Play for Wales issue 20

Issue 20

Play for Wales Play news & briefing from the national organisation for play

Spring 2007

Play Spaces Issue Tribute to Peter Clarke 1m for inclusive play

www.playwales.org.uk

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Play for Wales Issue 20 SPRING 2007 EDITORIAL

Editorial Contents

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Editorial

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£1m for play for disabled children 3 Membership

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Olympics no Threat

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Our Streets Too! New Publication Changes at CSIW Safeguarding of Vulnerable Groups

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Scrap Happy

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Big Child’s Play Seminar

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Urgent! Help with research

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Website News Service

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Peter Clarke Children’s Consultation on Play Play Spaces

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Playground Inspection

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Can we play for real please?

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A Rich Play Environment

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Mum beats Developers

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Welcome to a Flintshire playground 10 Freiburg’s nature playgrounds

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Berlin

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Playwork Training Project Named 14 Playing Out and About in Wales

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Interview with a Playwork Trainer

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Events

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Funding

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Play For Wales is published by Play Wales four times a year.

Contact the Editor at: Play Wales, Baltic House, Mount Stuart Square, Cardiff CF10 5FH Telephone: 029 2048 6050 E-mail: info@playwales.org.uk Registered Charity No. 1068926 The views expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily those of Play Wales.

We reserve the right to edit for publication.

We do not endorse any of the products or events advertised in or with this publication.

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We are now able to produce four issues of Play for Wales per year, and have dedicated this issue to children’s play space within the community. However, it’s a big subject and we are aware that we have only just touched the surface, and will return to it in future magazines. utdoor space is vitally important to children, whether it be the local recreation ground, a decent sized garden, a quiet street, school grounds, a dedicated play area or informal natural space. As soon as they can walk children want to be outside, and once they can talk they tell us that the best place for playing is outdoors.

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Land where children are able to play within their own community is disappearing fast. For many of us when we return to places where we played when we were young – the places we cherished and felt were our own – we find to our dismay that they have been built on. It is a hollow feeling; the space and the play opportunities that were offered will never be regained.

Children’s quality of life is permanently blighted as a result of this loss, and the consequences stare out at us in newspaper headlines about childhood depression, “anti social behaviour”, lack of fitness and ill-health.

There are very few outdoor spaces where children can lay a claim. A local play area may not offer good play value to children but it is a marker that says “this is children’s space”. But children need more than sterile swings and slides and safety surfacing – we have to preserve the green spaces, copses, woods and scrub land which have always provided such a rich play environment.

We know the whole play sector in Wales will be immensely proud to see the front cover of the St David’s Day issue of Children Now magazine announcing that Wales is “world leader in play”. As a nation we are beginning to be recognised outside our boundaries as leading the way - the Welsh Assembly is taking an international policy lead. But this is not a time to sit back and relax.

It was of some significance that the launch of both the Play Policy and Implementation Plan had all party support, however we are all too aware of how political priorities can change, and there is less certainty about the outcome of the forthcoming election than there has been in any Assembly vote before.

So when those of us with an interest in children’s play are canvassed by party representatives, we need to ask key questions that ensure that children’s play remains high on the agenda: 1. The Welsh Assembly is taking a lead on a range of children’s issues including children’s play – how will your party continue the momentum?

2. At a local constituency level, When there is conflict between the interests of adults and the play needs of children can we count on you to provide a voice for children?

3. What are you going to do about the local planning decisions that eat up land where children play and turn it into retail parks and housing estates?

Although we have come a long way in the last 8 years, as a play sector we need to continue to push for change, because we still have a long way to go.

Mike Greenaway Director

Useful Websites http://www.npfa.co.uk/content/prot ect/index.html http://www.cabe.org.uk/default.asp x?contentitemid=41 http://www.playlink.org.uk

Play for Wales Issue 20 SPRING 2007 NEWS

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£1m for play for disabled children The final budget agreed by the National Assembly for Wales in December included provision for an additional £1 million in 2007-8 for play facilities for disabled children. This funding will be distributed as a supplement to the Cymorth allocation. ach Children and Young People’s partnership has been asked to provide an outline of how they propose to deploy the funding by 30 April 2007. If the Assembly Government is content with the proposals, an amendment to the 2007-8 Cymorth grant offer will be issued at the “earliest opportunity”. Continuation of this funding in 20089 will depend on the new Assembly Government’s budget deliberations later this year.

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Applicants are asked to bear in mind the National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity Services (NSF): “It is not only disabled children’s impairments which determine their quality of life, but also negative attitudes and

a disabling environment, for example, unequal access to education, communication, employment, leisure activities, housing and health care.”

“Disabled children and young people have equity of access to play and leisure services, including holiday play schemes, after school clubs and pre-school provision, with appropriate support if necessary.”

Visit www.playwales.org.uk news section for a breakdown of potential fund allocation.

Visit our website for our inclusion fact sheet.

Membership – Olympics no Threat the news that the BIG Lottery it’s not too late! Regarding Fund are allocating funds to the London here is still chance to join Play Wales as an associate member (for those living or working in Wales) or international associate member. Benefits include reduced conference and seminar fees, reduced rates for publications, and free or low cost CRB checks for regulated provision. For a full list of benefits please go to the Why sign up? page in the Members’ Area of our website www.playwales.org.uk

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Olympics, Rob Roffe, on behalf of BIG, says: “the recent announcement that resources have been diverted to support the 2012 Olympics infrastructure will not affect the Child's Play Programme in Wales”.

Our Streets Too! New Publication Playday 2007 Takes place on Wednesday 1st August.

Please visit www.playday.org.uk for more information.

New Book on Adventure Playgrounds The ‘Spirit of Adventure Play’ Conference will see the launch of a new Play Wales book by Fraser Brown called ‘The Venture – A Case Study of an Adventure Playground’. It examines the long-lived success of The Venture, an Adventure Playground on one of the most deprived estates in Wales, and is based on conversations with Malcolm King (a founding member and current Manager) and Ben Tawil (one of its recent Playworkers).

The journey begins in 1978 with a few curious kids, a playleader and a fire, and continues to this day.

The book will cost £7.50 and will be available from 11 May 2007. Please ring our North Office (01745 851816) to preorder a copy, or buy online from mid May at www.playwales.org.uk

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Play for Wales Issue 20 SPRING 2007 NEWS

Changes at CSIW New Director for Care and Social Services Inspectorate for Wales ob Pickford has been appointed as director of Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW), which comes into being in April. The appointment follows the integration of the existing Social Services Inspectorate for Wales (SSIW) and the Care Standards Inspectorate for Wales (CSIW) into a new organisation. Mr. Pickford was formerly chief executive of CSIW.

New regulations for assessment of service, review of quality of care, complaints systems and compliance affecting day care provision came into force in January 2007. CSSIW will keep key stakeholders updated. For further information please contact your nearest regional office.

‘Our aim is to support the improvement of the social care and early years sectors in Wales by raising standards, improving the quality of services and promoting best practice through regulation, inspection and development work,’ said Mr. Pickford.

Anyone who runs a summer play scheme for Under 8s needs to register as soon as possible, even if not all the detail has been finalised. CSSIW cannot guarantee that any application submitted after 30 May 2007 will receive the attention it needs to complete the registration process. If the venue is changing, there is still a need to inform the regional inspection team as the scheme will be treated as a new application. For further information please contact the nearest regional office.

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Changes to inspection CSSIW’s extensive programme to change the way in which it inspects registered settings is now well under way. Last year we introduced changes to inspection methods for a number of care settings including childminding and sessional childcare.

From April 2007 we will introduce changes to inspection for out of school care settings.

Summer play schemes

From 2 April, visit www.cssiw.org.uk for more information about CSSIW.

Safeguarding of Vulnerable Groups Bill Introduced The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Bill was introduced into the House of Lords on 28 February. The Bill provides the legislative framework for the introduction of a new vetting and barring scheme for those working with children and/or vulnerable adults. The scheme is the Government’s response to the Bichard Inquiry in 2004. he new vetting and Barring Scheme will be rolled out from Autumn 2008. The introduction of the bill will mean 9.5 million adults will be subject to the new vetting scheme.

This accounts for one third of the adult working population in England and Wales.

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The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Bill will further extend vetting, to include: • Those who have access to information about children, eg, call centre workers, social service administrators, online moderators; • Those who have private arrangements with families, eg, music teachers and babysitters; • Those who may work with children in the future.

The Bill will also make it a criminal offence for employers to employ a non-vetted person to work with children; and for that non-vetted person to take on such a position. Both employer and employee could be subject to a maximum fine of £5000.

The introduction of the bill has provoked a great deal of opposition. Josie Appleton (Co-ordinator of the Manifesto Club and author of ‘The Case Against Vetting’) says “Such child protection procedures do little to protect children from the small number of individuals who would do them harm.

Instead, they damage adult-child relations and undermine the capacity of adults to contribute to children’s welfare”.

You can download a full copy of the Bill at http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200506/ldbills/079/2 006079.htm A series of factsheets are available from http://www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/resources-andpractice/IG00201/ For further information on the Manifesto Club Campaign: The Case Against Vetting: http://www.manifestoclub.com/hubs/vetting

Play for Wales Issue 20 SPRING 2007 NEWS

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Scrap Happy The existing informal links between Welsh resource centres/scrap stores have begun to be strengthened by regular national meetings. s well as forming a support network, the meetings will help to develop a strategic and co-ordinated approach to the provision of resources for play. Representatives of existing and planned scrap stores have met twice so far. NATLL (the National Association of Toy and Leisure Libraries) also has representation on the group.

will be held in Rhayader on Thursday 19 April. Play Wales has offered co-ordinating support, so for further information about the network please contact the national office 029 20486050 or mail@playwales.org.uk. For contact details and further information about your local scrapstore please see the Play Wales website www.playwales.org.uk

The next Federation of Resources meeting

Helen Elton, Director, PlayRight, Swansea

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BIG Child’s Play Seminar Over seventy representatives from voluntary organisations, local authorities and voluntary services councils throughout Wales attended the first BIG Child’s Play Seminar in Llandrindod Wells on 12 February. orkshops covered ‘Establishing a Memorandum of Understanding’ and ‘Planning your Project’ and there was a presentation from Rhondda Cynon Taff outlining their experiences of partnership working between the local authority and voluntary sector.

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Lara Ramsay, Programme Manager for the BIG Child’s Play Programme, commented, “The Big Lottery Fund were encouraged by the way in which stakeholders had embraced the strategic approach being advocated by the programme and were enthused by the willingness of organisations to cooperate on a regional basis”.

Bids for the first round of funding from the Child’s Play Programme must be submitted by 4 May 2007 and seminar delegates are working hard to make the most of this opportunity. Applicants will have to bite their nails until December to find out whether they have been successful.

URGENT! Help with research Do you lend toys or other play resources as part of your work in either voluntary sector or local authority provision for children or families?

NATLL Wales would be very grateful for help with a current research project mapping toy and resource lending in Wales, and needs to hear from you.

Please contact the NATLL Wales office in Brecon – natll.wales@playmatters.co.uk or 01874 622097

Find out more at www.biglotteryfund.org.uk

Website News Service The news service on our website is a useful source of information to all those interested in play in Wales. The news is updated regularly, and features links to relevant websites. Since the launch of the new website last November we have been receiving positive feedback www.playwales.org.uk regarding the news section.

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Play for Wales Issue 20 SPRING 2007 A TRIBUTE TO PETER CLARKE

Peter Clarke, Children’s Commissioner for Wales We were very sad to hear of the death of our friend Peter Clarke, the first of the UK’s Children’s Commissioners, who died on 21 January. We know that many people involved in children and young people’s work in Wales and further afield mourn the loss of a great Welshman. is office say “It will be no surprise to know that, up until the end, his thoughts were of the children and young people of Wales”. Colleagues and politicians describe him as a “pioneer” and an “inspiration”.

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At Play Wales we knew Peter as a dedicated and diligent champion for children and young people. His unassuming, relaxed and friendly style belied a formidable and unswerving determination to protect and uphold the rights of children in our country. His demeanour and integrity is an example to others.

He was someone who never needed to be persuaded about the value of play. In a world where his work often drew him into very challenging and controversial areas, it might have been understandable to side step the play agenda, but he never did. He listened to children and to what was important to them.

We will miss him.

Take the opportunity to add to a Remembrance Board to celebrate Peter at http://www.celebratingpeter.org

Children’s Consultation on Play The Children’s Commissioner’s Office held a consultation event on play in Swansea last November. Our friend Steve (10) from Miskin reports: hen my head teacher asked me and Paul to represent our school at the event organised by the Children’s Commissioner, I felt proud and was really looking forward to it for ages.

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When we were there, a man from the Welsh Assembly was asking us lots of questions about school play and play in lots of other places. I couldn’t believe it when one of the other representatives said they only had twenty minutes play time at lunch time! It made me feel really lucky that we have an hour for lunch. I think that helps us in class because we get fresh air and run around and have fun.

I met Peter Clarke in the morning when we were building Jenga. He told us that he would be giving us a speech about his crew and where they were based, and what they are trying to do to help kids have a better life and education and play time. He shook our hands and

we thought he was really kind. Later on we talked to him in the lunch queue and he asked us what we thought about his speech. I liked that in his speech he understood about kids and the importance of play. He said that sometimes grown ups don’t appreciate children and their play and that needed to be cut out.

I think the event helped us as school councillors to think more about what happens at playtime. The head teacher has kind of given us a chance to choose activities and equipment to buy with our budget. It is important that we are smart and don’t waste our money. We now have den building stuff, and the head teacher has given me and my mate Sam responsibility for the equipment and the space. He has really started to let us control what happens at playtime. We are allowed to build see saws and stuff with old wooden benches and even when we fall its kind of fun, and we make sure it’s

safe because we put mats under and look after one another. The head teacher has helped us and now he just needs to help our dinner ladies understand that it is okay for us to play without them trying to interfere and make it too safe. When it is too safe it is boring and stops being fun.

When I heard that Peter Clarke had died, I felt really sad because he was really kind to me and Paul. He said that kids are the future of not only Wales, but the world. I hope that someone who is a lot like Peter Clarke takes his place because he was a really good Commissioner, and he made me feel really good because he kept saying how important kids are.

Find out more about the results of the consultation at www.childcom.org.uk Since Steve wrote this for us, we have been told that his school governors have banned the use of benches for play.

Play for Wales Issue 20 SPRING 2007 PLAY SPACES

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Play Spaces

Playday 2006 Blaenau Gwent

Playgrounds – Getting it Right Despite public perception that playgrounds are being closed left right and centre, we are very fortunate in witnessing an increase over the last 10 - 15 years, paid for mainly from rising levels of economic development and increased public funding. ut it’s not all good news because the evidence seems to say that children and young people are not using these playgrounds in any greater numbers than they have in the past.

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For example, research carried out for the Department of the Environment in the very early 1970s (published as the design bulletin Children at Play in 1972) found that most playgrounds received an average local usage of about 12%.

In other words, for every 100 children and young people seen outside in a neighbourhood at any one time, only around 12 of them where inside the boundary of a public playground. Some playgrounds received usage rates of just 3 – 6%. A number of more recent research projects (such as Hide and Seek: where children spend their freetime prepared for the University of Leeds in 2002) found average usage rates of public playgrounds were similar, at around 11% to 12%. The highest usage

rates found were rarely above 25%.

These are figures that we need to be cautious about, though. Having one in every four children using a playground at any one time is a high figure and there are other considerations that have to be given to the lower figures – children tend to make more than one visit to a playground in a day (especially at weekends) so the figures can sometimes be misleading. But applying the same kind of measure to playgrounds in other countries can produce an opportunity for comparison. In the Scandinavian countries, for example, the lowest usage figures for public playgrounds typically start at around 22%. In other words, our highest average usage figures are their starting point.

So, what are the golden rules for building a playground that children and young people will enjoy and therefore use? Here’s a few of the very basic guidelines:

Playgrounds with high play value receive greater use Play value is about measuring the variety of experiences a playground provides, not about counting play equipment. A playground that has a well balanced play value score across types of play gets more use than one which does not.

Children’s involvement increases usage Involving children and young people in the design process tends to result in playgrounds with higher play value which results in increased usage. But it’s not as straight forward as it sounds – children and young people can only base their judgements on previous experience. Interpreting what children and young people say during consultation and involvement is not easy either – the evidence shows that we as adults really need to know what >Pg8 we are doing to get this right.

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Play for Wales Issue 20 SPRING 2007 PLAY SPACES Location – a playground in the right place will receive more usage

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Providing the right equipment Seemingly old fashioned, traditional types of play equipment are still popular with users. When children and young people are asked what they like, the list goes like this …

• Swings – always top of the list and the bigger the better • Roundabouts and seesaws – things that move • Slides – the bigger the better again, especially on mounds and hills • Climbing frames – not as high on the list as adults might think • Ball play space and space for wheels (bikes, scooters, skateboards etc)

A playground that reflects the age of local users will receive greater usage Very often older children and teenagers loose out when it comes to providing spaces for play – they too need somewhere to gather with friends. There is no point in providing a playground for young children and not for older ones if there are a sizeable number of them living in the area. Investigating the makeup of the local population is essential.

A playground with access to landscaping and natural features will receive more usage than one that does not Play equipment might be the thing that attracts children to a playground, but it is access to flexible materials and a varied natural environment that will persuade them to stay. It is very noticeable that when children first enter a playground they run straight to a piece of play equipment, often a set of swings. They then change to another piece and eventually try out most of the things there. But once they begin to explore bushes, trees, long grass and water, they stay there and ignore the fixed play features.

A successful playground blends play equipment and natural materials together and so produces a really flexible play place.

The single most important factor in determining whether a playground will be used or not is where it is. A well planned playground with a good play value score in the wrong place will not receive as much use as even a poorly designed playground in the right place.

When children and young people are involved and consulted in playground design the one question they are rarely asked is ‘where do you think it should be?’ Yet this should be the most important question on the list.

Conclusion The trouble with our playgrounds is that children and young people are not using them as often as we might think or as much as we might like, and we tend to put the blame for that on them. But it’s not their fault. It’s the fault of those of us who commission, design, build and maintain the playgrounds without really taking into account what children really want and what they need.

Marc Armitage is an independent consultant and researcher in children’s play and the wider social world of children and young people. Find out more at http://www.playpeople.se

Playground Inspection The RPII is the first European Register for Inspectors involved with children’s play provision and safety.

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he Register is endorsed by the Health & Safety Executive, British Standards Institute and recognised by major insurance companies and the Courts. The Register provides examinations, and certificates those inspectors who have shown the required level of knowledge and competence to carry out inspections of outdoor play areas and inflatable play equipment. It will include examination of those competent in inspection of indoor play and wheeled sports areas in the near future.

While inspection and reporting is not compulsory, play providers have many reasons to ensure they comply with and beyond the standards and guidelines. These include ensuring children’s play areas are safe and minimise the risk of serious injury. They help in maintaining play equipment for its serviceable life to get Best Value from costly investments. So while inspection is a matter of choice, it is in practice, a play provider’s route to Best Practice for safe play, Best Value and their own peace of mind.

The Register is widely available to those who require the services of professionally qualified and competent inspectors.

For more information please visit www.playinspectors.com or telephone 024 7641 4999 Copy supplied by RPII

Play for Wales Issue 20 SPRING 2007 PLAY SPACES

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Can we play for real please?

John Ridgewell tells us about Playspace in Caerphilly he wheels of local Government can sometimes appear to grind awful slow (sic), but that’s not to say things aren’t happening at all, and in defence of Councils, when one is dealing with public money, hasty decisions are probably best avoided.

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Take play, or more to the point, children’s playgrounds. They have been the backbone of most local parks for the last 90 years or more, and, apart from changing colour now and again, they still provide the same play opportunities they did when first introduced; a swing, after all, is still a swing whether its rusty red or acid green and lilac.

However, there is a change taking place, and don’t get me wrong, fixed playgrounds are still hugely valuable play spaces. This year, for really the first time, funding is being made available to take children’s play to another level, and by this I mean the development of play opportunities that provide space for children to choose how they play.

The difference with the new BIG Child’s Play funding (and what excites me) is that it is aimed at the provision of a real alternative to conventional fixed play sites. Organisations are being invited to consider developing Adventure Playgrounds, staffed by trained Playworkers, Community Build Play Areas, which are constructed and maintained by local children, young people and adults, and Mobile Play Provision to cater for children in more isolated communities, along with Play Centres,

New Tredegar 2007 Doorstep Play Projects and Scrap Stores.

In Caerphilly we have already embraced this concept with a highly successful open access adventure play site that began last year at New Tredegar. The Child’s Play programme now offers the opportunity to develop this concept further and we are already working with our partners on the first bid.

As I started by saying, fixed play has been

the back-bone of most parks for years, and the need for this kind of facility is as great now as it’s ever been. But children often need more, and getting this balance right is what we are now addressing. You might think life is just swings and roundabouts but watch this space and you’re likely to find it’s a lot more than that.

(John Ridgewell is the Parks Development Manager for Caerphilly County Borough Council)

A Rich Play Environment rich play environment is one where children and young people are able to make a wide range of choices; where there are many possibilities so that they can invent and extend their own play.

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This could be any space or setting, either outdoors or inside, and may include: local play areas, parks, play centres, staffed adventure playgrounds, out of school care, mobile play provision, playgroups and nurseries, and schools.

It is a varied inspirational and interesting physical environment that maximises the potential for socialising, creativity, resourcefulness and challenge. It is a place where children feel free to play in

their own way, on their own terms.

Quality play provision offers all children and young people the opportunity to freely interact with or experience the following: other children and young people – with a choice to play alone or with others, to negotiate, co-operate, fall out, and resolve conflict;

the natural elements – earth, air, fire and water; challenge and risk taking – both on a physical and emotional level; playing with identity – role play and dressing up; movement – running, jumping, climbing, balancing, rolling; rough and tumble - play fighting;

the natural world – weather, the seasons, bushes, trees, plants, insects, animals, mud, etc;

the senses – sounds, tastes, textures, smells and sights;

loose parts – natural and man made materials that can be manipulated, moved and adapted, built and demolished;

feelings – pain, joy, confidence, fear, anger, contentment, boredom, fascination, happiness, grief, rejection, acceptance, sadness, pride etc.

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Play for Wales Issue 20 SPRING 2007 PLAY SPACES

Mum beats Developers A mother’s campaign to thwart developers and retain parkland in Crystal Palace where her child plays has caused a landmark ruling on environmental impact assessment in the House of Lords. iane Barker fought her local council for seven years to block construction of a cinema complex on the park where her daughter plays ... and she won. Although this took place in London, it has an impact on campaigns against development of land in Wales.

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The decision follows a judgment from the European Court of Justice earlier this year that stated that environmental impact assessments

(EIA) can be required after planning permission has been given – at what is called the reserved matters stage of the process. Diane Barkers’ solicitor said: “Residents faced with large projects can now insist that significant environmental effects be considered at every stage of the planning process. We consider that the result of this judgment is that the ... environment will now be better protected, and irresponsible developers and local planning authorities will no longer be able to dodge their EIA responsibilities.”

Huw Thomas, of the School of City and Regional Planning at Cardiff University, told us: “The Barker case shows that for concerned residents drawing attention to the environmental damage of proposed developments (that might include damage to space used by children for play) is not a ‘one shot’ affair. Envionmental Impact Assessment undertaken at one stage – when the principle of development is being discussed – can be revisited when a more detailed planning application is made. This shows how important it is to keep in touch with what’s happening in relation to development proposals – don’t lose concentration when things go quiet, because the process of gaining planning permission and undertaking development is often one of fits and starts.”

Sources: The Observer 7.1.07, PlanningResource.co.uk

Welcome to a Flintshire playground Richard Roberts is Play Design Officer for Flintshire County Council. We met up with him on a rainy February day at a new children’s play area on the outskirts of Mold.

On the gate was a sign saying “Welcome to your playground.”

“I’ve brought you here because of the space – it’s not the play area so much, it’s what we’ve achieved with the space. I’m really proud of what we’ve managed.”

We are standing in a green open space in the middle of a modern housing estate.

Some of it is grassy, there are copses of trees and a swathe of newly planted bushes. Next to us there is a fenced off play area with a few pieces of traditional equipment that could be used by children of all ages. Richard recognises that the play equipment we see here represents poor play value. He emphasises that it is not meant to cater for all play needs but to send a signal that all of this open area is children’s space. “It says ‘you can play here, this land is for children. This is not just an informal toilet for local dog owners’.” And there is evidence that a pair of trees has already been adopted as goal posts, there is potential

for dens and hiding places in the bushes, there are paths for wheeled play, and it is possible to imagine this becoming a very special place for local children.

Richard explains that the housing estate was developed on farmer’s fields and there was enormous pressure to squeeze more houses onto the land. Even though Flintshire has a robust Local Planning Guidance Note on Open Space Requirements, the developers will use all their wiles to try and negotiate less open space and more houses. It takes strength and commitment to stand up against their financial power, polished presentations and shiny aluminium briefcases, but in this case Richard and his colleagues managed to preserve a big tranche of the developed area for open space and informal community use. He is rightly very proud.

The Greater Good Flintshire’s Guidance note is interesting. It was developed jointly between the Planning Department and Leisure Services, and it starts: “Opportunities for both formal and informal recreation are essential to the health and happiness of people of all ages.” As Richard’s boss Mike Hornby told us in a previous issue of

Play for Wales, in Flintshire play provision is seen as a matter of quality of life.

The Note makes plain the high value that the Council places on land for recreation of all types: “To meet community needs the provision of public open space will be an important consideration within proposals for new residential developments. In addition to aiding the general well-being of the community by providing for sport and recreation, public open space can also contribute to biodiversity, the conservation of nature and landscape, air quality, the protection of ground water, and can enhance the appearance of a locality.”

Even so, when local residents were consulted about the provision of a play area, a small number were averse on the grounds of nuisance that would affect the price of their property. However, there is no evidence of nuisance – this is a huge area and as Richard says it is really a matter of entitlement for local children.

Luckily the local councillor was more concerned with the greater good and objections were over-ruled in the wider interests of the whole community. http://www.flintshire.gov.uk/webcont/newrealw eb.nsf/vwa_files/LPGN13.pdf/$file/LPGN13.pdf

Play for Wales Issue 20 SPRING 2007 PLAY SPACES – AN INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE

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Freiburg’s nature playgrounds Tim Gill, former Director of Children’s Play Council and independent writer and consultant, reports on changing playgrounds in Freiburg lay advocates have long pointed out that children, given the choice, prefer playing out of doors in natural environments. Such spaces are in stark contrast to the sterile, artificial facilities that so often constitute the only public recognition of children’s need for places to play.

The German city of Freiburg shows that there is a way to create unsupervised public play provision that captures the richness, messiness and vitality of nature, yet still meets the practical constraints of budget, management and safety. Since the early 1990s Freiburg’s Parks Department has been installing, not conventional play areas, but naturalistic play spaces – and in doing so has been getting more and better play space for its money.

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The programme was introduced after research by Professor Baldo Blinkert, a sociologist from the city’s university, showed the social and health benefits to children and families of attractive outdoor ‘action space’. I heard Prof Blinkert speak in 2004 when I was working with the Forestry Commission in England to develop its approach to play. This project, called Growing Adventure, had been looking at how the Commission could encourage children to have a richer engagement with woodland environments, with play spaces acting as a springboard. We recognised the relevance of Freiburg’s approach, and organised a study tour to see their ‘nature playgrounds’ in the flesh.

I will never forget the first playground we saw: it looked more like an overgrown bombsite than a children’s play area. While the newer ones we visited were a little less unkempt, all shared the same design template: mounds, ditches, logs, boulders, fallen trees, bushes and wild flowers all coming together to make a rich, playful, natural landscape. Most incorporated hand water pumps to allow children to make wet sand and mud. Few were fenced in or gated.

Instead natural barriers, low walls and thoughtful plantings were used to define the space and signal

boundaries. Typically there were just a few pieces of play equipment, sometimes left in from before a refurbishment. We saw plenty of children enjoying the spaces – and plenty more evidence of their use, in the form of dens, worn-out tracks and discarded toys.

The playgrounds are regularly inspected and meet the same EU safety standards that apply in the UK. Safety surfacing is used very sparingly, with pea gravel, sand or bark preferred: we did not see a single patch of wet pour.

As old-style public play areas wear out or spaces are taken forward in new developments, the parks department works with local children and adults to design and build the new-style spaces.

There are now over 40 across the city, out of a total of around 150. What is more – Council treasurers take note – they typically cost just half as much as a conventional fixed equipment play area of the same size.

Of course, Germany and the UK have different cultures and arguably different attitudes to children in public space.

We certainly saw more children out of doors playing, walking and cycling on their own than in many British cities.

Nonetheless, participants on the study tour agreed that the playgrounds

deserved our attention. Indeed one of those who took part, Sue Gutteridge, has successfully taken forward projects that were strongly influenced by Freiburg’s approach.

Sue, Stirling Council’s play manager, has perhaps gone further than any other local authority officer in rejecting the ‘catalogue shopping’ method of making play space. She has commissioned around ten natural play spaces across the authority, with plans for more. Her message for others wanting to say no to springy chickens and brightly coloured plastic is clear.

“Pay proper attention to – and be prepared to pay for – good design,” she says, “and ensure that children's actual and potential use of space is the main informing force for the design.”

In both England and Scotland, enthusiastic play professionals have taken inspiration from the Southern German city of Freiburg. Is any local authority in Wales bold enough to follow their lead and give nature playgrounds a try? I have heard that some are making the first steps.

Find out more about Tim and his work at www.rethinkingchildhood.com Find out more about the Forestry Commission approach at www.forestry.gov.uk/england-play

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Play for Wales Issue 20 SPRING 2007 PLAY SPACES – AN INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE

In June 2006 Michael Follett took part in an international study tour of play spaces in Berlin. We asked him to tell us about it:

ooking at a playground without children is like looking at a stage without actors, you have no idea how good the play will be. The set may be colourful and lavish, or plain and minimal, the quality is only revealed when the play starts.

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Standing in an empty playground in a Berlin primary school on a clear June morning I wondered why I had used up my carbon allowance for the year to come here. To be honest it didn't look that special; a few logs, some bumps, some bushes ... until the bell rang. Children streamed from the building, dispersing into every corner of the school grounds.

One group of boys headed straight for a small rocky hill. Here they pumped water into a sculpted stream bed. Carrying sand in their shirt-fronts they made a dam, then broke it down and let the water flow into an enormous sand pit. A group of younger children disappeared among the bushes and trees. Peering after them I saw a huddle of figures, sharing whispered conversation, sitting on a collection of logs

Berlin in a den-like space beneath the boughs.

In another area many of the older girls sat on a long S-shaped wall, chatting and watching, or ignoring, two boys as they scaled a huge carved standing stone.

Throughout the school grounds children perched on rocks, walls, benches and logs, they climbed on two huge climbing frames, around the rock sculpture, over the logs, while others played games of table tennis, football, chess and catch.

The transformation was magical. There was more at work in this playground than simply children reacting to a landscape.

These were children who knew they were meant to be playing. Their clothing, the attitude of the adults around, the freedom and opportunities expressed in the design, all combined to let them play.

After the children went back indoors we were introduced to the head teacher and the caretaker. Like the producer and director of a play, they shared the crucial chemistry of vision and practical skills needed to transform a blank space into a thriving creative playground. Play in this

school was highly valued – children and adults knew that. Problems were not removed – they were overcome. Risks and challenges were promoted not eliminated.

I was keen to put forward my all-important question, about the single greatest obstacle to children's play in the UK. The caretaker looked puzzled, 'Cats?' 'Yes don't they go in the sand?' 'I guess, a bit.

It's not a problem.' 'It's just such a big sand pit, you don't get loads of cats

Play for Wales Issue 20 SPRING 2007 PLAY SPACES – AN INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE coming to use it?' 'I'm not sure what you mean. We get the occasional cat, but they have no way of communicating with each other about the sand pit, so we don't get loads of them. Cats in Germany do not use mobile phones or even talk you know. If the occasional one does its business in the sand, the children know to tell me or a staff member and we get rid of it. It is a case of the benefit far out weighing the risk. What do you do in the UK about the cats business?'

'We get rid of the sand.'

At the Quentin Blake European School I saw another exciting play landscape and a startling example of the different approach to risk. The most popular feature was a large pathway which snaked its way around the whole grounds. This had twists and turns and humps and bumps built into it. The school had bought twenty scooters and three unicycles. Groups of children tore around and around the circuit on the scooters. One of the scooter riders, a boy of about seven stopped next to me: 'Do you want to see the brains?'

'Um, yes OK.' He led me to a small red sticky patch on the path.

'There' he pointed proudly. 'Those are Anna's, she fell off her unicycle yesterday.'

I thanked the boy, in the correct manner that you should do when someone shows you such impressive evidence and headed across the grass to see the Head teacher.

'Um,' I said trying to look at the head teacher, and trying not to picture Anna or her brains.

'Um, do you have many accidents?’

She said that until yesterday there had been nothing serious, but a girl had fallen off the unicycle and cracked her skull, she was now recovering well in hospital. I asked the Head if she would remove the unicycles, and she looked genuinely surprised.

'No, of course not,' she replied. 'We knew there was some risk when the got them, the accident confirmed that, and the children were aware of the risks, it does not mean that we will take them away.'

I thought of the very different reaction such an accident might provoke in Britain where the pressure is to remove the feature or activity that posed a risk. At what point you decide the risk is unacceptable is obviously a matter of culture. However, logically, if you keep removing each element of risk with each accident, you are left with a green desert of flat grass (summer play only) a grey desert of tarmac (no running) and for the most adventurous a 'low level adventure trail' with a maximum fall height of 60cm onto a safety surface, which is generally what we have.

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that recreated the experiences of the country. The last obvious signs of the Cold War are now confined to museums. But maybe the nurseries, primary schools, and public parks I visited, carry a legacy for the children of Berlin. Sand and water are regarded as the staple ingredients of play and are found in every kind of play area, almost without exception. Where play equipment is used, it is often attractive and adds to the kind of exciting play experiences which might be hard to otherwise replicate in an artificial environment. These include large slides, high climbing frames or swings. The almost exclusive use of sand and gravel as safer surfacing allows a much more natural blending between natural and man made play features. The blurring of the boundary between landscaping or art, street furniture or play features, pathway or play route gives the message that play is meant to take place everywhere.

The real legacy is that children's play really matters. If a wall is built around childhood, and children cannot reach the places where they need to play, then we must strive to recreate those opportunities and challenges in the places where childhood takes place.

The schools that we visited had all been supported by an organisation called Gruen Macht Schule (Make Schools Green). The organisation started out over twenty years ago with an environmental emphasis. I got the impression that they had become increasingly drawn into creating playful landscapes, because that is what children most needed and responded to best. It was apparent from their work that the collaboration between environmentalists, landscape designers, artists, playworkers, teachers and children had led to a much more profound understanding of how a landscape could be beautiful, unique and highly functional in providing for children's needs.

During my stay I was surprised to learn that the Cold War had played an unexpected role in helping the city of Berlin meet the play needs of its children. During this period, travel outside of the city was almost impossible. One solution was to bring as much greenery into the city as possible. Berliners wanted to give their children every chance to play in places

In the UK we may not have a grey concrete wall with machine gun towers separating children from the important places of childhood, but the other barriers – traffic, poor access and poor design – are just as effective. I think we are now at the stage the Berliners were in 1961 when the wall went up – we are realising that our children have needs which are not being met. I hope that as directors and producers of our children's futures, we will neither ignore their needs nor concentrate on building the most lavish or impressive sets, but focus on creating the conditions which create the best quality of play.

Gruen Macht Schule (Make Schools Green) www.gruen-machtschule.de/Frode Svane Barnas Landskap http://home.c2i.net/swan/ Michael Follett spent much of his childhood in training for a career in play.

As an adult he started out driving a play bus in North Yorkshire. In 2001 he established the first Play Ranger scheme in Bath to try to overcome the obstacles that prevent children accessing good play opportunities in public open spaces. Both the name and model of working are becoming increasingly popular. Since 2005 he has worked as Play Development Adviser for South Gloucestershire Council.

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Play for Wales Issue 20 SPRING 2007 WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Our Playwork Training Project Gets a Name!

Any parent will tell you how difficult it is to agree a name for a new baby. n my own case we went through everything from Aled to Llewelyn, Montmorency and Zorro, and still ended up with a compromise – and there were only two of us.

Most of us look for something practical yet poetic, characterful yet not too outrageous – something a child will be able to live with for a long time to come.

Imagine how long it took the Play Wales team to agree on a name for the new playwork training ... and then double it.

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We went through all kinds of creative ideas and titles and ended up with ... Playwork: Principles into Practice. It is not the most exciting of titles, but as they say in the adverts “It does what it says on the tin,” and since it is a bit of a mouthful it will be known affectionately as P3. No doubt like anyone we know, eventually we will disregard the title and it will simply become a symbol for the excellent training it represents.

If you would like to know more about P3 please contact Richard Trew at our national office (029 2048 6050 or richard@playwales.org.uk)

Playing Out and About in Wales he Welsh experience of running Mud and Sparks training – (supporting playworkers to facilitate children playing with the earth, water, fire and air) has contributed to a new project:

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Playwork Partnerships have recently launched Playing Out and About. This project has been made possible through Childcare Wales Learning and Working Mutually (CWLWM) and ESF funding.

It has two key strands inspired by feedback from playworkers and environmental practitioners about what would give them more confidence working with children in the outdoors. It will involve developing and piloting two new courses: one aimed at play rangers called Playing Out on the Range, and the second examining environmental playwork in depth, called Playing Out with the Elements.

Play Wales supported Play Officers Wales, a Play Development Support Network to deliver several experiential learning days for playworkers. Mud and Sparks events have since been organised in many areas to promote the importance of providing children with the opportunity to play with the elements. Mindful that this sort of event was currently not covered in playwork training and would fill a big gap in terms of Continuing Professional Development, the Mud and Sparks Planning Group were keen that the concept was developed into an endorsed package.

In April Playwork Partnerships and Play Wales will be piloting Playing Out with Elements with a small number of tutors in Wales. This will be an opportunity to discuss, evaluate and refine the course before being available for playworkers, hopefully by the end of the year.

Playwork Partnerships aim to have the Training The Trainer package endorsed in Autumn 2007. Following endorsement, the Playing Out in the Elements Training the Trainer course will be a residential event to support the delivery of the 18 hour course.

As part of the research for the Playing Out on the Range course, Dan Rees-Jones is currently conducting a tour of play ranger type projects in Wales. We have asked him to keep a diary, which we look forward to publishing in our next issue.

For more information please visit www.playwork.co.uk

Play for Wales Issue 20 SPRING 2007 WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

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Interview with a Playwork Trainer This course does cause more of a polarisation of feelings between participants i.e. between those who see it as a turning point in their understanding or valuing of play and Playwork, and those who really do not want to get that involved. The course works as an attitude challenging process. I believe this is its greatest strength.

We asked Phil Burton, a P3 trainer, some questions about the new course: You are an experienced playworker and trainer, how does the Playwork Principles into Practice (P3) course differ from the training you have delivered before?

How does a visual resource like the accompanying film add value to the training?

The participants laughed and were obviously emotionally involved, and the subsequent discussion was rich and varied. It is a teaching aid with a great deal of potential.

The P3 course differs in tone and impact from previous courses.

Traditionally the basic summer play training courses have started from an assumption that even if the trainers were highly committed to playwork and its developing principles, the workers were on the whole ‘only passing through’ and wanted a course to be as much a toolbox for quick fix and survival, rather than a thought provoking start on a career in playwork. To that end, a lot of the traditional course was easy to transfer to the playworker as activity organiser, the playworker as a provider of diversionary activities and ‘fun’ leisure opportunities, rather than the playworker as advocate for children’s rights informed by a series of principles.

Although playwork courses I have delivered have over the years become more grounded in play theory (particularly since the publication of the First Claim) the key concepts that have not been covered in depth include the playwork principles, the play curriculum, the theory of loose parts and the concentration on reflective practice.

These are all better examined in P3 and although for some participants the response was “Why do we need all this theory?” the reality for tutors is a course of greater cohesion and coherence.

How do you think this course, and the film, will encourage men into the playwork profession?

At this stage I think it is difficult to judge if this course will convince more men to become playworkers, but it does suggest that Playwork is a concept that should be valued, and that the Playworker’s job requires integrity, intelligence, sensitivity and dynamism.

P3 has a range of delivery methods which keep it lively, surprising and engaging for the majority of participants. As many of these methods were developed by the same people who have worked on previous play training, it is not surprising that there is an emphasis on avoiding too much lecturing and note taking.

In my opinion in P3 the balance between appealing to different learning styles, delivery methods and practical experiences is very reasonable. The other liberating aspect of P3 is that the course was developed with a flexible range of activities that a tutor can dip into and use to liven up or concentrate the focus of the group. There is encouragement to deliver the course in a ‘hands on’ way outdoors.

As a P3 trainer, what are the challenges for the future?

The future challenge is to take the value system of the playworker and make it something for teachers, youth workers and child care professionals to understand.

Phil is part of Dynamix, a training company based in South Wales (01792 466 231 or visit www.seriousfun.demon.co.uk)

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Play for Wales Issue 20 SPRING 2007 FUNDING AND EVENTS

Events

Funding

9 – 10 May 2007

• UK villages Community Kitty This fund provides grants of between £50 - £500 to a range of community based projects such as a playgroup needing toys, and sports equipment for clubs. For more details visit www.ukvillages.co.uk/articles.nsf/content/ukvkitty

The Spirit of Adventure Play Holiday Inn, Cardiff For more information go to: www.playwales.org.uk phone 029 2048 6050 or email events@playwales.org.uk

17 – 20 May 2007 CYWU National Conference

• Young People's Fund: Make it Happen (Wales): Closing date: No date set Grant range: from £500 to £5,000 Description: Make it Happen will give out £1million in Wales over the next 3 years for projects, activities and equipment that will make a difference to young people aged 10 – 19

Edinburgh Best Western Capital Hotel More details at www.cywu.org.uk

18 May 2007 National Playbus Association Conference Contact Juliet on 0117 916 6580, julietw@playbus.org.uk or go to www.playbus.org.uk

14 June 2007 International Play Safety Conference For more information see www.rospa.com/play

8 – 11 January 2008 Play in a Changing World -17th International Play Association Conference 8 – 11 January 2008 Hong Kong www.ipaworld.org

Apologies to North Wales Play Association for leaving their event out of our last events listing. For a more comprehensive and up to date listing of events please visit the Events section at www.playwales.org.uk

Events and Jobs Reminder On our website we advertise events and jobs that are relevant to play providers and play workers in Wales.

In order to keep this an up to date and comprehensive service we ask you to send your events and jobs advertisements to us. If you would like to advertise an event or job, free of charge, please let us know by emailing angharad@playwales.org.uk . To advertise a post please ensure that you include the following details: job title, job description/requirements, contact details, salary and the closing date.

Poster Play Out in Wales Poster The new Play Wales poster by Les Evans, is now available. One copy of the poster will be sent, free of charge, to all Play Wales members. At a charge of £5 (including posting and packaging) the poster is available to buy through our website: www.playwales.org.uk