but as parents thesedays we desperately worry about thequality of experience the child is having.Perhaps we worry too much about it.

Why do you think it’s different?I suppose we have all become wary ofchild safety issues, in particular, roadsand traffic. Perhaps we expand thesethings too much in our own minds but itwas the case when I was a boy that wecould play football in the street andnever see a car and that’s certainly notthe case for my son.

How do you think playing helpsalleviate the impact of childpoverty?The opportunity to play is something thatwe are serious about in the Assembly.It’s a crucial part of any child’sdevelopment and what child povertydoes to damage children more thanany other aspect is that it damages itsdevelopment. It starts to restrict their lifechances by slowing down their normalchildhood development and play is anabsolutely essential part of that. Childpoverty does link up with opportunities toplay being restricted.

The environmental injustices of the areasof children in poverty have to live inhave a huge impact. If you take roadtraffic accidents, children in poverty aremore likely to be involved in these typesof accidents because the options foropen space play within the areas theylive are usually restricted because of thenature of their community. Anything wecan do to promote safe play is an aid totheir childhood and their development.

What effect do you hope theChildren and Families Measurewill have on opportunities forchildren playing in Wales?Its quite exciting because the Measurehas a chapter on play so the next stepwill be to produce regulations, standardsand guidance* which will actually put aduty on local authorities to assess andensure play opportunities for kids in theirareas. There is of course the phrase ‘asfar as its reasonably practical’ we are allaware that there are pre constraints outthere that are going to get very tight butfor the first time there is going to be alegal requirement for every localauthority to think about play andopportunities for it and investments in it –and they are going to have to do that.It underlines the Assembly’scommitment to play as being very highon our agenda.

What will this mean for children?The breadth of opportunities for playand also the quality of provision. We’renot always talking about fixed playfacilities, honestly, but sometimes weare. I’m also looking for animprovement in facilities for disabledchildren in particular. I think there is areal issue there. I am trying my best

within the budgetary problems we haveto make sure we do take steps forwardfor disabled kids and the play provisionthat’s open to them.

How do you see play featuring inyour plans for the Families Firstinitiative?Our Families First pioneer areas aredeveloping local plans to give childrenthe best start in life. The very nature ofthe Families First initiative means that wewon't be following a 'one size fits all'model and dictating to local authoritieswhat should be included in their plans.It is for them to decide what families intheir area need and I am sure they willall consider the important role play haswhen they develop their plans. Myofficials will be discussing how playmight become a more integratedaspect of Families First in the future.

* Public consultation to take place followingWelsh Assembly Government election in 2011.

Interview: Huw Lewis

‘I thank Helen Mary Jones forchoosing play as the subject ofher short debate. The more that itis kept on the agenda, the betterfor Wales’ children.’

The Right to Play short debate in PlenaryMeeting, 24 November 2010.

On 23 November, the Children andYoung People Committee published itsreport on the provision of safe places toplay and hang out. The report comesat the end of an 11 month inquiry intothe barriers to play for children andyoung people in Wales.

The inquiry came about after more than2700 children and young people votedfor safe places to play and hang out asbeing one of the top issues thatconcerned them during theCommittee’s it’s all about you projectrun during the summer months of 2009.

A play event was held at the front of theSenedd in Cardiff Bay to highlightpublication of the report. Committeemembers joined in with various playopportunities alongside the children andyoung people invited to the event.

The report contains a list of 26recommendations covering areas suchas the strategic priority of play, transport

and road safety, urban planning andthe needs of particular groups ofchildren and young people. TheCommittee has asked the WelshAssembly Government to set out how itintends to achieve the changes that thereport recommends. Both long andshort-term changes are recommendedby the Committee.

Throughout the inquiry, the Committeewas struck by the strong and sometimesconflicting views of the nearly 1200children and young people it tookevidence from. A questionnaire issuedby the Committee brought strongresponses from some children andyoung people who felt that they wantedadult supervision when playing. Otherssaid just as strongly that they preferred tohave time alone with their friends withoutan adult around. Some children andyoung people wanted to have thespace and time for free play, whilstothers wanted to have organised gamesand activities that they could join in with.

The Committee also considered issuesrelating to the engagement of childrenand young people in the decisionmaking process, playworker training,health and safety guidelines foradventurous play and the role ofschools.

The Welsh Assembly Government’sresponse to the report is expected to bepublished in January 2011, and will befollowed by a debate on the issueshortly after.

The report is available at:www.assemblywales.org/bus-home/bus-committees/bus-committees-other-committees/bus-committees-third-cyp-home.htm

The Welsh Assembly Government’sresponse to the report and the dateand transcript of the debate will alsobe available at the same webaddress in due course.

Play Wales welcomes thepublication of the Children and

Young People Committee’s report. Ithas rightly identified a number ofissues that urgently need addressing.

In our written and oral evidence to theinquiry, Play Wales promoted the idea thatplaying and hanging out is not just abouta destination; it is about the journeythrough and around the environment andthe community. We advocated that thereis a need to change our attitude tochildren’s play and the environmentthroughout our communities to create aplay friendly Wales. We called for a morejoined up approach to planning andproviding for children’s play at bothnational and local level.

Since its inception the Welsh Assembly hasdemonstrated itself to be in the vanguardof international thinking in respect ofchildren’s play. Wales was arguably thefirst nation to adopt a national play policyin 2002, a statement of the Government’sbelief in the importance of play and itsaspirations for creating a country thatwould value and support play.

The play policy implementation plan(2006) outlines the actions theGovernment identified that wereneeded to support, to turn thoseaspirations into a reality for children.

The Children and Families (Wales) Measurehas included an internationally groundbreaking requirement on local authoritiesto assess and deliver sufficiency of playprovision for all children.

… and still children are identifying thelack of space and time to play as oneof the key issues that affects their lives.The lack of play opportunities was arecurrent theme in the BBC Walesseason (spring 2009) that focused onchildhood in Wales, comparingchildren’s experiences today with thoseof their parents and grandparents.

The Children and Young People’sCommittee inquiry report identifies anumber of key areas that demand aresponse; we know that governmentand local government struggle tochange the way they work, and there isa cultural reluctance to work crossdepartmentally. If ever there was an

issue that requires cross-departmentalworking and a strategic approach, it ischildren’s play. This has to beaddressed.

The report identifies the need andbenefit of supervised play provision. Thisechoes the findings of successivesurveys undertaken over the past years;nothing has changed. Our concern isthat this report comes at a time whenthe unique playwork qualification (P3)developed with Welsh AssemblyGovernment support and Europeanfunding is facing closure for want ofsufficient funding to ensure itscontinuation. We are fast approachinga time when there will be insufficientqualified staff to satisfy regulatoryrequirements let alone address issues ofquality delivery of play provision.

As a nation, we have to recognise thatwe are trying to turn back a significanttide of change that has detrimentallyaffected children’s play. We have tochange our attitude, to recognise theday to day importance of play tochildren. If we change our attitude wecan begin to change the environmentto when where we do afford childrenboth the time and space to do whatthey need to do … play.

8 Play for Wales Winter 2010PLAYING AND HANGING OUT REPORT

National Assembly for Wales’ Children and Young People Committee publishes report on safe places to play and hang out

Safe places to play and hang out

Play Wales says...

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Making a case for play provisionWhen they are asked what is important to them, children tell usthat playing and being with their friends is one of the mostimportant aspects of their lives. Yet adults often forget howimportant playing is, and when it comes to finding enough time,or balancing budgets or making planning decisions, playing isoften shuffled down the list of priorities.

In this article we attempt to show why play is so important, whyplay provision needs financial and political support and whyplanners and decision makers need to make time for children’splay in their work.

Children are co-members of our society. We know that everyaspect of their lives is influenced by their urge to play, and yetvery little of our built and planned environment affords them theopportunity or the permission to play.

In 2008 Play England, the national organisation for children’s playin England, published an up–to-date evidence-based researchand literature review on children’s play, Play for a Change. Theauthors examined the current understanding of the importanceof children’s play and how this relates to policy-making andpublic provision for play.

PlayPlay permeates every aspect of children’s lives; this is not amistake or an aberration – playing makes a considerablecontribution to children’s health and well-being and the survival ofthe human race, or we wouldn’t have retained this behaviourthrough our evolution.

Children and young people play spontaneously most of the timeand anywhere they find themselves, unless they are mentally orphysically extremely stressed (through severe fatigue, hunger, fear,or illness for example) or there are external environmental and/orpersonal biological factors that impede them from playing.

The benefits of play to children - surviving and thrivingThis list of the benefits of play is not complete – researchcontinues - however, it gives some indication of the value of playand the range of benefits children gain from playing.

Play can help build resilience – the capacity for children to thrivedespite adversity and stress in their lives.

Playing has an impact on how children’s genetic make up isexpressed, and on the physical and chemical development ofthe brain. This in turn positively influences the child’s ability tosurvive and thrive. Children who have developed a playfulinnovative response to their environments ... may adapt to thesein flexible ways, displaying resilience.

Physical and mental health are interlinked and both aresupported by playing – unlike sport, playing is child-driven andchild-friendly, it appeals to all children. [The enjoyment,challenge and self-direction of playing, as well as the range ofmotor actions, are more effective than externally directed

exercise regimes that may be boring or stressful. Poulsen andZiviani, 2004 as quoted in Play for a Change]

Regular active physical play helps prevent disease and relievesdepression and anxiety.

Many children who have experienced traumatic events play outthe scenes they have witnessed. Playing in such a way has beenshown to aid a healing process.

The unpredictable and spontaneous nature of playing supportsthe development of an ability to respond flexibly to situations – toroll with the punches.

Through playing children develop their own sense of place andbelonging – attachment to and knowledge of outdoor placescontributes to environmental awareness.

Playing helps the brain to develop effective mechanisms forlearning – rather than delivering specific learning outcomes –thus contributing to a lifelong ability to learn.

Play is strongly linked to creativity – it involves lateral thinking,imagination and problem solving.

Children gain a sense of pleasure and reward from playing –humour and laughter help develop social competence.

Play for Wales Winter 2010RICHNESS OF PLAY

Support for play providers to advocatefor staffed play provision

Why make time for play

Playing with other children helps individuals to develop strongpeer friendships and networks – which contribute to children’ssocial, mental and health resilience – particularly for those living inpoverty.

Children’s friendships, gained through playing together, aresocially beneficial and valuable catalysts to adults’ socialrelationships within communities.

The benefits of play provision to childrenStaffed play provision is a relatively new concept and there is littleresearch into its effectiveness. What we do know is that children’splay is beneficial for all the reasons we have just listed and thattheir well-being and development cannot be understood asseparate from their environment.

Quality staffed play provision is an environment in which childrencan play in a way that is spontaneous, flexible, unpredictable,imaginative and directed by themselves – the very environmentcontributes to their health and well-being. Playworkers working tothe Playwork Principles support all children and young people inthe creation of a space in which they can play.

There are external environmental and/or personal biologicalfactors that impede some children from playing. Such childrenare supported to play in an environment where there are trainedplayworkers who know how to intervene where necessary tofacilitate playing. This extends the advantages of playing tochildren who might not ordinarily benefit.

Quality staffed play provision gives a neighbourhood a ‘meltingpot’ where children who might not normally meet and socialisecan mix in a safe enough context; this provides experience ofother people and more opportunities for wide social networks thatcontribute to children’s resilience.

Our society is increasingly risk averse; there are fewer and feweropportunities to spontaneously express risk-taking behaviour.Within quality staffed play provision there is an understanding thatchildren naturally seek out uncertainty and challenge as part oftheir play, playworkers are trained to risk assess and intervene onlyif there is a significant chance that children will come to harm.Play provision gives a ‘safe enough’ space in which children canbe ‘in control of being out of control’.

Within quality staffed play provision there is an understanding of allforms and types of play behaviour, this may not be the caseelsewhere. For instance rough and tumble play contributespositively to children’s resilience and social bonding (particularlyfor boys) but it tends to be prohibited in many households andschool environments.

There is evidence that many parents are now more restrictive oftheir children’s freedom to range and play away from home thanin previous generations. Quality staffed play provision within localneighbourhoods can give children and families confidence thatthey can play out without coming to harm and provide a ‘safeenough’ choice of places to socialise and play away from thehome.

Children’s lives are increasingly colonised by adult-led activities– within quality staffed play provision they are encouraged tobe free agents – making their own decisions, creating theirown place to play, directing their own play. Children valueenvironments where they can be themselves and bespontaneous.

Children are neophiles – this means they constantly seek outnew and diverse choices, new channels for exploration anddiscovery, new opportunities and stimuli in order to be happyand healthy. Staffed play provision can provide the newpossibilities that children need to get the most benefit fromtheir time playing – fixed equipment playgrounds however,tend to have limited possibilities for children’s play.

‘The adult desire for safety, order and visibility contrastsmarkedly with a child’s desire for disorder, cover and loosematerials’. Sometimes children’s play is impeded by adultdisapproval and adult values. As part of their play childrenneed to be silly, fall out, rough and tumble, make noise andmess, be rude and cruel and learn the consequences fromtheir peers, and destroy as well as create. Expressing theseneeds is unacceptable within many environments andsituations – they are accepted as part of the range ofchildren’s play within quality staffed play provision.

Children are involved in decision-making processes within playprovision – from deciding and negotiating how they play withone another, to choosing new workers, this provides anopportunity for participation and personal agency that is oftenlacking in other areas of their lives.

There are fewer and fewer children playing out in our parksand streets – one of the reasons for this is a lack of confidencein their safety, another is an increasing intolerance towardstheir play behaviour, but also children are reluctant to go outand play if there is no-one to join up and play with. Childrengrowing up today tend to have fewer opportunities to meet upand play independently – staffed play provision provides suchan opportunity.

The playworkers within play provision are trained to supportchildren’s play by providing materials and protected spaceand permission – they do not direct children’s play or join inunless invited.

Staffed play provision within a community shows to the peoplein that community that playing is important – it also has animportant advocacy and outreach role. A staffed play settingis not a play ‘ghetto’ but one of what ought to be a widerange of choices and affordances for play within a child’scommunity. Playworkers are trained to advocate for children’splay – to promote the idea that playing is normal andnecessary and a behaviour to be welcomed in any placewhere children travel through or spend time.

The playwork curriculum, as it is supported within quality staffedplay provision, includes playing with the elements. Children areencouraged to play with earth, air, water and fire within a safeenough context where there are adults on hand whocontinually risk assess and support safe practice. For somechildren this is their only experience of the elements – or theonly place in their lives where playing with them is legitimate.

Where children are traumatised by events in their lives theplaywork approach supports the playing out and recreation ofdifficult experiences in a sensitive and non-judgemental way.For instance a child who has witnessed extreme familyviolence might recreate such events when playing – a

10 Play for Wales Winter 2010RICHNESS OF PLAY

‘Playing allows for the expression andexperience of strong emotions within asafe enough context.’

Brian Sutton-Smith

11

playworker is trained to take into account the circumstancesand the play drive of the child and to respond withoutcensure. Such play may not meet the same sensitiveapproach in other places in the child’s life.

Quality staffed play provision can create a hub for acommunity, in much the same way as schools do during termtime or chapels and churches used to, they offer non-threatening opportunities for adults and young people tovolunteer and become involved.

Staffed play provision provides job opportunities and workforcedevelopment within communities.

Children and families value quality staffed play provision; therelationships they make through it and the contribution itmakes to communities. The better and more comprehensivethe play provision within a community, the more families arelikely to be attracted to live there, because they know theirchildren will be valued and their children’s needs will be met.

ConclusionPlaying is vitally important to children’s health and well-being.Children are fellow members of society and yet the places theyfind themselves spending time are more often than not poor inplay possibilities. Staffed play provision is a valuable choice thatsupports and promotes children’s play within their community.

Further reading Joost Beunderman, People Make Play: The impact of staffed playprovision on children, families and communities (Play England,2010)

Play England (Matrix research), An economic evaluation of playprovision (2010).

Stuart Lester and Martin Maudsley, Play, Naturally (Play England,2007)

Stuart Lester and Wendy Russell, Play for a change – Play, Policy andPractice: A review of contemporary perspectives (Play England,2008)

Sustainability is a word often used bydecision makers and funders. Here weexplore what it means for play services. Embedded in the communitySustaining provision is not all about finance – it is also verymuch about people. Sustaining play provision is important forchildren and the communities they live in – to be sustainablewe need the support and the involvement of the communitywho live around it.

Quality play provision is embedded within the localcommunity and thrives on strong relationships with communitymembers - in particular children, young people and theirfamilies. Fostering positive relationships within the localcommunity 365 days of the year means there is a ready-made band of potential supporters who understand the valueof the provision.

Supporters will share concern if the play service is beingreduced or withdrawn. For any staffed play provision to besuccessful, be it an adventure playground or a peripateticplay project working in a local green space, a sense ofcommunity ownership and involvement is vital.

Developing good links and relationships with influential people,such as local councillors, other residents and local businesses,and other providers, such as schools, provides a broad baseof people to recruit to support any campaign for sustainingthe project.

ParticipationChildren and young people have a right to participate andexpress their views on decisions that impact on their lives – theyalso have a strong interest in sustaining quality play provision.

Children and young people’s voluntary involvement in anycampaign is not only strategic (politicians and decision makersare reluctant to face public condemnation for ‘hurting’ the

most vulnerable members of our society) but it also gives theman opportunity to be involved in a political and social process.

One example of successful action was when the children of StMellons decided to tape themselves to the shipping containerthat was central to their local play service and the lorry sent tocollect it was unable to take it away.

Local jobs for local peopleOne way to foster positive local relationships is by employinglocal people (either in a paid capacity or as volunteers) whobring with them all manner of benefits, including knowledgeand understanding of the local community culture and history.Whilst it is important to have a balanced staff team that hasprofessional qualifications and/or particular expertise, locallyborn and bred staff can be trained to the required level andcan add to the quality of the relationship with their childrenand their community.

Money mattersIt is important not to be reliant on any single source of fundingand to plan ahead.

There may be statutory funding available from the localauthority, or non-statutory funding available from charitabletrusts – we need to set aside time to research and keepapplying for pots of money as part of our everyday workpattern (written into job descriptions and work plans, on theagenda at management board meetings).

Monitor and recordIt often gets left off the to-do list, but we need to take time toregularly monitor, evaluate and record the benefits our playservices brings to children and their local communities.

Monitoring and recording will provide evidence for the need tosustain the current service as well as support fundingapplications. More and more potential funders look for evidencethat their investment will make a quantifiable difference tochildren – if we don’t have that evidence we may lose out.

Play for Wales Winter 2010RICHNESS OF PLAY

Why investing in play is important

Play for Wales Winter 2010WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

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After much anticipation and planningthe first ever Welsh medium Playwork:Principles into Practice (P3) Award coursewas held over the summer inCaernarfon, Gwynedd. Dafydd MyrddinHughes, one of the two Welsh speakingtrainers, answers our questions about thecourses’ importance and impact.

Tell us a little about yourself and how you becameinvolved in playwork, specifically how you becamea P3 trainer?

Three years ago a colleague encouraged me to apply for mycurrent role as the Regional Play Development Officer for NorthWest Wales Play Forum. This role involves developing theinfrastructure to support play development in the region. Ihave many years experience working in communitydevelopment, sport development and as a playworker. Whenthe opportunity rose to participate in the amazing P3 Train theTrainer course I embraced it – and have since trained 47learners.

I’m one of ten brothers and sisters brought up on farm in NorthWest Wales. This is where I spent most of my play time. Onreflection I believe that the roots to any of my achievementsstem back to my childhood on the farm where every minuteof every day was an adventure and an education.

What’s special about the P3 course compared toothers you’ve delivered?

The P3 course has many special qualities – it’s practical,current and realistic in terms of the expectations andinformation given to learners. The friendly and comfortableenvironment the course is delivered in is both special andunique. The learners find the P3 journey very special becauseof the usefulness of what they learn and the rewards it offers.Having done the course, P3 is a course which leaves learnersfeeling so much better and prouder about both themselvesand their chosen profession. This is due to the wealth ofknowledge, understanding and appreciation they gain duringP3 which covers all elements of the Playwork Principles.

Why do you feel it’s important that this course isavailable to deliver through the medium of Welsh?

In areas of Wales like Gwynedd where around 80 percent ofthe population’s first language is Welsh, it is essential thatcourses are offered bilingually. This enables us to cast the netto a wider audience of learners who wish to, and need to,participate in the course through the medium of Welsh. It alsohelps the trainer to engage appropriately with the learners andtransfer the passion P3 trainers have about playwork in a waythat the individual learner can make clear sense of andembrace the message. I believe it also enriches the quality of

the course in terms of learner’s participation by allowing themto do the course in their chosen language.

Have you noticed any difference in the playworkerswho participated in the course?

The playworkers appear to value their profession much moreand their managers definitely value the playworkersjudgement and listen to their opinions in terms of how tofacilitate their play provision. Playworkers talk to each other withmuch greater knowledge and understanding of how theychoose to intervene in how the children are playing.

As a playwork trainer what’s your biggestchallenge?

I have no challenges regarding the course delivery as it allunfolds quite naturally through the experience I have and thequality of the materials from Play Wales. But, if I was to wearmy organiser and assessor’s hat many challenges come tomind – mainly involving lack of money and time!

Following the course Ceri Rhiannon Jones, Gwynedd PlayOfficer, said: ‘It was wonderful to see the children andyoung people enjoying free play following the P3 course. Ibelieve that the course was a great success and that theplayworkers have gained in confidence and gathered newideas. The playschemes are going from strength to strengthand the course has given us a different view on play.’

Learner comments following the Welsh P3 course:

‘It’s an eye-opener of what play needs to be for the sake ofchild development, and the true role of the playworkerwithin play provision.’

‘Fantastic! Plenty of fun!’

‘Every manager should attend this course since it shows usthe other side of play. By having managers to attend thecourse, providing free play will be easier in the future.’

‘I feel that I’m more confident regarding how and when tointervene, or not, in play … I’m more confident with givingthe children more freedom.’

P3 updateBetween February 2009 and July 2010 a total of 208learners have successfully completed our level 2Playwork: Principles into Practice (P3) qualification.

Of the 208 learners – 175 are qualified to level 2 Awardstandard; 24 are qualified to level 2 Certificate standard;9 are fully qualified level 2 playworkers – havingcompleted all three parts of P3.

P3 Welsh Course

Play for Wales Winter 2010WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

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Playworkers funded through Future Jobs Fund

We have applied for funding from theWales Union Learning Fund (WULF). If

successful this project will raise the profileand the skills of the playwork workforce,encouraging lifelong learning, developingand delivering Essential Skills programmes forwork and delivering accredited training andqualifications.

Unite the Union, Play Wales and SkillsActive willwork in partnership with other local andnational partners to primarily support part-timeand poorly paid playworkers, many of themwomen; training and mentoring them toimprove their skills, learning opportunities andfuture prospects.

The project will help address barriers to learningand ensure more equality of access tolearning across the sector and raise the qualityof play provision in Wales. Union LearningRepresentitives will be identified across Wales. Iffunding is secured from WULF we anticipatethe project will start on 1 April 2011.

Vale of Glamorgan Sian Offen and Phillipa Morgan recently spent six monthsworking with the Vale of Glamorgan Council’s playdevelopment team; joining a team of playworkers to provideplay opportunities across the county. As well as developingtheir playwork skills both undertook a number of trainingcourse, which are valued additions to their CV’s, including firstaid and sign language.

Joanne Jones, play development officer for the Vale said, ‘Asan employer it has been a great opportunity to support twoindividuals who, when they started working with us had verylittle knowledge of play or the impact play has on the childrenand young people we work with. I have watched two peopledevelop into confident individuals as well as professionalplayworkers.’

Play Right Four placements at Play Right have been funded through theFuture Jobs Fund – assistant playworker (Emma); creative

assistant (Holly); administrative assistant (Nicola); warehouseassistant (Lynne). All four attended training pertinent to theirroles and were supported to update their CV’s.

Play Right’s Director, Patricia Cutler said. ‘The benefits to PlayRight has been mainly through increasing staff capacityenabling the organisation to continue and expand operationalavtivities. For example, the creative assistant, together with thewarehouse assistant, run an outreach service to two rural areasin Neath Integrated Children’s Centres (ICCs) – taking thescrapstore to our members twice a month. This serviceincreases our membership base and supports play providerswho cannot easily visit the Play Resource Centre for materials.Future Jobs Fund support has enabled Play Right to expandand contributed significantly to the sustainability of theorganisation.’

For further information about how your organisation couldbenefit through the Future Jobs Fund initiative visit:http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/childrenyoungpeople/learning/guarantee/futurejobsfund/?lang=en

Wales UnionLearning Fundapplication

Playwork Wales has launched a new communications strategy – In theloop … – that will seek to improve communications skills within the sector,

to work collaboratively with others to share the dissemination of informationwithin the playwork sector and among the rest of the children’s workforce.

In the loop … is informed by two Playwork – A Quality Future consultationevents held by Playwork Wales. The strategy sets out Playwork Wales’ plan forcommunicating with key audiences, encouraging participation andcollaboration, and identifying and communicating with new audiences.

As part of our plan to ensure better communication within the sector we will useicons to signal the nature of response needed to information we disseminate:

THE TIMER IS ON

SAVE FOR THE FUTURE

SPREAD THE WORD

CHANGE AHEAD

Keep an eye out for the icons in our future communications.

In the loop … Communications Strategy is available to download from thePlaywork Wales website: www.playworkwales.org.uk

In the loop …

The Vale of Glamorgan play team and Play Right (play association for Swansea andNeath Port Talbot) have both benefitted from funding through the Future Jobs Fundinitiative to employ short term staff. The Future Jobs Fund initiative creates opportunities foryoung people aged 18 to 24 who have been unemployed for over six months.

Play for Wales Winter 2010IPA 2011

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The 18th conference of the InternationalPlay Association offers four days to shareevidence, experience and examples ofgood practice with colleagues fromaround the world.

Who should attend? Everyone who has a professional orpersonal interest in children and youngpeople’s play should attend. Morespecifically: providers of services tochildren and young people; providers ofenvironments for children and youngpeople; advocates for children andyoung people’s rights; decision andpolicy makers in national and local

government and the voluntary sector;lecturers, students, researchers andtraining and education providers.

SpeakersBrian Sutton-Smith PhDSudeshna Chatterjee PhDMarc BekoffBob HughesWendy Russell and Stuart Lester

We received 265 abstract submissionsfrom 32 countries – from Australia to Iranand from Brasil to Poland. Thank you toeveryone who submitted an abstractproposal. All abstracts have beenindependently reviewed under each

theme by members of the ProgrammeAdvisory Group. All those who havesubmitted will be informed of theacceptance or rejection of theirabstract(s) proposal(s) by email and thedesignated type of presentation formatno later than 31 January 2011.

Thank you also to members of theProgramme Advisory Group for theircontinued help and support to review allthe abstracts.

An updated conference programmewith be published on the IPA 2011conference website early in the newyear.

All delegates and contributors need toregister for a conference delegateplace through the conference website:

www.ipa2011.org/registration

All fees include a conference pack andbag, lunch and refreshments, eveningsocial events with food, and trips.

For those who are unable to attend thefull four day conference there is theoption to register (book) a place for twoor three days.

A limited number of reduced priceconference places are available tostudents – only £250 for the four-dayattendance. This offer is open tostudents studying full time in the UK.Proof of student status will need to beprovided to secure the booking.

Budget accommodation, within walkingdistance to the conference venue, isavailable to contributors and delegatesat a Cardiff University hall of residencefrom only £24 per person per night -www.ipa2011.org/university_halls

Interested in becoming a sponsor ofIPA 2011? or interested in hiringexhibition space in or outside theconference venue?

Contact [email protected] or020 2048 6050

Make a Noise for Play is an event forchildren to celebrate their right to play.

Qualified playworkers from across Wales willcome together to create a varied, creativeand interesting physical environment wherechildren can feel free to play in their ownway and on their own terms.

If your are a play provider and wouldlike to get involved in Making a Noisefor Play please complete an Expressionof Interest form which is available todownload at www.ipa2011.org

We have invited 1000 children to attendMake a Noise for Play. Internationalconference delegates will also beattending as Coopers Field in Cardiff willbe transformed into a playable space.

www.ipa2011.org

Playing into the Future -surviving and thriving4 - 7 July 2011, Cardiff - WalesThe 50th anniversary world conference of the International Play AssociationHow do we create a future where playing is valued and where every country andneighbourhood upholds every child’s right to time, freedom and a safe enoughenvironment for playing in their own way?

Book yourplace

Four day conference attendance

IPA Members

Standard Delegate

Daily rate(minimum 2 days)

IPA Members

Standard delegate

Early BirdRegistration by 31/12/10

£425

£475

£140 per day

£150 per day

Registrationafter01/06/11

£550

£600

£180 per day

£200 per day

Registration onand after 01/01/11to 01/06/11

£450

£500

£160 per day

£175 per day

Play for Wales Winter 2010MEMBERSHIP 2011

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Associate membership for 2011 is open to allorganisations and individuals living in Wales.

International associate membership is open to any organisationor individual living or working outside Wales that would like tosupport the work of Play Wales. There are restrictedmembership benefits because as a charity we are registeredto work for the benefit of those within Wales.

All members are asked to endorse:

- the Playwork Principles, and

- the Welsh Assembly Government Play Policy (both can be found on our website)

You can join us by completing and returning the enclosedmembership registration form or go to our website:www.playwales.org.uk

What you can do for us• Help inform our policy positions and influence discussions

and work with government and other agencies

• Highlight issues of concern and influence policy with localand national policy makers

• Share mutual support, best practice and information withother members

• Advise us on your experience of the translation of policyinto practice. National policy direction must bemeaningful and effective for children’s play

• Nominate and be nominated to the Play Wales Board ofTrustees

• Sit on the Play Wales Information Service Advisory Group

• For 2011, work with us to ensure that the International PlayAssociation world conference being hosted by Play Walesis the best play and playwork conference ever ...

What we can do for youIn addition to receiving Play for Wales, the Play Walesmagazine, you will:

• be kept informed of recent policy developments• receive bi-monthly e-bulletins with events and funding news• receive previews of articles of interest and briefing sheets• receive draft responses to national consultations to invite

your views and inform your own responses• save on reduced conference and seminar fees• receive reduced rates on publications• have access to free Criminal Records Bureau checks for

staff working in regulated provision• have free and unlimited use of our comprehensive library

based in Cardiff• receive a free poster• benefit from free recruitment advertising for your play-

related vacancies on our website and e-bulletins

Join Play Wales

Join and add your voice

One day Wales will be a place where we recognise and provide for every child’s play needs

Play Wales is a charity and the national organisation for children’s play that provides advice, support and guidance for allthose in Wales who have a concern or responsibility for any environment where children and young people might play.

We uphold children’s right to play as set out in Article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Freelychosen play is critically important to the healthy development of all children and young people - whatever their culture,impairment, gender, language, background, behaviour or need.

All children are entitled to quality play provision within their communities and we work strategically to achieve this goal ontheir behalf.

Play for Wales Winter 2010EVENTS AND FUNDING

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Events

Funding

Everybody’s Business: Annual Playwork Inclusion Project (PIP) Conference24 February 2011Londonwww.kids.org.uk

National Playwork Conference 1 – 2 March 2011Eastbourne

www.playworkconferences.org.uk

Philosophy at Play Conference 12 – 13 April 2011 University of Gloucestershire

http://insight.glos.ac.uk/faculties/as/

newsandevents/Pages/default.aspx

Play and Health: 37th TASP (The Association for the Study of Play) Annual InternationalConference27 – 30 April 2011Rochester, New York

http://tasplay.org/conference.html

BBC Children in Need grantsBBC Children in Need grants are open to organisationsworking with disadvantaged children and young peoplewho are 18 years old and under. Your organisation andproject must be based in the UK and you will need tobe a registered charity or other not-for-profitorganisation.

You can apply for: Small Grants of £10,000 per year forup to three years or Main Grants over £10,000 per yearfor up to three years.

Next deadlines: 15 January 2011 and 15 April 2011

www.bbc.co.uk/pudsey/grants/general_grants.shtml

Information ServicePlay Wales’ Information Service providesinformation and guidance on play andplay provision. Our CommunicationsTeam works hard so all those who havean interest in children’s play in Wales arewell informed and up to date.

Our website and its regularly updated news section is a keypart of the Information Service. We also provide briefings andposition statements on play and play spaces; play policy;playwork; as well as advertising events and jobs.

Our play reference library (at our office in Cardiff) is the mostcomprehensive collection of resources in Wales on childrenand young people’s play and related issues. We hold currentand out-of-print material on a wide range of topics – from playtheory and child development, to building a tree house.

Visitors and small groups of students are welcome – pleaseemail us to arrange a visit and we will be happy to help you.We also have a smaller collection of reference books andresources in the Glyndw^ r University library in Wrexham, which isaccessible to visitors.

To arrange a visit to our library please [email protected]