Bath & North East Somerset Council - Children's Play 0

Children's Play 0 - 19 years

Council Play Services

Bath and North East Somerset Council is committed to ensuring that all children have access to high quality play opportunities. Just as young children in the early years need to play so too do school aged children.

THE PLAY TEAM

Alice McColl,Strategic Development Officer for Play

Alice manages the Play Team and works to make sure that the work in the Council Play Strategy is carried out effectively. She oversees funding contracts with voluntary sector play providers who deliver community play services and play rangers. Alice also works to manage contracts that are specifically for disabled children from 5-19 years old. Email Alice: alice_mccoll@bathnes.gov.uk or call: 01225 395137

Julie Brown, Playwork Administrator

Julie manages the Play Team office base at The Hollies in Midsomer Norton. She organises the bookings for events and also oversees the bookings for activities at Somer Valley Adventure Play Park including skateboarding and scootering sessions which run in half terms and school holidays. She also updates information on our part of the website and any publicity with the local papers or through schools. Email Julie: julie_brown@bathnes.gov.uk or call: 01226 396240

Karen Fleming, Play and Childcare, Training and Development Officer

Karen works to make sure that the quality of play provision and childcare is of a high standard. She supports settings with Ofsted registration and requirements, delivers training and develops new projects to make sure that as many children as possible enjoy great play services in the area. She also organises the Play Network meetings which enable play workers to attend training sessions. They meet 8 times a year. Link to training area and Play Network: Training.aspx Email Karen: karen_fleming@bathnes.gov.uk or call: 01225 394300

Jeremy Dymond, Play and Parks Officer

Jeremy works to make sure that children and young people and families enjoy using high quality parks and play areas in Bath and North East Somerset. He helps local people to develop parks friends groups to support play ideas for children in their area. Also carries out risk/benefit assessments to make sure that children have a chance to take reasonable risks and learn through play outdoors. Email Jeremy: jeremy_dymond@bathnes.gov.uk or call: 01225 396882

To be re-directed to the Parks and Open Spaces section of the website, please click on this link. Parks and Open Spaces link. Here you can find a list of all the parks and open spaces within Bath & North East Somerset.

Chris Revill, Project Development Worker

Chris is a Project Officer on secondment from the Sport and Active Leisure Team. His main role in the Play Team is as a Development Worker focusing on generating activities and participation at the new Somer Valley Adventure Play & Skate Park in Midsomer Norton. He has also supported the Play Teams work to develop bike tracks and skateparks for children and young people in Bath and North East Somerset. He has worked on a variety of cycling initiatives in the area. And is now managing the Wheels for All project that will offer fully inclusive wheeled activities for children and young people in the area. Email Chris: chris_revill@bathnes.gov.uk or call: 01225 396240

Play Policy

The Council have adopted a Play Policy which highlights the essential role that play has in children’s healthy development. Play helps children to develop physically through activities outdoors and indoors, socially through spending time with friends and expressing their own views and emotionally by learning to manage and express feelings. In order to enjoy play children must feel safe. In some cases professional playworkers who are trained to offer play activities and encourage children to have their own ideas are essential to this. In other situations environments can be designed to be inviting to children and young people and no staff are required.

The Play Team work to make sure that a range of different activities and projects that support play are available across the area and managed to a high standard. These include working on:

Safe and exciting play spaces in parks in the area
After school clubs and holiday playschemes managed by professional staff
Funding for play opportunities where possible
Projects to make sure children who are socially isolated access play
Community Play Rangers working in parks to make sure children feel safe and their parents feel able to let them out to play
Training for childcare and playworkers
Support for Parish Councils and community groups who want to develop play areas and/or activities