PlayToday issue 70 - Play England

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Promoting excellent free play opportunities for all children and young people Engaging communities: new government contract for Play England As PlayToday goes to press, Play England is finalising the details of a government contract to deliver Engaging Communities in Play, a new programme aimed at supporting communities to manage and sustain local play provision. The programme will focus on communities near to new play provision, in particular either the new adventure playgrounds built by play pathfinder local authorities or those around adventure playgrounds that secured small grants from Play England last year. In addition, there will be a stronger online presence and networks to share good practice across England in developing and sustaining local play provision, and help for those needing additional advice. The programme has been designed to use Play England’s strengths in advising and supporting communities, building networks, offering advice and guidance, running workshops and events, encouraging the participation of children and young people, and offering Play Shaper training. Work has already started on this new programme with six Play Shaper training sessions taking place in July, including two piloting the new Placemaking and Play content, which targets planners and transport staff. Three Community Play Enablers are also working with voluntary sector organisations in Wakefield, Leicester and Haringey. Play England will continue to work with its current partners KIDS, SkillsActive and Playwork Partnerships, and will seek to strenghten relationships with contacts already established through its work to date. Play England is particularly happy that the Department for Education has approved the ongoing use of the Play Shaper brand, and Play England will be offering these successful training programmes to local authorities from September onwards. ❰ For more details please go to: www.playengland.org.uk, www.playshaper.org.uk and www.playfulcommunities.org.uk ❱ 10 Play England proposes reorganisation In June, Play England announced a proposed reorganisation in the light of the imminent reduction in the value of its contracts with the Department for Education for 2010-11, the removal of ‘ring-fenced’ funding for local play provision and the changing policy context for the play agenda under the coalition government. Play England has launched a staff consultation on a proposed new, reduced structure. Regional offices would close under the proposals, but a range of new jobs will have a regional and local focus as Play England seeks to build upon the experience and networks created over the last four years. Play England will continue to run a variety of events and training programmes through the year and is, in particular, looking forward to Playday, which takes place on Wednesday, 4 August. The staff consultation concludes in early August. Neighbourhood police briefing Play England has published a new briefing looking at the role of the police in ensuring that children and young people playing in their local area feel safe and that their families are confident they will be safe. Supporting children to play safely outlines how local community police and play providers can work together to improve the safety of children and young people at play; support local and national policies and targets to ensure the well-being of children; improve community cohesion and reduce youth crime and anti-social behaviour; and improve the confidence of communities in the local policing. The briefing outlines why play and informal recreation is important and includes practical advice, guidance and case studies. ❰ To download a free copy, please visit www.playengland.org.uk/resources ❱
Manifesto aims to keep play on the political agenda Three months on from its launch, the Play England Manifesto for children’s play continues to gain support. The manifesto sets out three simple principles that Play England wants all politicians to adopt as part of their policies for children and young people. The overall aim is to ensure that today’s children have the same freedom and space to play enjoyed by previous generations. The principles are: 1. To make all residential neighbourhoods child-friendly places where children can play outside. 2. To give all children the time and opportunity to play throughout childhood. 3. To give all children somewhere to play – in freedom and safety – after school and in the holidays. Children get just one hour of play a day Figures released in June by The British Toy and Hobby Association (BTHA) and Play England show that parents feel their children don’t have enough playtime with the average child playing for just over one hour (70 minutes) each day. The survey found that a quarter of parents feel they had a lot more time to play when they were a child compared to their children. Half of parents feel that their children are under more pressure today than ever before and that school, homework and extra lessons are preventing them from playing. One in ten said they feel their children have increasingly structured days and one in five don’t think their children have enough free time to just be children. As the new government decides its policies for the future, now is an important time to get involved. There are many ways to show your support for the manifesto, including: • Sign-up as an individual or organisation to support the manifesto at the Play England website. • Contact your local MP and councillors, explaining how better places to play are not just good news for children, but benefit parents and the wider community too. • Spread the word to your friends and colleagues by using our online email campaign. ❰ To sign-up and more ideas about you can get involved, visit: www.playengland.org.uk manifesto ❱ Almost a third of parents (27%) feel like time playing with their children is becoming limited due to work pressures such as overtime and a bid to impress employers and over a third (39%) would like to have flexible working time so they can spend more time encouraging their kids to play. The research found that one in four parents find it difficult to think up different ways to support their children to play and a third (32%) would like a resource to be available that gives them ideas to encourage more play. The BTHA has therefore partnered with Play England to ask parents to ‘Make A Pledge’ to allocate more of their children’s time each day to spend playing. ❰ Parents can make their pledge via Facebook at: www.facebook. com/maketimetoplay and will be able to receive help and ideas of what to do with the time they pledge. ❱ Policy brief Academies Bill The Academies Bill was introduced to Parliament in the House of Lords on 26 May and had its second reading on 7 June. The bill is intended to allow more secondary schools to achieve academy status and expand the academy programme to include primary and special schools for the first time. Academy status gives schools more freedom over curriculum, admissions and pay whilst giving less accountability to local authorities. Land and facilities pass into ownership of the academy. http://services.parliament.uk/ bills/2010-11/academieshl.html Consultation on the National Lottery shares The Department for Culture, Media and Sport are consulting on plans to rebalance the share of National Lottery expenditure from 54 per cent going to arts, sport and heritage in comparison to 46 per cent to charitable causes, health, education and the environment, to a ration of 60/40 per cent instead. Closing date for responses is 21 August 2010. www.dcms.gov.uk/ consultations/7070.aspx Review of the Office of the Children’s Commissioner The Secretary of State for Education, has announced an independent review of the Office of the Children’s Commissioner for England. It will be led by John Dunford, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, and will look at the powers, remit and functions of the commissioner, how this role relates to other functions supported by the government, and value for money. The review has issued a call for evidence, with a deadline of 4 October for submissions, and a full report expected by the end of November. http://preview.tinyurl.com/37do45q 11
Page 1 and 2: Issue 70 Summer 2010 News Coalition
Page 3 and 4: Contents News 4 Coalition task forc
Page 5 and 6: New government signals era of chang
Page 7 and 8: Survey finds parents fear child abd
Page 9: Playday 2010: Our place Better plac
Page 13 and 14: East Midlands: Consulting with chil
Page 15 and 16: shifting power away from Whitehall,
Page 17 and 18: Case study: HMP and YOI Low Newton
Page 19 and 20: cross-generational leisure, sport a
Page 21 and 22: Child-friendly communities Keeping
Page 23 and 24: Play in schools School recess and g

PlayToday issue 70 - Play England

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