A New Play Strategy For Wrexham - working in partnership to uphold children’s right to play

A New Play Strategy For Wrexham - working in partnership to uphold children’s right to play Mike Barclay – WCBC Play Development Coordinator

Its all about Values! Professional and personal values How we value children How we value childhood How we value PLAY If we value children we must also value play!

The Issue – what is play? Freely Chosen Personally Directed Intrinsically Motivated Spontaneous, illogical and without purpose What children do when left to their own devices Children have a right to play

The Facts - benefits to children? Critical to brain development Physical development and fitness Emotion regulation and social skills New experiences and experiments Resilience and coping skills Therapy and stress release Fun, friendship and happiness

“play is so critically important to all children in the development of their physical, social, mental, emotional and creative skills that society should seek every opportunity to support it and create an environment that fosters it” WAG Play Policy 2002

The Facts – benefits to wider society Happier children who feel valued Communities which feel safer Communities which look healthier Greater community cohesion Supports children to become competent adults

“The right to play is a child’s first claim on the community. Play is nature’s training for life. No community can infringe that right without doing deep and enduring harm to the minds and bodies of its citizens” David Lloyd George (1925)

The Problem – Play Deprivation Children deprived of essential experiences Children have less freedom to play Children have less time to play Children have less space to play Children play outside less often

The Causes of Play Deprivation Huge increases in traffic on our roads Re-development of playable space Increase anxieties about children’s safety The fear of litigation Result: reduced value placed on play Result: less tolerance for children’s play

The aim “to increase the number of children and young people having regular access to a wide range of play opportunities within their own community” Wrexham Play Strategy 2009 to 2013 Or… more children playing more often

The Solution Shorter term: Compensate children for experiences lost Longer term: Change the way society values play New Play Strategy addresses both of these

Spaces which offer greater play value 3.2: Staffed provision 4.1: Playwork qualifications Managed Risks :5.1 4.2: Playwork CPD 4.3 Playwork approach Participation :1.2 Inclusion :1.3 Ensure quality :1.4 2.2: School playgrounds Financial resources :1.5 Infrastructure for play :1.1 2.1: Play & Education Plan for impacts :6.1 2.3: Access school grounds CYP Strategic Planning :6.2 3.3: Protect playable space Raise profile of play :3.1 3.3: Improved access Parental concerns :5.2 3.4 Reclaim streets Communities placing a greater value on play Quality design understanding Compensatory Play Provision MORE PLAY space time More freedom to play independence tolerance

Conclusion Where can you have an impact? How can play support aspects of your work? We are facing some big challenges We will have to make some big changes A partnership approach will be needed We can make a real and lasting difference

A New Play Strategy For Wrexham - working in partnership to uphold children’s right to play