Play for Wales issue 12

Play for Wales Issue 12 SPRING 2004

PLAY NEWS & BRIEFING FROM THE NATIONAL ORGANISATION FOR PLAY

CSIW TAKES PLAYWORKERS ON BOARD deas for a new approach to the inspection of play schemes were discussed at a recent meeting between Play Wales and the Care Standards Inspectorate. The CSIW reports …

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The Care Standards Inspectorate for Wales (CSIW) has responsibility for the registration and inspection of all types of day care settings for children under eight years of age. There are currently over 4,500 such settings in Wales - ranging from large nurseries, through to holiday playschemes that run for just two or three weeks a year during the school Summer holidays.

advent of the CSIW brought all these inspectors together to work for one body, which is a part of the National Assembly for Wales.

Generally speaking, Under 8’s inspectors came to the CSIW with qualifications and experience of working in social work, education or nursery work.

As experience grows, the CSIW recognises more and more the advantage of having a varied skill mix amongst its staff working across all the various types of settings.

There is no doubt that everyone benefits from the sharing of skills and experience particularly in specialist areas.

PLAY STRATEGY RECOMMENDATIONS READY TO GO The recommendations of the Welsh Assembly Government Play Policy Implementation Group are due to be submitted on 12 March.

This has been an opportunity for Welsh play-related organisations to “screw our courage to the sticking point” in gathering together and articulating ideas for a play friendly Wales that puts children’s play needs high up on the priority list. In the process, the group have consulted with Welsh Assembly Government officials from a wide range of departments, from those breathing life into health plans, to those driving Highways. The scope of the recommendations will be wide ranging because play is so central to every aspect of children’s lives that it impinges on almost every area of policy making.

We now await the response of Jane Hutt AM (Minister for Children) with bated breath.

PLAYWORK VALUES AND ASSUMPTIONS - REVIEW

As we know, the value of giving children opportunities to learn through play especially though attending a playscheme - is becoming better recognised at large, and this area of work is developing at quite a pace. Some playschemes cater only for children over the age of eight, which means they remain outside the remit of the CSIW. Others operate for a wider age range and children as young as five years old can attend. Such schemes have to register with the CSIW, be inspected at least once every year and, of course, be subject to enforcement action if it is necessary.

Before the Care Standards Act 2000 came into being in April 2002, all Under 8’s day care provision had to be registered with the Local Authority in whose area it operated. The Under 8’s inspectors at that time worked for any one of the twenty-two local Social Services Departments in Wales. The

The area of playwork is a good example of this, so the CSIW is looking at the prospect of employing experienced and/or qualified playworkers on secondment to some of our eight CSIW Regional Offices. After a short induction period, they would be authorised to work as CSIW inspectors.

Anyone interested in being considered for secondment should write to the CSIW National Office giving their personal details as well as an outline of their experience and qualifications.

The address is: CSIW - National Office, Personnel, Training and Development, Units 4/5, Charnwood Court, Parc Nantgarw, CARDIFF CF15 7QZ

In late 2003 Play Wales received short term funding from the Welsh Assembly Government to review the Playwork Values and Assumptions that underpin the Playwork NVQs and inform National Occupational Standards for Playwork. The consultation process will start in March and we anticipate the review will be completed by early May. The Assumptions and Values were originally developed at a time when Playwork NVQs were being drafted, and whilst reflecting the understanding of play and playwork at the time, they were undertaken with limited consultation, and they do not reflect the most recent developments within the profession.

During the review of the National Occupational Standards at Level 2 undertaken by SPRITO (now SkillsActive) in 2002, it emerged that many within the playwork sector felt that there was a need to review the

cont. pg4 >

PLAYWORK VALUES REVIEW AT www.playwales.org.uk

Play Wales Chwarae Cymru

Issue 12 Spring 2004

EDITORIAL n a scan through a recent copy of the Western Mail there are articles on childhood obesity, the use of television as a childminding tool, and an account of a “tomb-stoning” accident (a Welsh teenager seeking risk by jumping off a cliff, broke his legs when he miss timed the wave that was to cushion his fall). At the same time there are reports in the UK press of an annual school pancake race being cancelled due to the rising cost of public liability insurance. It is clear that there are rising concerns about the state of our children, as well as incredulity at the daft excesses of our overly health and safety conscious and litigious culture.

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It doesn’t take a genius to work out that if we don’t encourage all our children to be active and play, and if we don’t provide opportunities for all our children to take risks as part of their healthy development, we will end up with an unfit, fat and passive population, some of whom, denied the opportunity to deal with risk in a supervised environment, will seek thrills in dangerous circumstances without having the skills to handle it. These issues have been the key to putting forward common sense recommendations for a play strategy for our country that will form part of a holistic investment in our children.

The Play Policy Implementation Group has unanimously agreed that Play Provision in Wales should give opportunities for children to take risks.

There is a possibility that the issue will stimulate debate in the review of the playwork assumptions and values. It

often leaves play providers and playworkers tugged between a theoretical understanding of why risk is beneficial, and concerns over the prospect of parental disapproval and the possibility of litigation. We hope that both our current major projects (the strategy recommendations and the review) will help to clarify the issue, and support people working in the field.

Last but by no means least, congratulations to the CSIW for offering secondments to experienced playworkers.

There is now a much greater potential that we might all share a better understanding of our respective roles, and how we might most effectively raise the quality of children's play provision. Let’s hope that this initiative is a success and that the benefits are felt in all registered play provision in Wales.

Mike Greenaway Director

WHAT’S INSIDE • Editorial

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• Getting Serious About Play

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• Flintshire Plays for Health

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• Landslide in Hopkinstown

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• Go On - Have A Go

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• Positive Steps on the Isle

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• Let’s Pretend

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• Current Playwork Assumptions

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• Play in Sweden

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• Fieldwork for Community Farmers and Gardeners

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• Looked After Children Give Views on Play Guidance

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• Playday

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• That’s the Spirit

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• New Office Assistant

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• Thinking of Playwork?

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• Events

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• Fundraising

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Getting Serious About Play The report of the play review that took place across the UK last year was launched in January. “Getting Serious About Play”, funded by two UK Government Departments, was launched by Frank Dobson at Coram’s Fields children’s playground in central London.

community in deciding what works best for them. It also supports the case for the employment of playworkers.

While the review process covered the whole of the UK, the report’s conclusions and recommendations are specific to England. In Wales the report has been taken into consideration by the Welsh Assembly Government Play Policy Implementation Group in their recommendations for a play strategy for Wales.

It recommends that local authorities appoint a play champion and develop a strategic approach to securing long-term funding for play.

NOF should evaluate the impact on children and young people, parents and communities of the play projects they fund and also build up a database of what works and what does not.

There are further recommendations about the practicalities of how the money should be distributed.

Go directly to the report by using our Useful Sites web page at www.playwales.org.uk where it is listed as UK Play Review, or visit the DCMS website at www.culture.gov.uk/publications

The report calls for the lottery fund allocation of £200m to be used to improve and create thousands of spaces where children can play freely and safely.

For a hard copy please contact tiffany.denny@culture.gsi.gov.uk

Access to these should be free.

Funding should be focused on areas and groups with the poorest access to quality play opportunities, particularly disabled children.

Children’s charities urged to have protection policies

The bulk of funding should support exemplary projects that follow and promote best practice. There should also be funding to support new approaches.

The Charity Commission is warning children’s charities that they are breaking the law if they work without a protection policy for adults working with children. It comes after 80 of the 1,000 charities inspected by the review visit team were unable to provide a policy.

The report recognises the need to involve children and the wider

P la y fo r Wa l e s is published by Play Wales three times a year. All correspondence and enquiries should be addressed to the Editor at : P l a y Wa l e s , B a l t i c H o u s e , M o u n t S t u a r t S q u a re , C a rd i ff C F 1 0 5 F H Te l e p h o n e : 0 2 9 2 0 4 8 6 0 5 0 F a x : 0 2 9 2 0 4 8 9 3 5 9 E - m a i l : m a i l @ p l a y w a l e s . o r g . u k R e g i s t e re d C h a r i t y N o . 1 0 6 8 9 2 6 The views expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily those of Play Wales. We reserve the right to edit for publication. Play Wales will include inserts and adverts in this newsletter (please contact Kathy Muse for prices at the above address) however, we do not endorse any of the products or events advertised in or with this publication.

Designed and printed by Carrick Business Ser vices Ltd. Tel: 029 2074 1150. E-mail: sales@carrickbusiness.co.uk Cartoon illustrations by Les Evans

Play For Wales

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Play Wales Chwarae Cymru

Issue 12 Spring 2004

Flintshire Plays for Health new project, which is a first for Flintshire, is about to employ two workers to advise on the effects of play deprivation on children and young people’s wellbeing, and the health benefits of providing community based play opportunities. The two year project is funded by Bryn Gwalia, Mold and Castle Ward, Flint Communities First Partnership Boards, the Welsh Assembly Cymorth fund, and the Heart of Flintshire Project.

“Although Flintshire appears to be a relatively healthy place to live, data for the whole county is likely to hide marked differences between sections of the population, or between different areas. Attention to the underlying causes of ill health – poverty/deprivation, smoking, poor diet and insufficient physical activity – is essential.” Flintshire Health Assessment document.

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LANDSLIDE IN HOPKINSTOWN he late January/early February storms that swept across Wales caused a landslide in Hopkinstown near Pontypridd.

Unfortunately the children’s play area was devastated Photo courtesy of the South Wales Echo

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Positive Steps on the Isle nglesey is responding positively to demands to give play a higher profile across the Island.

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After years of responsibility devolved from the County Council to community councils, who struggled with inadequate funds, the poor and in some cases dangerous state of play provision on the Island was highlighted in a Play Wales report two years ago. You may have witnessed the adverse publicity in local and regional press.

This moved the County Council to assume a leading role in creating a partnership to reverse the position, and the Education and Leisure Department was instrumental in establishing the Isle of Anglesey Play Partnership in autumn 2003. The Partnership has representatives from the County Council, Town and Community Councils, Voluntary Sector, and the County Youth Forum – Llais Ni. Its primary aim is to “enrich the play experiences of the children and young people in Anglesey, through effective collaboration to improve facilities and to develop play activities.”

The Partnership will soon be supported by a full time Play Development Officer, who will have three key objectives:

GO ON – HAVE A GO We are keen to publish the views and comments of both children and adults, and to hear about examples of good practice in play provision in Wales, so please put pen to paper or get tapping on that keyboard. If you don’t feel confident about writing we can help you shape up your article. We are also keen to publish photographs as long as the children involved, and their parents, have given permission. Of course, we reserve the right to edit.

If you would like to contribute to Play for Wales please contact Gill Evans at our national office in Cardiff telephone 029 2048 6050 or e-mail gill@playwales.org.uk Play for Wales is currently published three times a year, with a Spring, Summer and Autumn issue. We also publish play news relating to Wales on our website as it arrives in our office.

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• to produce a 5 year County Play Strategy, • to support communities in their quest to improve or provide new play provision, • to co-ordinate Open Access Play Programmes on the Island.

With a concerted approach to issues of play, there is renewed optimism on the Island that the Partnership can make real improvements for the benefit of its children and young people.

For further details contact Aled Roberts, Leisure & Communities Service. Telephone 01248 762912

Play For Wales

Play Wales Chwarae Cymru

Issue 12 Spring 2004

PLAYWORK VALUES AND ASSUMPTIONS REVIEW <cont. from pg1 Playwork Assumptions and Values.

The national organisations that support playwork and playwork training in the other three nations and across the UK will be supporting the review. They include Playboard Northern Ireland, Play Scotland, Children’s Play Council, SkillsActive, Playlink, London Play, the Community and Youth Workers Union, and the Joint National Council on Training in Playwork.

We hope to achieve a succinct and robust statement, supported by appendices, that will serve the playwork profession for the foreseeable future.

Unfortunately, given the time constraints that are imposed on us in our funding agreement, we have by necessity made some urgent decisions regarding the drafting and consultation process, and as a result it has not been possible to involve others in every aspect of setting up the review.

Accordingly we have employed Bob Hughes to lead the review. Bob is someone that we have worked with successfully before and he is a leading consultant in the playwork field. He has enlisted the help of fellow thinkers Gordon Sturrock (University of East London) and Mick Conway (co-author of Quality in Play). They will draft a

Play For Wales

starting point document for the consultation process. This will be based on sound principles that relate directly to the purpose and methodologies of our work with children, and we expect it will stimulate reflection and debate. It is a starting document, and it will naturally change through the consultation process before we arrive at a final statement.

consultation process It is important to us that the consultation process ensures a shared understanding, and that it arrives at a consensus of the profession’s thinking.

We will make every effort to make the process as transparent as possible, and to publicise the consultation as widely as we can.

The consultation is taking place on our website where there will be supporting material. If anyone wishing to take part is unable to access the Internet they should contact us for regular hard copy updates.

All participants in the consultation process will be asked to identify themselves, and their profession, in order that their responses can be put into context.

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Getting Involved . . . . Getting Involved . . . . . Getting Involved This is an opportunity for the playwork profession to ‘make up its own mind’, determine its own agenda, and ‘say it as it is’.

We are very keen that playworkers all over the UK are involved in the consultation and make their views known.

The more playworkers who take part, the greater the validity of the result.

When you join in the consultation on our website, you will be asked to complete a brief form and then asked whether you agree or disagree with each element of the values and assumptions, you will also be able to make comments.

Given that the work is dependent on short term funding there is some pressure to complete quickly, and the consultation period last for six weeks.

However, if it becomes apparent that we are unlikely to reach a consensus we will extend the consultation to allow for additional revisions to be considered.

Email: info@playwales.org.uk Website:www.playwales.org.uk/values Telephone: 029 2048 6050

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Issue 12 Spring 2004

C u rr e n t P l a y w o r k Assumptions and Values Even though the National Occupational Standards focus on and describe work functions, they are based on a number of assumptions and values (the philosophy) that underpin good practice in playwork. Here are the current assumptions and values that are being reviewed:

4. Whereas play may sometimes be enriched by the playworker’s participation, adults should always be sensitive to children’s needs and never try to control a child’s play so long as it remains within safe and acceptable boundaries.

5. Every child has a right to a play environment which stimulates and provides opportunities for risk, challenge and the growth of confidence and self esteem.

6. The contemporary environment in which many children grow up does not lend itself to safe and creative play.

All children have the right to a play environment which is free from hazard, which ensures physical and personal safety and a setting within which the child ultimately feels physically and personally safe.

7. Every child is an individual and has the right to be respected as such. Each child should feel confident that the adults who work and play with them value individuality and diversity.

Assumptions

8. A considerate and caring attitude to individual children and their families is essential to competent playwork and should be displayed at all times.

The first assumption is that children’s play is freely chosen, personally directed behaviour and motivated from within.

Through play children are able to explore the world, and his or her relationship with it, elaborating all the while a flexible range of responses to the challenges he or she encounters.

By playing, children learn and develop as individuals.

9. Prejudice against people with disabilities, or who suffer social and economic disadvantage, racism and sexism has no place in an environment which seeks to enhance development through play. Adults involved in play should always promote equality of opportunity and access for all children and seek to develop anti discriminatory practice and positive attitudes to those who are disadvantaged.

The second assumption is that whereas children may play without encouragement or help, adults can, through the provision of an appropriate human and physical environment, significantly enhance opportunities for the child to play creatively and thus develop through play.

In this way the competent playworker always aims to provide opportunities for the individual child to achieve his or her full potential, while being careful not to control the child’s direction or choice.

10. Play should offer the child opportunities to extend his or her exploration and understanding of the wider world and consequently the physical, social and cultural settings beyond their immediate experience.

Values

11. Play is essentially a co-operative activity for children both individually and in groups. Playworkers should always encourage children to be sensitive to the needs of others. In providing play opportunities they should always seek to work together with children, their parents, colleagues and other professionals and where possible to make their own expertise available to the wider community.

1. Play opportunities are provided in a number of settings (e.g. Local Authority, voluntary or commercial) for children with a variety of needs. Competent playwork always has the following underlying values regardless of social and cultural diversity.

2. The child must be at the centre of the process, and the opportunities provided and the organisation, which supports, co-ordinates and manages these, should always start with the child’s needs and offer sufficient flexibility to meet these.

12. Play opportunities should always be provided within current legislative framework relevant to children’s rights, health, safety and well-being.

3. Play should empower children, affirm and support their right to make choices, discover their own solutions and allow them to develop at their own pace and in their own way.

13. Every child has a right to an environment for play, and such environments must be made accessible to children.

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Issue 12 Spring 2004

Why do we envy the he attention given to the rights and needs of children in Scandinavian countries is often used as a model of good practice.

Our own Play Policy and the recommendations for a play strategy for Wales seek to foster a similar regard for the younger members of our society. Here Marc Armitage, a freelance play development worker and researcher, uses his extensive experience to compare play provision in the UK with that in Sweden.

It has been reported that the Danish architect and founder of the adventure playground movement, Sorensen, gave up in his attempts to introduce adventure playgrounds to Sweden because the Swedes were ‘just too neat and tidy’ to grasp the concept. Having lived and worked for some years in the Scandinavian countries, particularly Sweden, I think I can see what he meant. This truly is a country of clean streets, and yes, the people here really do wait for the ‘green man’ to come on before crossing the road – and they look oddly upon people who don’t!

The words ‘Sweden’, ‘children’ and ‘good practice’ seem to go together. Much of this reputation is well deserved. But it takes time being involved in the system before it is possible to realise that not everything the Swedes do is better than the British - and there are some things that the Swedes could learn from us. There is an additional problem too: there is a possibility that much of the good practice to be found in Sweden comes largely from broad cultural differences, rather than just a difference in delivery. These cultural differences may be something that does not transfer well.

Geographically, Sweden is a large country with a small population. Its land area is 1.7 times bigger than the United Kingdom, but its population is 6.6 times smaller. This results in a population density of approximately 22 people per square kilometre, compared with around

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Play For Wales

244 people per square kilometre in the UK. The sense of space is something that permeates Swedish life, even in the cities. For example the average size of homes for all social groups is higher than in the UK, and homes are also planned in a more ‘open style’ with an emphasis placed on quality of light.

Cities are less compact, generally greener, and have more open recreational space per head of population.

Communal living is the norm. More than 60% of the Swedish population live in blocks of apartments as opposed to houses,

education system, where the compulsory Schools National Curriculum states that “The school should develop [a pupil’s] ability to consciously form and express ethical standpoints based on knowledge and personal experiences … [and to] … respect the intrinsic value of other people.”

One of the clearest expressions of the Swedish attitude towards children comes in the upholding of Children’s Rights. This is an issue that does not seem to elicit the same amount of fear among Swedish parents as it possibly does amongst the British. It genuinely

In Sweden housing estates are built around playgrounds so there is no traffic danger for children.

and unlike in the UK, there is no associated stigma.

Living in communal groups requires a degree of co-operation and tolerance. This latter point is something else that Sweden is well known for. Many may not know this, but Sweden was once the head of a major European empire that reached deep into what is now modern Russia, but for over a century the country has been declared internationally neutral. The image of the peace loving and tolerant Swede may be perceived as another example of national stereotype, but it turns out to be generally true. This also results in a very tolerant attitude towards children and what they do. This is something that begins in the 6

results in a willingness to listen to what children have to say and act upon their views. The idea that children should be seen and not heard persists in the British culture; but in Sweden the general attitude is not just one that says children should be seen and heard, but that they should be actively asked and what they have to say should be valued.

This love of open space and the very real tolerant attitude of the Swedes serve their children well in terms of the neighbourhoods in which they live. Even a short walk around any residential area in Sweden will reveal public playgrounds dotted around all over the place! There are simply many

Play Wales Chwarae Cymru

Issue 12 Spring 2004

Swedes? more than you would find in a British neighbourhood and those that can be seen are right in amongst children’s homes, rather then placed on the edge of the estate.

Compare these figures: in Flintshire (population 148,600) there is around one public playground per roughly 1,000 head of population; the city of Halmstad (population 85,000) in south Sweden has around one public playground per 380 head of population. * When speaking with local komun (council) officials, designers and planners about the provision of local play space, there is a strong sense of ‘this is how it should be,’ influenced by the cultural norms of open space, communal living, tolerance and an ear for children.

Trying to recreate attitudes like this in the United Kingdom would take generations and may, ultimately, be unachievable. But there is another trick that the Swedes have to rely on that we could possibly adopt. It’s called Legislation.

Current building regulations in Sweden state that for pre-school children there must be a declared ‘lekplats’ (literally play place) within 50m of their homes, and for older children within 100m. This results in public playgrounds that are generally much smaller in area and have fewer pieces of ‘play equipment’, but much more planting and ‘environmental play features’ than the UK equivalent.

This in part explains the stark difference in figures quoted above.

But the important point is that it is simply impossible for a housing area to be built in Sweden without adequate play space for children being provided in quantity, quality; and close to and in amongst peoples homes.

This latter point gives rise to one other significant difference between the two countries: the combination of location of public playgrounds and the common use of 30km (not 30mph) zones guarded by road traffic measures such as speed

bumps, close to schools, day-care centers and public playgrounds, results in Sweden having a child road death figure that is virtually nil.

All this sounds rosy does it not?

With the possible exception of the lack of adventure playgrounds (there are some in Sweden, just not very many) I seem to have painted a picture of the ideal world for playworkers. Pack your bags and move! But bear this in mind first. It is actually very difficult to work with children in Sweden without a university education. I have come into contact with very few people involved in children’s play in Sweden that have not been to university to study how to do it.

Attitudes towards ‘unqualified workers’ have changed greatly over the last decade or so. For example, parent-led community child-care settings are common in Sweden, but some colleagues involved in this sector report a growing change in attitude where the recruitment of staff and volunteers is concerned, saying either that they would simply not consider engaging adults without a higher education background or feeling that they face opposition when they do so. This is interesting bearing in mind the current drive towards professionalising playwork in the United Kingdom, and this should possibly serve as a warning.

To conclude, I am not a child anymore and I would not even

attempt to claim that children’s lives in the United Kingdom are any worse than in Sweden. But if I was still a child and I had the power to choose, I know where I would like to grow up.

Marc Armitage marc.armitage@playpeople.co.uk PLAYPEOPLE - Play Development, Education, Training & Research Marc Armitage now lives in Halmstad, a small city in south Sweden. Since becoming a playworker in the United Kingdom in the 1980s he has worked as a neighbourhood playworker, a crèche group worker, a playwork Training Officer, and a local authority Play Development Officer.

He now works under the name PLAYPEOPLE, teaching and researching a broad range of play and children’s lives topics in both the United Kingdom and the Scandinavian countries. *We recognise that it is unscientific to compare an area of mixed dwelling patterns, such as Flintshire, with a city, however we could find no direct comparisons in terms of population size in Wales. The play area statistics for Flintshire are governed by performance indicators set by the Audit Office.

Let’s Pretend - a Fantastic Programme on Fantasy Play he exploration of aspects of play very rarely features on television or radio, but recently the poet Michael Rosen presented an excellent late-night Radio 4 programme on fantasy play – Let’s Pretend.

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If you are unable to access it through the Radio 4 website at www.bbc.co.uk/radio/factual and you have the appropriate software, we can e-mail the RealOne file to you so that you can listen on your computer. Please e-mail info@playwales.org.uk 7

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Play Wales Chwarae Cymru

Issue 12 Spring 2004

Fieldwork for Community Farmers and Gardeners

technical advice over the phone, help with negotiations, training, and networking opportunities.

The programme’s undoubted success and popularity elsewhere in the UK, lies in its ability to strengthen the links between established and emerging projects by harnessing the existing skills within the community farming, gardening and growing movement.

ew children in Wales have access to opportunities to grow food and raise animals, a fundamental learning experience that sits well within play provision. The Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens is getting ready to support community farming, gardening and growing initiatives in Wales, and Play Wales is right behind them.

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How to Get Involved Play Wales is hosting a round table meeting of interested parties on Tuesday 27 April at Baltic House in Cardiff, where the FCFCG will outline its plans and seek advice as to the best way forward. If you would like further information about the work of the Federation, or the meeting in Cardiff, please feel free to contact Paul Jayson, Development Worker.

Telephone: 0117 923 1800 or email paul@farmgarden.org.uk

FCFCG at Spirit The Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens will be running two workshops at Play Wales’ Spirit of Adventure Play Conference in May – one focussing on their experience of developing the fieldwork project (which will have relevance to anyone wishing to set up a similar project for play providers) and another on including elements of community managed gardening and farming in play projects.

The Federation (FCFCG) is a charity that promotes, supports and represents community groups engaged in local regeneration. Its member projects range from pocketsized urban spaces saved from development, shared allotment plots and adventure playgrounds, to the largest urban community farms. Membership is open to groups that support, want to set up or have already established a city farm, community garden or similar project.

Having consulted with member projects and potential members in Wales the Federation is seeking to develop a stronger network here through its Fieldwork Programme.

This has involved FCFCG in recruiting and training experienced practitioners, who provide generic advice and support to existing and potential projects on a sessional basis. They are in turn backed by Regional Advisors, who match requests for help to the fieldworker with the most relevant expertise. The fieldworkers then provide site visits,

Looked After Children Give Views on Play Guidance Do you know any children or young people who live or stay with foster carers or in children's homes? If so, and they can get access to the Internet, they may be interested to know about some work we are doing.

We are working with the National Children's Bureau to develop materials for foster and residential carers to encourage them to them to support children's play and creative development. We are keen to find out what children think and there is a website where they can post their views.

The website, specifically for looked after children and Play For Wales

young people is www.sonet.soton.ac.uk Issy Cole-Hamilton Policy and Research Officer, Children's Play Council Telephone: 020 7843 6403 New Home Zones Video “Home Zones the UK experience” is a new video resource for community groups and professionals working on home zone projects. Produced by The Children’s Play Council and Transport 2000 it is available from Marston Book Services. Please ring 01235 465500 or e-mail direct.orders@marston.co.uk

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Play Wales Chwarae Cymru

Issue 12 Spring 2004

Playday - 4 August 2004 - Families at Play In the Year of the Family the Playday steering group has decided to celebrate Families at Play, and suggestions include declaring 4 August a Playday bank holiday to encourage parents to play with their children!

often. Children taking part in play projects will be asked to submit creative work about having fun with their family.

Here at Play Wales we have decided to support Playday by building on last year’s media success, and by producing a series of leaflets for parents offering information on play and how best to support children’s play needs.

Surveys suggest that parents regret that they have so little time to play with their offspring. The steering group (led by the Children’s Play Council and the Children’s Society in England) has commissioned an NOP poll to ask children aged between 7 and 12 years who they play with and how

For more information please visit www.playday.org.uk

and refresh their working practice. We have invited speakers and organised workshops and discussions to stimulate and inspire. There will be food for thought as well as practical guidance on such thorny issues as introducing fire to play provision or keeping animals.

That’s the Spirit Play Wales’ fourth Spirit of Adventure Play conference takes place on 11 and 12 May in Cardiff.

If you are interested in attending, please contact Play Wales for a booking form. Telephone 029 2048 6050 or eail spirit@playwales.org.uk

The ethos of the adventure playground is arguably the most child-centred of all those in children’s provision. It embodies knowledge of children’s rights and needs in an era when we often pay lip service but fail to deliver. Given the millions of children we work for, adventure playgrounds are few and far between.

However, the ethos can be used successfully to provide for children in any play setting.

Risk and Play on Adventure Playgrounds Play Wales is currently developing guidance on the safety inspection of adventure playgrounds, which includes background information as well as an overview of relevant legislation, and a framework for inspection and risk assessment. We hope to publish it at Easter, with a launch at our Spirit conference. The guidance will sold at cost price, and will be available to download on the fact sheets page of our website www.playwales.org.uk/factsheets

This conference was originally set up not only to celebrate and support those working on adventure playgrounds, but also to provide a forum where experienced playworkers can debate, contribute

Our new office assistant, Phillipa Macleod was born and bred in Cardiff, has a degree in Psychology, and has caught the travelling bug …

At the start of 2003 I went travelling, beginning in Southeast Asia and ending up on the west coast of America in July. It was a fantastic experience and I’’ve returned home with a lot of memories (and a certain amount of debt) but it was undoubtedly worth it! I am settling in to life at Play Wales (where my sense of humour helps) but ultimately I h a v e ambitions to teach abroad and to live in Canada.

Adventure Playground Insurance Astbury Wren Insurance brokers will arrange cover for Adventure Playgrounds within 24 hours.

Please ring 01244 310 574 email broker@astbury-wren.co.uk

Thinking of Playwork?

Want to find out more about the role of the playworker, and the demands and challenges of playwork? Flintshire County Council will be hosting a Playwork Awareness Day at Flint Pavilion on Tuesday 6 April 2004.

The County is recruiting for a countywide playscheme programme in Summer 2004 and requires in excess of 100 play workers. It is important that candidates are aware of the 9

nature of play work, and its demands, in order to take their application further. There will be limited spaces for those who are keen just to come along on the day to find out more information.

Please contact the Leisure Services Office on 01352 702456 to register your interest or e mail Go to www.playwales.org.uk for play jobs in Wales, or advertise vacant posts free.

Play For Wales

Play Wales Chwarae Cymru

Issue 12 Spring 2004

Fundraising

EVENTS

The Summer Holiday Activities Small Grants Scheme supports holiday activities for children between the ages of 5-13 years. Emphasis is put on small local playschemes lasting 4-6 weeks, and groups planning a summer break or special activities for youngsters who are disadvantaged, or who have a disability. The grants of between £200 and £400 are available throughout the UK.

An Introduction to Adventure Playgrounds 23/24 March 2004 Following the success of last year’s Play Wales seminar, this is an opportunity for people planning to set up adventure playgrounds in Wales to explore some of the issues involved. Takes place in Cardiff. Contact Kathy or Phil on 029 2048 6050 or e-mail introduction@playwales.org.uk

Application forms are available on the bulletin page at www.lankelly-foundation.org.uk or contact Barbara Garlick on 01235 820044 New fundraising series from WCVA WCVA has produced a new bilingual fundraising series of information sheets, which have been uploaded to the website at www.wcva.org.uk/content Subjects include: an overview of fundraising, fundraising techniques and good practice and making your case for a grant, to name but a few. Copies are also available from the Helpdesk on 0870 607 1666, email help@wcva.org.uk

Healing through Play: An Introduction to Play as Therapy 29 April – 2 May 2004 Training day in London organised by Community Insight Contact 01793 512612 for a booking form

Camelot Foundation programme

transforming

lives

The foundation provides grants of £10,000 - £90,000 to organisations that work with young people aged between 11 and 25. The Foundation seeks to work with organisations that support young parents or those at risk of becoming young parents, young asylum seekers, young people with mental health problems and young disabled people.

Visit the website at www.camelotfoundation.org/translives/translives/.cfm

CYWU National Conference 2004 27 April 2004 The Community and Youthworkers Union (includes playworkers) meet in Derry, Northern Ireland. Contact Kerry on 0121 244 3344 or e-mail kerry@cywu.org.uk

Chase Charity Chase Charity has funds available for registered charities, particularly community initiatives that meet local needs.

Grants of £1,000 to £30,000 are available to support community arts. They ‘are particularly interested in helping charities to take their work . . . to people living in rural areas’. Further details at www.chase-charity.org.uk

The Spirit of Adventure Play 11 and 12 May 2004 A Play Wales UK conference on playwork and the ethos of adventure playgrounds.

Speakers and workshops to stimulate and inspire good practice in playwork.

Contact Kathy or Phil on 029 2048 6050 or e-mail spirit@playwales.org.uk

Philip Henman Trust The Trust supports a range of initiatives. It can provide one-off grants of up to £1,000 to UK charities working with children and young people; and grants of between £20 and £500 to a local charity. Visit the website at www.djclark.com/pht/contact.html B&Q YOU CAN DO IT COMMUNITY AWARDS Offered annually to twenty community groups, voluntary organisations and charities in the UK. Consisting of up to £5,000 worth of B & Q materials for the renovation and refurbishment of community group premises or community projects. Contact 0845 300 1001 or visit http://www.diy.com

5th Major National Conference and Exhibition on the Playwork NVQ & SVQ 6 and 7 July 2004 Birmingham Please contact Meynell Games 01323 738380 or e-mail conference@meynellgames.de

Play For Wales

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Access Funds The Access Funds website lists funding from government, the lottery, EU and a range of other bodies. It includes a monthly bulletin and e-mail alert that allow you to have funding information emailed directly to you. Visit the website at www.access-funds.co.uk

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