Play for Wales issue 10

The National Play Review chaired byFrank Dobson MP and led by Tim

Gill (Director of the Children’s PlayCouncil, the national organisation forchildren’s play in England) ended inMarch. The Review was undertakento inform the allocation of £200 millionmade available (probably from 2005)through the New Opportunities Fund to create and improve playopportunities for children and youngpeople (0-16 years) across the UK.

According to London Play News (Summer2003) an interim report (prior toconsideration of the final consultation andsubject to ministerial approval) showed thatmost of the people in England who took partprioritised the funding of staffed playprovision. There was also a strong emphasison setting up strategic approaches and localplanning of long-term funding for play.

However, this does not necessarily mean thatthis is where the funding will be spent. Thefinal report is still being tweaked and althoughit was supposed to land on doormats in thelate spring, our sources suggest thatHalloween time will be a better bet.

In the meantime we are still waiting for theWelsh Assembly Government’s response tothe review findings in our own country, andinformation on the allocation of the NOFgrant in Wales.

Go to www.playwales.org.uk/factsheetsfor a definition of open access staffedplay provision as written by Play Walesand adopted by the Welsh AssemblyGovernment.

PPllaayy ffoorr WWaalleessI s s u e 1 0 S u m m e r 2 0 0 3

From a Visionto a Reality?From a Visionto a Reality?

DON’T HOLD YOUR BREATH...DON’T HOLD YOUR BREATH...PLAY NEWS & BRIEFING FROM THE NATIONAL ORGANISATION FOR PLAY

At a recent meeting between Jane HuttAM and Play Wales, the Minister for

Children announced the first meeting ofthe Play Policy Implementation Group,which will take place in September 2003.As yet we do not know who will be invitedto take part, but we do know that thegroup will be expected to complete itswork in producing recommendations byApril 2004.

As a parent, a playworker, a teacher oranyone working with children, we owe it tothem to read and digest these books. Evenfor the most seasoned and experiencedamong us, developing and producing TheFirst Claim has made a huge difference toour understanding of children’s behaviour. Ithas encouraged us to question how werelate to children, and the play opportunitieswe provide for them. Ultimately we hope itwill be part of their growing to be healthierand happier human beings.

The First Claim is beginning to changethe way playworkers run play provisionacross the UK. Here is a review by Helen

Elton, adventure playground developmentworker, a playworker and parent, whoworks for PlayRight in Swansea:

The First Claim – desirable processes isthe second volume of this important PlayWales series. Volume one was "aframework for quality assessment". Itwas aimed at basic and intermediatelevels. Play-workers who have used thefirst volume now have an assessmentframework for advanced playwork. Theaddition of desirable processes to the titleseems to be offered as an antidote/correctiveto education’s emphasis on desirableoutcomes. Cont. pg9 >

The Next First ClaimThe Next First ClaimPlay Wales is delighted to announce the publication of The First Claim …

Desirable Processes, the advanced framework that completes the First Claimframework for playwork quality assessment, which was launched by Jane Huttat Play Wales’ Celebrating the Spirit of Adventure Play conference in May.

Children are biologically driven to play, andthe play process involves noise and mess,but in our overly health and safetyconscious and sanitised "designer" societythis is often not welcomed by adults. Weappreciate that in some communities thereis real danger from, for instance, joy ridersor the influence of drug dealers, butgenerally there is a real need to differentiatebetween the kind of risks children need tolearn to deal with, and something that istruly life threatening or damaging.

Children have the right to play - and to bepart of their community not apart from theircommunity.

Marianne MannelloDevelopment Officer

EDITORIALEDITORIALPlay Wales Chwarae Cymru Issue 10 Summer

We wanted to find out more aboutchildren’s experience of playing

out, so we are working together withChildren’s Commissioner’s Office whohave posted questions about playingout in their new children’s chat room -Backchat.

• Have you got good/bad stories to tellus about playing outside?

• Have you been encouraged to playoutside?

• Have you been told off or beenstopped from playing outside?

Here are some of the children’sresponses:

Some times we go down the little fieldby my house and there is fences allaround and if we make goals up againstone of these fences then the ladythreatens to call the polease other wise ilike playing out side

Matthew

I live in a very small village and we canplay outside quite safely exceptsometimes we have drivers going to fastthrough the village. I have always beenencouraged to play outside because mydad is a farmer and we have lots of fieldsthat we can play in and we build lots ofdens.

Nia

Hi i really dont go out coz all the thingsthat happens around here is we get theblame for.

Benjie

We’re aloud to play outside but theschool is covered with mud and if youget caught with mud on you’re shoes(very likely) You have to stay in and cleanit off the floor and walls etc because of thenew headmistress

Hannah

When I was youngerI used to play outsidealot with kids down mystreet, but now I'm older school work andwatching t.v. take up most of my time!

I live down a cul-de-sac and at thebottom of the road there's a bit of wasteground which leads on to a little forestthen some fields. So when I wasyounger we used to go down there andmake 'dens'. Once I can remembertaking a rucksack with a packed lunch init and we stayed out there most of theday pretending we were on some sort ofa mission!

I can remember getting most of thechildren on the street outside and weplayed this rollerblading game of whocould rollerblade around our block thequickest, we were separated into twoteams (Swansea and Llanelli I think), Iwas the ref!

Angharad

2

The v iews expressed in th is newslet ter are not necessar i ly those of P lay Wales. We reserve the r ight to edi t for publ icat ion.Designed and pr inted by Carr ick Bus iness Serv ices Ltd. Te l : 029 2074 1150. E-mai l : sa les@carr ickbus iness.co.uk

Cartoon i l lust rat ions by Les Evans

Play for Wales

P lay for Walesi s publ ished by Play Wales. A l l correspondence and enqui r ies should be addressed to the Edi tor at :

Play Wales, Balt ic House, Mount Stuart Square, Cardi ff CF10 5FH Telephone: 029 2048 6050 Fax: 029 2048 9359 E-mai l : mai [email protected]

Registered Char i ty No. 1068926

• Editorial P 2

• Backchat&childcomwales.org P 2

• CSIW News and Play Pack P 3

• Jobs on Website P 3

• Play Stories P 3

• Play Area Inspection for Wales P 3

• Play Resource Centres P 4

• Contact Numbers P 4

• Ebbw Vale Launch P 4

• Challenging Racism through Play P 5

• Wheels for Play P 6

• Spirit P 7

• Ludostrategin P 7

• Adventure Playgrounds P 7

• Play Deprivation Sheet P 8

• Desirable Processes Review P 9

• Evolutionary Playwork Review P 9

• Events/Funding/Training P 10

WHAT’S INSIDE

Playday takes place on Wednesday 6th August and the theme is get out and play.Evidence that children play out is a sign of a vibrant community. So are

fears related to children ‘playing out’ genuine, or are they really an excuse forremoving what some perceive as a "nuisance" from our streets? There is noevidence that children’s play behaviour is more of a nuisance now than it wasin decades past. Children need to play freely wherever it is safe for them toplay, it is vital for their social and physical development, and traditionallyplaying out has provided them with a range of opportunities and benefits notprovided by playing in confined areas.

Backchat about Playing Out

3

Anew website gives playworkers thechance to share stories about the joy

of children’s play.

Asked to contribute to the Celebrating theSpirit of Adventure Play Conference in May,Penny Wilson of Kidsactive told a beautifuland beguiling story about children she hasworked with and the positive outcomes thatcan be achieved through providing inclusiveplay opportunities for disabled children.She has since set up a website so thatplayworkers can share such stories.

In a world where we are constantly asked tojustify the importance of something soephemeral, this is a chance to share themoments that fill your heart and make yourscalp tingle – the small things that makeproviding play opportunities worthwhile.

You can add your own story aboutchildren’s play as a web page or contributeto those of other playworkers. There are

comprehensive instructions as to how toprocede – please remember not to revealnames or places in your story.

www.theinternationale.net/playstories

"You can add anything or take anythingaway. It is a collaborative working space. Itis designed to let us work together, shareour stories and build our profession. We'renot worried about great prose or spelling orgrammar, it's the story that matters."

Kidsactive (soon to merge with KIDS) is acharity that promotes and supportsinclusive play for disabled children. Basedin London, it operates adventureplaygrounds, an information service, and atraining and consultancy network. Theyhave set up a one-day introduction toinclusive play aimed at playworkers whowish to gain confidence in working withdisabled children.

Contact Kidsactive on 0207 731 1435

Successful playground inspectionbalances the need for safety with

the child’s need for an environment thatcontains the potential to take risks anddevelop skills to deal with them as wellas providing play value.

Play Wales is increasing its capacity to providea comprehensive play area inspection andinspector training service for all types of playprovision.

"We want to provide a really first class servicethat is specifically aimed to meet the needs ofchildren and play providers in Wales," saidTony Chilton, Play Wales’ Senior DevelopmentOfficer and playground safety specialist, "Itwas clear to us that, as a small team, we simplydid not have the capacity to meet the demandfor inspections and inspector training, so wehave made an agreement with Andy Wilson-Chalon who will work for us on a consultancybasis."

Andy is a Play Space Safety Consultant whohas many years experience of developing andinspecting play areas, as well as having workedin community development and park andplaying field management. He has wide andsuccessful experience of public consultation,and he was responsible for a large part of thedevelopment of the National Playing FieldsAssociation "Six Acre Standard".

Our extended Wales-wide service includes:

• Annual, pre and post installationinspections for out door and indoor playareas and adventure playgrounds;

• Playground audits and reviews;

• Inspection reports in hard copy as wellas on disc;

• Bilingual inspection reports asrequested;

• Training on regular and operationalplayground inspections;

• Training on compliance with theDisability Discrimination Act 1995 – andnecessary alterations for fair access tooutdoor play areas and adventureplaygrounds;

• Training on management proceduresand risk assessment of outdoor playareas and adventure playgrounds;

• Training on assessing the "play value"of play provision;

• An expert witness service for litigationon play provision related accidents, aswell as cases relating to the DisabilityDiscrimination Act.

If you are interested in any of these servicesor wish to discuss your needs in greaterdepth please contact Tony at our NorthWales office on 01745 851816 or [email protected]

Please see page 10 for playground inspectortraining.

The Childcare Inspectorate for Wales;registration and inspection procedure

has been a head ache for peopleproviding play schemes since itsintroduction, and it has been revisedrecently in response to feedback from theplaywork field.

HOWEVER, Play Wales recognises thatdespite the changes, the registrationprocedure continues to hamper playproviders and that it is unnecessarilylengthy and onerous. For instance, do wereally need to know whether a room is wallpapered or painted when we judge it to besafe for children to play? We are continuingto push for realistic and relevant standardsthat reflect the true nature of staffed playprovision in Wales, and for the deployment

of inspectors who have an understandingof children’s play needs.

In the last issue of Play for Wales weannounced that we were working with agroup of play development officers toproduce a practical pack for people settingup staffed play provision that wouldencompass advice on the CSIWregistration procedure. We have made thedecision to put this project on hold pendingfurther discussion with the Welsh AssemblyGovernment and the Inspectorate.

SShhaarriinngg SSttoorriieessand Telling Tales

PPllaayy AArreeaaIInnssppeeccttiioonnssffoorr WWaalleess

CSIW RegistrationUUppddaattee

Spread the word! The new Play Waleswebsite has a free job advertising

page for play-related posts in Wales.

We have always received enquiries frompeople looking for play posts, and frompeople wanting to advertise in Play forWales, so we are delighted that we are nowin a position to offer support – particularly toorganisations struggling with a smallbudget.

You can add a vacant post at no charge bycontacting our national office in Cardiff -please e-mail the text to Kathy or Claire [email protected] making sure to

include all relevant information, yourcontact details, and a closing date. Alladverts are checked before being posted,and will be published the Monday after theyare received and removed the Monday afterthe closing date specified. Unfortunatelywe don’t have the resources to act as aclearing-house for applications.

So next time you are recruiting staff orlooking for a job in the play field, rememberto look us up.

www.playwales.org.uk

www.chwaraecymru.org.uk

WWeellsshh PPllaayy JJoobbss on the Web

Play Wales Chwarae Cymru Issue 10 Summer

and Telling Tales

CSIW Registration

4


Visit any play resource centre or scrapstoreand you will be greeted by an inspirationaltreasure trove of re-usable waste. There willbe bins overflowing with fabric, packaging,ribbon, bobbins, boxes, thread and scrapsof leather, as well as shelves of paper andcard off-cuts, tiles, files and paint. You mayeven find the odd strange bit of shopwindow display or a kitchen door. Thewonderful thing is that you never know whatyou will find, the staff always want to helpand that the supplies are always cheap.

The longest running scrapstore in Walesresides in an old brick warehouse, nestledbetween an automobile accident repaircentre and a carpet showroom. Cardiff’sRe-Create has been through some stickytimes of late, but is bouncing back withrenewed enthusiasm and unvanquishedvigour. Re-Create is the trading arm of theCardiff and Vale Play Services Associationand as such is one of Wales’ play resourcecentres that has grown from a playbackground. They estimate that they nowserve around 100,000 children in Cardiff andsurrounding areas.

Likewise three year old PlayRight (ChwaraeIawn) who are based in an industrial unitnext to a bakery in Swansea. They havemanaged to hang on by the tips of theirfingernails through a funding crisis that sawthe distribution of redundancy notices.When I popped my head round the doorthey were short-listing candidates for newposts created through their successful

Community Fund bid, and wanted me toexpress thanks to everyone who supportedthem through their darkest hour.

Other scrapstores, such as the one inBrecon, are run by dedicated volunteersand who open a few hours a week to offerart and craft materials and workshops.

The newest scrapstore in Wales is Re-PlayEbbw Vale, housed on a bleak andwindswept industrial estate. This enterprisehas grown out of an environmental initiativefor the re-use of waste and has to be self-sufficient within three years. Another newenterprise with environmental roots that hasrecently opened is Trash and Carry, run byCrest Co-operative in Kinmel Bay, Conwy,who were part of the Shell Better BritainCampaign. Their funding has come fromthe European Social Fund and the ProbationService, but they too have to make theirservice pay for itself within the next fewyears.

Scrapstores give undoubted value in termsof the re-use of waste that would otherwisebe dumped in landfill sites (I believe thatWelsh Local Authorities landfill over 90% ofthe waste we all produce and that they arestruggling to meet objectives on recycling).A knock on benefit of scrapstore work is theengagement of children in a process thatraises awareness of environmentalsustainability.

Not only that, but the very nature of thematerials supplied by scrapstoresencourages children to use their

imagination and to be resourceful. Ask anyartist about the process of making art andthe word play always crops up. Thecreative process involves playing freely withmaterials, images and ideas. Scrapstorematerials (unlike art and craft cataloguesupplies) tend to be sold so cheaply thatthey can be used liberally and children canreally go to town and explore their creativepotential.

But most play resource centres andscrapstores do much more than supply re-usable industrial waste to schools andplayschemes – they also perform a valuablefunction within their local community.Some of them offer play training, andprovide outreach work and art and craftworkshops. Some offer a library or lowcost equipment hire, and they may hire outmeeting rooms to other organisations.Most of them provide opportunities forpeople to return to work throughvolunteering or opportunities for youngpeople to start out on their working life.

No-one will deny that setting up a playresource centre is hard work, and thatkeeping it running can often be a verytricky business, but the benefits tochildren and communities are enormous.Congratulations to all Wales’ play resourcecentres and scrapstores, to their faithfulworkers, volunteers and board membersfor hanging in there. Good luck to theGwent scrapstore that opens on Play Day.Let’s hope we see more play resourcecentres launched in Wales over the nextfew years, and here’s to the newscrapstores – may you save waste andprosper!

Hooray for Waste!Hooray for Waste!

• Brecon Brecon Scrapstore, Old Post Office, Lower Chapel, Brecon LD3 9RE

• Cardiff Re-Create, Ely Bridge Industrial Estate, Wroughton Road, Ely, Cardiff CF5 4AB029 20 578100

• Ebbw Vale Re-Play, Unit 4 Rassau Industrial Estate, Ebbw Vale, NP23 5S 01495 301234

• Kinmel Bay Trash and Carry, Unit 38, Tir Llywd Industrial Estate, Kinmel Bay, LL18 5LA 01745 369216

• Newtown Newtown Resource Centre Ty Cymuned, 11 Severn St, Newtown, Powys SY16 2AQ01686 629487

• Rhymney (opening on 6 August 2003) 01685 846830

• Swansea Play Right, Block H, Unit 22 Upper Forest Way, Ashmount Business Park, Swansea, SA6 8QR01792 794884

• Wrexham Wrexham Play Association Resource Centre, Prince Charles Road, Wrexham LL13 8TH01978 822217

PlayRight’s recent success in winning a major environmental awardand the launch of (at least) two new scrapstores has prompted us to

print a celebration of Wale’s play resource centres.

PPllaayy RReessoouurrccee CCeennttrreess aanndd

Children from a very young age pick upmessages from everything and everybodyaround them – the language they hear, thetoys they play with, the visual images theysee in books, shop windows and on TV. Theimpressions that children form of each otherand themselves are influenced by the natureof these messages – whether positive ornegative.

Children need resources that reflect thediversity of the society in which they live.This is particularly true for children who livein predominantly white areas. In theabsence of a positive reflection of racial andcultural diversity, "white" European culturewill continue to be regarded as the "norm"while other racial and cultural groups willcontinue to be marginalised andstereotyped.

Play is the primary way in which childrenlearn about themselves and about the worldaround them. Toys and games can beregarded as building blocks of racialawareness. Play materials that reflect thebeauty and diversity of a wide range of racial

and cultural groups will enable children togenuinely understand and respect thediversity around them and benefit from it.But when children always see toysrepresenting white people being promoted inthe media, in toy shops, nurseries, schoolsand play provision on a regular basis, whiletoys with black representation are eitherabsent or in the background, then there is adanger that children will internalise themessage that white people are somehowmore important in society.

The way in which workers regard such toysis crucial to developing positive attitudes.Since children often take their cues fromadults, it is important to give toys, games,posters, films and stories with blackrepresentation the same attention and valueas those with white representation.

Few black children can articulate how racismaffects them. It can often be seen inchanging behaviour patterns or reluctance toacknowledge their own skin colour. In orderto develop positive racial awareness blackchildren need access to toys that representimages they can identify with. This willencourage black children to explore theirideas and emotions fully through play.

All children need to play with a wide varietyof dolls that represent a range of skin tones,authentic facial features and hair textures (ablack doll with European features gives aclear message that European features are

preferable). They should have access topaints, crayons and pencils in a range of skintones, and to read and talk about stories andgames involving black heroes and heroines.

It is important to encourage children to voicethoughts that might be influenced by raciststereotyping, so that we can enable them tochallenge these ideas through stories anddiscussions. By not talking about skincolour or culture, and by admonishingchildren for asking questions, we could bestrengthening misconceptions andstereotypes.

When we stop to think about it, it is obviousthat assumptions should not be made aboutsomebody’s personality, potential or lifestyleon the basis of physical features, hair texture,skin colour etc, yet we rarely stop to analysethe messages that we are bombarded withevery day. All children need to seethemselves reflected positively in the worldaround them, it is our job to meet this need.

The Working Group Against Racism inChildren’s Resources publishes guidanceon selecting appropriate resources forchildren. We also provide training,disseminate information and produce liststo identify appropriate toys, books andother resources.

Telephone 0207 501 9992 or [email protected]

15


CChhaalllleennggiinngg RRaacciissmmthrough PlayNandini Mane, Training and

Development Worker for theWorking Group Against Racism inChildren’s Resources, ran workshopsat Play Wales’ recent Spirit ofAdventure Play Conference. Hereshe outlines the reason why it is soimportant to be aware of racial issueswhen providing play services tochildren. Her contribution ispractically pertinent in the light ofrecent riots in wrexham.

SSccrraappssttoorreess iinn WWaalleessLEFT:Tony Hart drawscartoons to raisemoney at the Re-Play EbbwVale launch party

RIGHT:Children fromRhos-y-FedwenPrimary Schoolenjoy a junkpercussionworkshop at theRe-Play EbbwVale launch party

through Play

6

"All we want is somewhere we cansskkaattee wwiitthhoouutt hhaassssllee..""

WHEELS FOR PLAYWHEELS FOR PLAY


Skateboarding is an established elementof youth culture and social life. It is a

largely self-taught activity, with peergroups demonstrating and practising skillstogether – co-operating to improve theirperformance with little or no adultintervention. It gives young people scopeto develop their imagination, inventing newroutines and tricks, and to manage andtake risks as well as to gain physicalprowess. As such the skateboarders, (andBMXers and in-line skaters) of Wales reachawe inspiring levels of expertise that wefeel should be recognised and applauded.

Unfortunately there is a lack of dedicatedspace for skateboarders and this forces themonto the streets, which can lead to conflict.There are clear health and safety issues whenskateboarding takes place in inappropriateplaces. Meanwhile, if it is hard enough to findsomewhere to skate in cities, it is even moredifficult in rural areas. In small towns andvillages, councils may lack the funds tomaintain traditional play areas, let aloneprovide a wheeled play area.

Many adult members of the public can feelintimidated by groups of young people, andoften oppose plans for wheeled play areasbecause they imagine that they will become afocus for vandalism and so-called anti-socialbehaviour. In reality there is proof thatproviding dedicated facilities forskateboarders reduces the incidence of suchbehaviour – particularly in instances wherethe young people have been included indeveloping and running the facility

themselves. Well-organised and comprehensivecommunity consultation goes a long waytowards erasing some of the prejudicesyoung people and adults have against eachother. In one instance following aconsultation exercise, an older member of thecommunity asked for a bench to be installednext to a skate park so that she could sit andwatch the skaters.

Young people themselves are crying out fordedicated wheeled play areas. They are fedup of being moved on and treated as anuisance. Frustration and boredom can leadto behaviour that the rest of the communityfinds hard to accept. Rather than seeing theirbehaviour as a problem, perhaps we should

understand that it is part of their growth anddevelopment; it simply manifests itself as"anti-social" in an inappropriate space.Young people seek challenge and stimulation,and the provision of a wheeled play area canmake a very positive contribution to their lifewithin a community that is just as much theirsas ours.

This feature includes extracts from an article,Half-Pipe Dreams by Rosie Niven, featured inYoung People Now 25 June 2003.

Find out more about Young People Now magazine by visitingwww.ypnmagazine.com or ring 0208606 7500

Ahuge increase in demand for BMX and skateparkfacilities means that wheeled play areas are

springing up all over Wales, so Play Walesdecided to hold a seminar to address themany surrounding issues and to inspireand support people who are consideringdeveloping such provision.

The sun was shining on the promenadefor the "WHEELS FOR PLAY" conferenceheld at the Llandudno Conference Centreon Friday 21st March. Presentations andworkshops covered a range of subjectssuch as, how to meet young people’sneeds, and the benefits of providinginformal recreational facilities in thecommunity, as well as finding funding andhealth and safety issues.

Delegates representing community councils,community and youth groups, adventureplaygrounds, town councils, plus leisure and play

departments in local authorities,had a fantastic, informative

and stimulating day. Leading manufacturers of

skateboarding and BMX equipment exhibitedin the main hall and one company erected ahalf pipe on the promenade for thedelegates to have a go!

There are plans afoot to run a similarseminar in South Wales next spring. Ifyou are interested please contact Kathyat our national office 029 2048 6050 ore-mail [email protected]

A group of young people from HolywellSchool, North Flintshire, had great fun

demonstrating their self-taught prowess on ahalf pipe installed on Llandudno promenade.

• form a group, and contact the LocalAuthority, this gives credibility whenapplying for grants and approaching otherbodies that might give support;

• identify the need for the facility and asuitable site;

• find out what skaters, BMXers and inlineskaters want to have included in thedesign;

• visit successful skate parks so as to get abetter idea of what equipment might beavailable;

• consult with the local community – thiscan quell conflict and promote cohesion;

• talk to the police, local councillors andplay associations, and local groups in thecommunity, they are valuable sources ofsupport;

• consult with experienced skaters – theyknow what works and what doesn’t;

• use a specialist contractor/supplier;

• research costings thoroughly – a basicconcrete ramp can cost around £10,000 –but there are alternative materials;

• make provision for continuedmaintenance;

• cost in insurance – which can be difficultto find and expensive.

Recent funding initiatives in Wales, and better recognition of young people’s needs andwishes, mean that we are likely to see more wheeled play areas installed around the country.Here are some good practice guidelines we can use when planning a wheeled play area:

AdventurePlaygrounds


7

Recent developments and directives from theWelsh Assembly Government place a high

priority on the development of play opportunitieswhich put children’s play needs first. It is their viewthat the development of Adventure Playgrounds willenable us to respond positively to children’s need forplay by extending the range of environments andopportunities available.

An Adventure Playground is a staffed open access facilitywhere children can mould their surroundings to their ownpurposes in a challenging environment facilitated byplayworkers. Traditionally they have been developed tocompensate for the absence of natural open space wherechildren would have played in the past.

Communities First Co-ordinators, and others who may be ina position to develop Adventure Playgrounds, have beeninvited to attend a Play Wales seminar in July to view,explore and learn about this fantastic resource for children.It is a two-day event, which will include visits to severaladventure playgrounds to examine good practice inestablished settings and how they work within thecommunity. They will also take part in presentations andworkshops from leading playwork practitioners, to examinethe key role of Adventure Playgrounds and how they mightbe further developed in Wales.

AAnn IInnttrroodduuccttiioonn ttoo

AdventurePlaygrounds7th & 8th October 2003

Another year, anothersuccessful conference for

those involved in adventurousplay and adventure playgrounds... stimulating debate, promotingchildren’s play needs andattempting to inspire playworkersto take their practice to anotherlevel.

A range of speakers and workshopleaders, from academic theorists topractical playworkers, volunteeredtheir services in the spirit of skill andknowledge sharing, and "experts"joined "novices" to learn together and

to address some of the current issuesin play and playwork together.

The Spirit will live on next year, and asusual we invite anyone and everyoneinvolved in adventure play andadventurous playwork to help usorganise or to make a proposal for apresentation or a workshop.

In the meantime we will be invitingsome of this years’ speakers to write

pieces for Play for Wales and sharetheir thoughts and experiences with awider audience. The first of these isNandini Mane, whose article appearson page five.

Thank you to all those involved,speakers, leaders and delegatesalike.

Ludostrategin?WWhhaatt oonn EEaarrtthh……??A vision without a task is but a dream.A task without a vision is drudgery.A vision with a task is the hope of the world.Church inscription, Sussex, England 1730

Play Wales has been charged with the task ofdeveloping a support network for key Play

Development Workers in Wales. Ludostrategin was atwo day residential course aimed at helping bothvoluntary and public sector Play DevelopmentWorkers make the most of the unique opportunitiesavailable for improving children’s play development inWales: specifically political and financial support forstaffed play provision from the Welsh AssemblyGovernment; the national Play Policy; and thepublication of The First Claim.

An upbeat approach to the event enabled participants tofocus on solutions rather than problems, and encouragedus to be analytical and reflective, gaining confidence to ‘talkup’ play where it counts. One of the most importantoutcomes of the event was the recognition that PlayDevelopment Staff would benefit from a support network.It was clear that we are part of a movement that will putWales further in the vanguard of children’s play.

One day Wales will be a country where children's playneeds are recognised and fully provided for.

ooff AAddvveennttuurree PPllaayy Celebrating the Spirit

14TH & 15TH MAY 2003

There is some argument as towhether play deprivation exists.However, there is an increasing bodyof research that suggests that a lackof the kind of sensory stimulationand free interaction with the worldaround them that naturally happenswhen children have access to qualityplay opportunities, can have adetrimental impact on a child’shealthy development. It is also clearthat this deficit can occur regardlessof a child’s economic, cultural orsocial background, level of physicalor mental ability, or the area in whichthey live.

Studies in Switzerland* refer to"battery children" (those who aredeprived of play opportunitiesbecause of fears of traffic or strangerdanger) who are "often aggressiveand whine a lot. By the age of fivethey are emotionally and sociallyrepressed, find it difficult to mix, fallbehind with school work and are at

much greater risk of obesity".

At the same time those of us whofacilitate play are constantly asked tojustify the existence or expansion ofour service. Some designated areasof social deprivation have access toa range of possible funding for playdevelopment. While other areashave to fight for every penny theycan get, despite significant localfactors that deprive children of ahealthy range of play opportunities.In other areas people with morepopular agendas (such as fightingunder age crime, or pushingeducation initiatives) seem to havehijacked children’s play provision fortheir own purposes.

The Welsh Assembly GovernmentPlay Policy is a huge step in the rightdirection in promoting healthy playopportunities for all Wales’ children,however, it seems that some playproviders need more down-to-earthand accessible evidence to promote

their cause.

Play Wales has commissioned BobHughes, author of ‘The First Claim…‘and ‘The First Claim - DesirableProcesses’ as well other highlyacclaimed books on play andplaywork, (see the book review onpage 9) to research and write abriefing sheet on play deprivation forPlay Wales, which we hope topublish in the early Autumn.

We hope it will support you in makingthe case for well-funded high qualitychildren’s play provision.

The rationale behind the Play Policyfor Wales which contains helpfularguments for providing quality playopportunities is published on ourwebsite: www.playwales.org.uk/playpolicy

*Huttenmoser and Degan-Zimmerman(1995) Lebenstraume fur Kinder: ZurichSwiss Science Foundation


8

FIGHTING FOR PLAYFIGHTING FOR PLAYWe have all seen or heard of shocking scenes that still occur in Eastern Europe - orphans strapped

into their bed and deprived of stimulation, who sit and rock, stunted in every way. Some of us mayalso know of research into the extreme behaviour of mass murderers in the USA, which has been linkedto a lack of social play in childhood. While these are very bleak examples, anyone working with childrenin our own country can tell tales of individuals who have had no opportunity to play freely.

Education is target driven. For the sake ofits quality assurance systems it needs tocount and measure, and to some extentoutcomes are measurable. So educationtests children. Processes on the otherhand aren’t measurable – and play, as aprocess, isn’t measurable. This poses adifficulty for the writers of The First Claim.How do you develop a quality assurancesystem for a process? Do you testplaying children? Do you give them ascore for the amount of fun they have?The First Claim tackles this head on bysuggesting that the key to ensuringquality in playwork is to concentrate onthe playworker. The method should bereflective practice - we should assessourselves! The First Claim provides aframework around which to develop ourself-assessment. But before we can beginto assess what we do, we need alanguage to describe it.

David is half way up a tree, struggling,with a stick that is just too short, todislodge a conker case. There are lotsof shorter sticks on the ground butnothing longer. So he delves into hispockets for inspiration and finds somepieces of string. Minutes later he hascombined sticks and string to make awonderful, state-of-the-art, Daviddesigned, conker case dislodger!

How did it happen? After all he’s onlyplaying. ONLY playing! As a playworkeryou know that activities dismissed in thatway are actually vitally important. Buthow do you explain it, how do you eventalk about it? What you’ve actuallywatched is David practising combinatorialflexibility and that’s a shorthand way ofdescribing David’s creative activities. Hehas combined separate items in a noveland useful way. This is an advancedmental ability and one of the things thatmakes humans unique.

This supposedly technical languagefrightens people, playworkers included.But, as playworkers we do ourselves agreat disservice if we don’t try to developa common language for discussing whatwe see and work with every day.

Both volumes of The First Claim try togive us that common language. Theyintroduce us to shorthand technical termsour profession needs, so that we canhave productive discussions with eachother without resorting to long windedexamples like the one above.

A draw back of this is that at first sight thedocuments may appear intimidating. Thelanguage seems new and difficult and thetemptation is to put off reading or using

them ‘till tomorrow’… and in a busyplaywork setting it’s hard to find the time- what with encouraging children’scombinatorial flexibility and everything!But do try to build some time into theworking day. After all, there is increasingpressure to prove the quality of yourprovision.

These books do not replace existingquality assurance measures, theframeworks within them can be usedindependently or alongside other qualitypackages. The big difference is that theyconcentrate on the child’s needs, notthose of an inspector who might have nounderstanding of the vital importance of

children’s play, and who might be moreobsessed with the state of your toilets.Are you satisfied with simply beingassessed by an external body, orsomeone who thinks playwork is aboutworking with children who are ‘onlyplaying’? Or would you like to satisfyyourself that you are providing the bestplay opportunities you possibly can?

The First Claim … a framework forplaywork quality assessment, is nowavailable from www.amazon.co.uk oryou can order either publication fromthe Play Wales national office.


EEvvoolluuttiioonnaarryy PPllaayywwoorrkk aannddRReefflleeccttiivvee AAnnaallyyttiicc PPrraaccttiiccee

by Bob Hughes

9

What shines through in thisbook is a wealth of life-

long learning, continualprofessional development anddedication to improving thequality and standing ofplaywork. There are examplesof experiences, and research,from someone who thinksdeeply and analyses the impactof the work they do.

This book seeks to support allworkers with the necessary toolsto practice quality playwork, andassists with training anddevelopment at all levels. Itoutlines the key principles and

work areas of open access playservices, and as such it will beused by playworkers throughoutTorfaen on a regular basis.Priorities may shift in the future inan environment of constantchange, but at present the sectorwill benefit from this book.

This is a must for your tool kit.

Idris Bevan, Play DevelopmentOfficer, Torfaen YouthCommunity & Play Service

‘Evolutionary Playwork …’ ispublished by Routledge and can beordered through bookshops orfrom Amazon ISBN 0-415-25166-4

BB OO OO KK RR EE VV II EE WW

The next First Claim(Continued from pg1)


10

EEVVEENNTTSS•EEVVEENNTTSS

We Got It Wrong AgainAs a small fry compared with the big fish in the mediaworld, we look to others for example – so it seemsthat Play for Wales is copying The Guardian in theprinting error stakes . . .

Apologies to the National Association of Toy and LeisureLibraries Wales office in Brecon – if you ring the numberprinted in our last issue you will get through to their faxmachine. However if you ring 01874 622097 you will beable to speak to one of their staff.

… and AgainThe Millennium Stadium Charitable Trust can becontacted on 029 2049 4963.

Play Day – Get Out and PlayWednesday 6 August 2003 - a day for celebrating playing out andfor raising the profile of children’s play.

Visit www.playday.org.uk or contact The Children’s Play Council020 7843 6016

Home Zones and the SustainableCommunities Initiative10 September 2003, Birmingham - Covers design and communityinvolvement as well as the experiences of setting up Home Zonesand discussion.

Contact Helen Mallinson on 0121 359 3611 ext 4385 or [email protected]

National Association of Toy Libraries,National ConferenceThursday 9 October 2003, Cardiff - Speakers include Peter Clarke(Children’s Commissioner for Wales) and Jane Hutt (WelshAssembly Minister for Children).

Contact Janet Matthews on 01874 622097

Professionals in Play - National Conference15 October 2003, London - Organised by the Playwork Unit inSkillsActive (the new Sector Skills Council replacing SPRITO) theconference will look at how new challenges in training andqualifications for play and childcare workers can be met.

Contact 020 7388 7755 ext. 206 or e-mail [email protected]

National Playbus Conference7 November 2003, Bristol – A one-day conference on the themeof inclusive play.

Contact The National Playbus Association 0117 9166580

Home Zone Design12 November 2003, Leicester – Exhibition and presentations.

More details available at www.sraltd.co.uk

CYWU Playwork Conference18 November 2003, London – Chance to examine the latest policydevelopments affecting playwork, as well as the professional andtrade union issues currently facing the playwork profession.

Contact the CYWU National Office, 302 The Argent Centre, 60 Frederick St, Birmingham, B1 3HS, or e-mail [email protected]

FFUUNNDDIINNGGCommunity Fund/NOF mergerThe latest on Community Fund/NOF merger proposals can be read at http://www.community-fund.org.uk/about-us/news/uk/200503-new-lottery-distributor-must-deliver-f.html

NOF has published the latest edition of Working in Wales – abriefing document with info on current and future programmes.

Contact 029 2067 8200 or visit www.nof.org.uk

Coalfields Regeneration Trust –Regenerate InitiativeA MORI survey revealed high levels of youth disadvantage informer coal mining areas – the CRT has therefore made £20mavailable for projects improving youth provision in these areas.Among the initiatives to be funded will be provision of"designated youth spaces".

Contact 01443 404455 or visit www.coalfields-regen.org.uk

Children and Family Organisations GrantThe Welsh Assembly Government has invited applications forcore funding to all-Wales voluntary sector organisations. Thedeadline is 11 August 2003.

Contact the Child and Family Programmes Team on 029 2082 6802or e-mail [email protected]

GGeett PPrriinntteedd!!If you have an event or news you wish to share withplay providers across Wales, please contact the Editorat our national office – we would really like to hear fromyou. We always welcome contributions, but wereserve the right to decline publication or to edit.

Our copy deadline for the Autumn issueof Play for Wales is 17 October 2003when among other news, we will featurearticles on play in rural areas.

Play Area RegularIInnssppeeccttiioonn TTrraaiinniinnggfor Community, Town and CountyCouncils and Voluntary OrganisationsNational Government advice, European Standards and the Healthyand Safety Act all recommend that every play area be inspectedregularly (on a daily or weekly basis) for damage, vandalism andwear and tear. The Register of Playground Inspectors Limited (RPII)qualification is considered essential for anyone who is responsiblefor the management, inspection and maintenance of play areas.

Play Wales is offering a two-day course (including written andpractical RPII examination) in Autumn 2003. For further informationplease contact Play Wales’ North Office on 01745 851816 or [email protected]

Documents

Play for Wales issue 10