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Bath & North East Somerset

Play Strategy 2006 - Appendices 2 and 3

Appendix 2:  Play Policy Review 2005 – Summary of Recommendation

The recommendations made in order to help achieve the overall strategic principle are set out below.  These recommendations are repeated within the body of the report so they can be seen in context. 

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee is asked to agree that:

  1. It confirms its view of play as a fundamental right of every child and that all relevant Council departments proactively consider play when planning services for children.
  2. The Council adopts the ‘Risk and Safety: Managing risk in play provision: a position statement’ as an addition to the Play Policy (see Appendix 3).
  3. That the Strategic Officer for Play is consulted when any developments in the Council are considered to ensure that developers contribute to the infrastructure of play.  (This to be in addition to the consultation already undertaken with the Schools Organisational Capital Team in Education).
  4. Planning policy to take greater account of play policy, the Local Plan’s Key Objectives and the reference to the importance of play within the Local Plan.  That the Authority exercise greater control over the use of planning gain funds, in order to more fully meet the play policy criteria in the provision of open public and play space.
  5. A fifth priority is added to the Play Grants Criteria that states that the grants are intended predominantly for the benefit of 5-14 years olds play, unless a strong case can be made otherwise and that a separate small Under 5’s grant is set up to support ‘drop-in’ type facilities for parents and children, where no other grant funding (such as Sure Start or Children’s Centre funding) is available.
  6. That the Council initiates an audit on the provision of play against indicators of need for supervised play and decides on the level of priority is gives to more holiday play-schemes in areas of needs.
  7. It is proposed that the Council agrees on the cross service nature of Play Ranger work; the level of financial support and areas for priority funding.
  8. It is proposed that when significant plans are being developed and reviewed, that will affect children’s play, such as the Children and Young People’s Plan, the Local Development Framework and the Local Transport Plan that a process of children’s play and leisure impact assessment is made and children’s needs are specified in all such plans.  It is proposed that the assessment processes should include dialog with children and parents.
  9. It is proposed that there should be the Play Policy Implementation Group:  comprised of an internal cross-departmental, senior group to push forward and oversee implementation of the play policy and strategy.  This is to comprise senior representatives of key departments that have, or should have, an impact on play.

(Review of Bath and North East Somerset Play Policy produced by PLAYLINK in 2005)

Appendix 3 – Table 1:  How Play Provision in Bath and North East Somerset meets the outcomes outlined in Every Child Matters

Table compiled in September 2006 by the Strategic Development Officer for Play from monitoring 2005/2006

Every Child Matters outcomes

Examples of existing play provision in Bath and North East Somerset

Examples of how recent local work achieves ECM outcomes

 

Be Healthy

Mentally and emotionally healthy

 

Play naturally includes physical activities – playing tag, playing freely outside, tree climbing, running games

.

Emotional health is developed as children can succeed as well as being challenged through play.   It is also nurtured through a sense of belonging and building positive relationships.

Over a period of four weeks in  August 2006 there were 2753 attendances at free open access holiday playshemes across B&NES.  A choice of activities were available.  A range of sports activities were available to children from 5-16 years old due to  new joint work between Sports and Active Leisure and the play sector.

 

In 2005/6 CPR*s enabled over 400 children who were previously afraid to play out in their local community.  Children participated in lot of acitivities including 25 different sports, campfire cooking, healthy eating and road safety  with CPRs.

Stay Safe

Safe from Bullying and anti-social behaviour 

Quality play provision recognises the need for children and young people to be challenged and to take acceptable risks in order to develop skills but to free from unnecessary hazards.

In 2005/6 CPRs ensured that there were 17,000 play attendances in public open spaces that were free from bullying, racism and discrimination. 

In August 2006 105 young people over aged 12-16 attended a new play project going out and about trying out a range of activities., 30% of these young people attend special schools.

Enjoy and Achieve

Play enables children to mix with friends away from family and build important relationships in their local community.    Enjoying play alongside peers nurtures social responsibility and self-confidence.

Mobile holiday playschemes in B&NES reached 750 children in August 2006.  This facility gives children living in rural areas opportunities to develop social skills and play alongside others where there is no regular venue locally to meet. It is also a meeting point for parents and carers.

Make a Positive Contribution

Play supports children and young people to develop positive relationships both with other children and those outside their usual peer group.    Quality play provision is developed in response to children’s views.

All service level agreements for holiday playschemes require play projects to consult with children about what activities they would like to have on playscheme.  The advent of the new SOFA project for 12-16 year olds was as a direct result of the feedback children and young people had given in 2005.

CPRsoperate on a model of full participation.  From 2004-2005 one team of CPRs enabled children to  campaign for a BMX track in their local park to be built according to their own design. 

In April 2006 children devised and carried out interviews for  the new Strategic Development Officer for Play.

Achieve Economic Well-being

Regular play provision gives a clear message to children and families that their community values them and supports them to feel positive about themselves and places where they play and live.

 

In 2006 CPRs planted trees in community gardens in open spaces.   In 2004 CPRs acquired a community flat for children to use in poor weather in their local housing estate. 

In August 2006 the play sector in B&NES employed 96 part-time staff and 35 volunteers to work on holiday playschemes.



 

*CPR – Community Play Ranger