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4.6
We will focus on risk and the benefits of play through:
a. increasing parents’ knowledge and understanding of the risks and benefits of play;
b. taking action to address negative perceptions of children and young people; and
c. investigating whether excessive health and safety fears can cause local authorities to
buy unstimulating and unpopular play equipment.
Tackling bullying
4.7 In developing the Staying Safe strategy, we identified a need for focused work to tackle bullying
taking place outside school settings, including on the streets and in community areas. In
response to this, we committed in the Staying Safe Action Plan to launch new guidance and
training for tackling bullying which takes place outside schools. We will work with partners
(such as the Anti-Bullying Alliance) to develop this guidance and training, starting this work in
April 2008.
4.8
Community support officers increasingly have a role in ensuring the safety and cohesion of local
communities and in tackling bullying which occurs in the community. We continue to support
the work of the police and local authorities to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour, particularly
work with transport operators to improve the safety of public transport.
Improving safety from crime on the streets
“There is a park not far from us…it is quite rough. People do drugs down there, play loud music and
lob things at you if you get too close. I would never go there as I would feel too intimidated.”
(Boy, 12 24 )
4.9 Government’s proposals to help children stay safe on the streets were set out fully in the Staying
Safe Action Plan:
• l implement actions from the Review of Policing by Sir Ronnie Flanagan, the final report of
which was published in February 2008. In both the interim and final reports, the review
focused heavily on the need for an effective ‘neighbourhood management approach’ to
partnership working between neighbourhood policing teams and their partners. This
approach will make identification and resolution of local problems more effective;
•l continue the development of a preventative strategy as part of the forthcoming plan to
tackle youth crime. This will recognise young people’s concerns about their personal safety,
taking forward work to tackle offending by young people and also to support young victims
of crime. This will be published in summer 2008;
•l continue to support the work of the police, local authorities, and transport operators to
tackle crime and anti-social behaviour on public transport;
24 Plain English Research on Play, Sherbert Research for DCSF and COI, 2008
34 Fair Play: A consultation on the play strategy