FOST magazine

Inside� Great places to play� Active play for health� Play and looked after children� Building resilience� Mudand confidence

B2060 FOST mag march 2010:Layout 1 22/3/10 14:31 Page 1

Fostering PlayWelcome to thisWestMidlands special edition of Carers Can! Foster Play.

TheWestMidlands has some great opportunities for play andmanyexciting new play spaces are opening this year.Wewant our childrento have the best play and recreation opportunities because play helpschildren to be healthy and happy. As foster carers, youwill know thatplay and play provision are important for children’smental and physicalhealth. Play is enjoyable and fun, and provides a chance to learn,an opportunity to build social and emotional skills, self-esteem andself-confidence. It’s also a great way to keep active and promotea healthy lifestyle.

Thismagazine for foster carers has been jointly produced by theDepartment of HealthWestMidlands, Government OfficeWestMidlands,NCB and Play England to promote the importance of play for thewell-being of all children and young people.Wewant play opportunities to beas inclusive and available as possible – all children should be able to play.

Do try some of the ideas in thismagazine to help the children you care forto enjoy play and experience its health benefits.

Have fun – it’s good for you and for the children!

CliveWilkinsonRegional Director for Children and Learners

Dr Rashmi ShuklaRegional Director of Public Health

Healthy playWe are delighted that the Healthy Care Programme, NCB and PlayEngland have been able towork together with foster carers in theWestMidlands to show that being healthy can be fun and playful. Our carerscertainly showed us that being busy, playing and laughing togethermakes them feel well.

Helen ChambersHealthy Care Programme, NCB

Lakhvir SahotaPlay England,WestMidlands

Contents3 Magicmoments

4 Play is for always

5 Fostering play...

6 My special book

7 Foster care secrets

8 Just playing?

10 60 activeminutes

13 Playtime for carers

14 Play and lookedafter children

15 Helping children trust

16 Building resilience

18 Health and play

20 Amazing places to playin theWestMidlands

22 Risks and benefitsof play

23 Health and safetymyths

24 Mud and confidence…

26 Great places to go intheWestMidlands

28 Charter for Children’s Play

EditorMary Ryan

Editorial GroupMandy Blair, foster carerHelen Chambers,NCB/Healthy Care ProgrammeIssy Cole-Hamilton, Play EnglandSuzanne Gardner, Regional Physical ActivityCoordinator,WestMidlandsCatherine Goodridge,Regional FoodandHealthCoordinator,WestMidlandsEmma Kirk, KIDS – Playwork Inclusion ProjectCatherine Lissaman, Play England,WestMidlandsTracey Reynolds, foster carerLakhvir Sahota, Play England,WestMidlandsKaren Saunders,Department of HealthWestMidlandsKath Smith, foster carerMandy Smith,GovernmentOfficeWestMidlandsTraceyTaylor, foster carerElaineWall, foster carerResaWhite, foster carer

CorrespondenceHealthy Care Programme and Play EnglandNCB8Wakley StreetLondon EC1V 7QE

Tel: 020 7843 6330Fax: 020 7713 7280Email: [email protected]: [email protected]

The views expressed in Carers Can! Foster Healthare not necessarily those of the publishers. CarersCan! Foster Health is produced by NCB, 2010


In thewinterwe sometimes go to the beach for the day. It’sa 90-mile round trip.Wepack hot drinks in flasks, a picnic,wellies and raincoats.We run in the sea in the rain, play in rockpools andmake sandcastles –wet sandworks somuchbetter.Wemust bemad!

Carers do a highly skilled jobwith children and youngpeoplewho, formany

reasons, cannot bewith their parents.Most people don’t really knowwhat

carers do or how they help children and youngpeople to growup. Carers in

theWestMidlands described those specialmomentswhenplay, friendship

andhaving funmakes all the difference for a child

Oneday Iwas surprised to be given a sheet of paperwith adrawing of a coffin on it. The 11-year-old lad haddrawn itbecause hismum’s boyfriend haddied. I think he justwantedto record it and show someone. Saying‘Thank you for a lovelypicture’doesn’t sound right really – I felt very inadequate. I’vestill got that drawing andhewent on to be a very artistic lad.

An eight-year-old boywe cared for got very upset if hismumdidn’t

come to contact visits. Hewould seek the company of our old horse – I

used towatch himput his arms up aroundher old neck andbury his

face into her. Hewould stay there until he felt better – the horse didn’t

mind andwas always ready to lend an ear – then hewould comeback

indoors and carry on as normal. I never imagined the animalswould

be part of the caringwhen I started fostering.

On a trip to the bank therewas the usual queue, the little four year oldwecare formarchedup anddown showing off the sparkly handbagonherarm. Awoman in the queue said‘That’s a lovely bag’. ‘Yes’beamed littleMissHandbag,‘it’smybest one.’We all smiled butwhat they didn’t knowwashow timid andwary shewaswhen she first came to us. Shewouldn’t play ortouch a toy – nowdressing up is her favourite game, shoes, bags, hats – thelot. I looked at her and I realised –‘She’s happy, she’s really happy!’

Two youngsters placedwithmehaveweekly guitar lessons providedby thelocal authority.They have blossomedduring these lessons somuch that theynow take part in playing at publicevents. Now that’s confidence for you!

Magic momentsMagic momentsB2060 FOST mag march 2010:Layout 1 22/3/10 14:31 Page 3

PLAY IS FOR ALWAYSPLAY IS FOR ALWAYS

4 Carers Can! Foster PlayWestMidlands

Experts say play helps children andyoungpeople to...� develop, learn and be imaginative, creative and independent� be healthy and active� deal with difficulties like emotional stress ormedicaltreatment

� experience risk and boundaries and find out about limits.

Parents and carers knowplay helpschildren and youngpeople to...� be happy, carefree and enjoy being a child� find out about themselves, develop interests and do thingstheywant to do

� get to know the people and places in their lives and to exploretheworld around them

� build relationships with people who are important to them –family and carers – and tomake friends

� smile, laugh and feel good.

Children say...Play is fun!They don’t carewhat the experts say –they just wantmore!

Children all over theworld play. Play is

a vital part of a happy, healthy childhood.

Children and youngpeople of every age need some time

every day to play – doing something they have chosen to

do anddoing it theirway.Theymight play on their own,

with friends, alongside other children orwith adults;

itmight be for a short time or a long time; indoors or

outdoors; with toys or games; singing or yelling; running

about or quietly reading a book – it doesn’tmatter as

long as they doget a chance to play.


MandyBlair is an experienced carerfromBirmingham; she told us how shefinds play helps children settlewhenthey first arrive.

Play is somethingwe all do: it doesn’t matter howold you are, what language you speak or what your

abilities are, everyone can play. You can learn it as you go alongand getmore adventurous as time goes on. Play is widely used in‘play therapies’, which help children heal andovercome difficult life experiences, but itsimportance is often overlookedwhenmaking plans for looked after children.

As foster carers, we play a big part in helpingchildren to have experiences that will helpthemgrow up to be healthy and happy –weknow that opportunities to play are reallyimportant for looked after children. But Iwonder howmany of us, as foster carers, everrealise howmuch of our daily routine is play-related and howmuch of a difference thatmakes for the children?

Here are a few thoughtsabout howplaymakes allthe differencewhen a childfirst arrives…� When a child first comes to us they are oftenscared and bewildered. I always ask whattheir favourite toy is and try to find one, orsimilar toys, for them to play with. For a childto be parted from a favourite toy is anotherloss – it’s not just a toy, it was a familiar part of their life.

� Many of us have a box of toys for the children and nomatterhow upset the new child is or how long they have stood inthe corridor crying on arrival, a toy or game usually helpsthem focus.

� I encouragemy son and the other foster children placedwith us to show the new child our toys and games andencourage them to play with them. It eases the first fewhours for the child.

� When I’m talking to them I break the ice by askingabout their favorite toys and games, and the activitiesthat they like to do – it is a fairly safe subject and onemost children can talk about. This is a step towardsbuilding trust with the child, as theywill rememberthe first thing they didwith you.

Of course we do see a lot of children placed incare who have never had the opportunity to playat all, nevermind enjoy age-related play. Oftenthey don’t know how to play; they have neverhad the experience and adults haven’t playedwith them.

We provide opportunities for them to learnhow to play and to enjoy it for its own sake.

Whether they are a toddler ora teenager, we have to showthemhow to play and share,help them explore and try newthings, getmessy, run about,experiment with paints, laughand sing, tell silly jokes, read afavourite story – the things wedowith our own children andthat parents dowith theirchildren all over theworld.

We have to think hard aboutfinding the right playopportunities for thesechildren – for example, thechild who is aggressive andhard to be friends withmightbenefit from sports and gameswith rules, like football. Theycan let off steambutmustkeep to the rules and the

boundaries are clear, at the same timethey join a team,meet other children and hopefully learn how toget onwith others and evenmake friends.

If you did an assessment of how a child playedwhen they firstcame to you and how they played sixmonths later – I wonderwhat youwould see?

Find outmoreExplore further the importance of play for children andyoung people’s development by going to:www.yourfamily.org.uk –which offers tips, ideas, adviceand fun things to do for families with young childrenwww.bbc.co.uk/parenting/ – then click on‘Play and do’.

?FOSTERING PLAYFOSTERING PLAY


6 Carers Can! Foster PlayWestMidlands

MMaakkee aa ccoonncceerrttiinnaa bbooookk aatt hhoommee –– iitt’’ss eeaassyy,, ffuunn aanndd ggoooodd ffoorraannyy aaggee –– eevveenn yyoouu!!Make this at home – it is a good activity for a quiet half-hour that involves spendingsome time with a child without them feeling you are ‘talking to them’! Maybe makeone yourself too?

You will need• a long piece of stiff paper or light card

• two pieces of stiff card to make the front and back covers

• coloured pencils or felt tips

• paints (not essential)

• scissors• glue • magazines, comics and possibly photos

• glitter, buttons, ribbons, bits of coloured wrapping paper – anything that could beused to decorate the book.

Instructions11 The book will be like a concertina, so you need to fold it into equal size pages.

22 Cut out two pieces of card the right size for the front and back covers.

33 Talk with the child about a theme for the book. It could be a ‘favourites’ book – with a page for clothes, meals, things to do, TV programmes, friends, football team,celebrities, animals, music. Let them decide. They could even make the book aboutjust one or two things they are interested in; make up a story; or record a specialtrip or event.

44 Encourage the child to design and decorate each page – find pictures frommagazines, use photos, or draw or paint images. It can have words, pictures, thingsstuck on and patterns – whatever they like.

55 Encourage the child to give some thought to the front and back pages – they shouldbe really special. Decorate them separately, then glue them on to the blank frontand back pages as it will also make those pages a bit stronger.

66 The book can be tied up with ribbon or pretty string; or use bits of elastic decoratedwith beads or buttons to hold it closed.

Shake it up a bit• Toddlers and young children might like to add handprints or footprints made with

paint. Or they might like to stick on leaves and cut-out pictures.

• Teenagers often love scrapbooks and can add pockets for photos and other treasures –have a look at wwwwww..ssccrraappbbooookk--ccrraazzyy..ccoomm for more ideas and instructions.

• It doesn’t have to be a book – it could be a background scene for toy models, such asanimals, characters, toys, etc. Or it could be a series of mini-scenes that tell a story.

• Make a concertina card with a child or teenager for a special birthday orcelebration – or encourage them to make one for someone else.

MY SSPPEECCIIAALL BOOK Foster care

secrets


Try searching for ‘concertinabooks’ on the internetHave a look at the images pages – there will be some really

arty concertina books – teenagers might find ideas they’d

like to try.

Rainy day? Everyone’s bored?Visit www.yourfamily.org.uk for ideas for easy things todo at home with children under nine, plus tips forhandling everyday family life.

Collect bits and bobsfor mini art projectsAnything that catches your e

ye, pop in a

box and hey presto you have an unusual

art activity at your fingertips.

Did you know?Doing creative activities like painting, singing, playing aninstrument, listening to a story or making one up, andother creative activities, can help children’s braindevelopment. Dr Bruce Perry in the USA has researchedand written about the importance of play for healthy braindevelopment – you can read an article about this at:www.childtrauma.org/ctamaterials/Curiosity.asp

Older children and teenagers?Find something to grab their attentionfrom the hundreds of ‘how to’ factsheetson www.artattack.co.uk from X-raypictures to 3D scenes.

Foster care

secrets

Under fives andprimary schoolchildren?For quick and quirky things to

make at home visit www.bbc.co.uk/

cbeebies/makes/

!


8 Carers Can! Foster Play West Midlands

JUST PLAYING?JUST PLAYING?

Culture and heritageAll children play and can benefit from play – it is part ofchildhood no matter what your ethnicity, religion orcultural background. Make sure that children’s culturalheritage can be enjoyed and be part of play for them, by:

� checking that they have access to books and toys thatreflect and promote their heritage

� ensuring that when making a special book or memorybox with a child, it reflects the child’s culture andheritage too

� visiting places of interest to the child’s cultural andethnic background

� finding out about traditional dishes (as food is animportant part of our cultural traditions) and havingsome fun cooking and enjoying them together

� finding out about cultural traditions, talking aboutthem and taking part in celebrations.

When I look back to my childhood I alwaysremember playing – having a good time with myfamily and mates and playing outdoorsespecially. It seems like playing was all I did,

obviously it wasn’t but those memories are so strong! Lakhvir Sahota, Play England, West Midlands


3 Socio-dramatic play – children recreate real or possibleexperiences, often from their dailylives, like playing at house, lookingafter the baby, being the teacher ina class, telling off a naughty child.

6 Communication play – childrenexpress themselves with words,

play-acting, mime, jokes, mickey-

taking, singing, poetry and so on.

Children’s play experts say there are many different kinds of play.* Children are doing and experiencingdifferent things in each of them, and all have benefits. Can you recognise how your children are playing?

1 Symbolic play – children control,explore and increase theirunderstanding by using a symbol,

such as a piece of string tosymbolise a wedding ring.

12 Locomotor play – where childrencan move freely. This includesfamiliar childhood games likechase, hide-and-seek and justrunning around.

2 Rough-and-tumble play – chasing,wrestling, rolling about but clearlyenjoying it – children are in closecontact with each other, learningabout their strength and that ofothers, it is exciting and breathless. Ithelps children learn about touch andget to know each other.

7 Dramatic play – play aboutsomething that the child was not directly involved in – it could be a religious or festive event,something from TV or an event the child has attended such as a wedding.

4 Social play – where the rules areclear and everyone keeps to them,for example playing board, skippingor card games; or even makingsomething together. The rules canbe changed but everyone has toabide by them

5 Creative play – children createsomething of their own, adding

their ideas in the way they want.

They are making something for its

own sake whether it’s mud pies, a

drawing or a complex road system

for toy cars involving furniture and

the dog!

10 Fantasy play – when the child canrearrange their world their way, for

example, playing at being a pilot

flying around the world or amermaid swimming under the sea.

15 Role play – when children exploredifferent ways of being but not ofan intensely personal nature, somaybe they are driving a car orusing a mobile phone.

8 Deep play – where the childexperiences risk and must developsurvival skills and conquer fears, forexample, taking part in an assaultcourse or indoor rock-climbing.

11 Imaginative play – when the rulesof the world don’t apply so the childcan be a tree or a lion, or pat a dogwhich isn’t there.

14 Object play – play that uses

handling and movement of objects,

such as using a paintbrush or a pair

of scissors.

16 Recapitulative play – play thatallows the child to explore ancestry,history, rituals, stories, rhymes, fireand darkness.

13 Mastery play – this involveschildren controlling and doing things to change theirenvironment, like digging holes,changing the course of streams,making shelters or building fires.

Training and qualifications in playworkVisit www.skillsactive.com/playwork for general information about playwork training. Select‘Qualifications’ to view a leaflet about NVQ level 3 courses, which are fully funded for a limited time only.

Visit the website www.playworkactivepassport.com then select ‘Pathways to Playwork’ to find outabout playwork endorsed training and approved qualifications in the West Midlands.

Or email Steve Jolly, Play Strategy Manager, at steve.jolly@ skillsactive.com to find out more includingadvice and support.

*Adapted from: Hughes B (1996) A Playworker’sTaxonomy of Play Types.PLAYLINK.

9 Exploratory play – the child findsout something by exploring it: howit works, what it does or could do.The child uses lots of touching andmanipulating, such as a toddlerwhen stacking and scattering bricksor older children when buildingcomplex structures.



60 ACTIVE MINUTES60 ACTIVE MINUTESDo your kids get theirs everyday?Active kids are happy kids – they like to be up

and about, running around and having fun.

The trouble is, in this modern world they’ve got otherthings to do and plenty of reasons not to go outside andplay or run around.

In fact, kids need to do at least 60 minutes a day ofphysical activity that gets their heart beating fasterthan usual. And they need to do it every day to burn offcalories and prevent them from storing up excess fat inthe body which can lead to cancer, type 2 diabetes andheart disease.

Even at school they are sitting for much of the day, so getting the right amount of after-school activity is important.

Don’t forget their 60 active minutes a day at theweekend too!

Here are some top tips for active kids• Get them off the bus and out of the car – if it’s

walkable, walk it.

• Clock up 60-minutes’ worth of active play each day –after school and at the weekend. This includesrunning around, going to playgrounds and kids’outdoor games. And they’re all free!

• Get them splashing about. Whether it’s lengths ofthe pool, or just playing about in the shallow end, a trip to the pool is a great way to get them movingand wear them out.

• Get children outdoors to play – playing with ballsand general playing outside is one of the best waysto get them moving and having fun.

• Got a dog? Take the kids with you when you walk itor maybe borrow a neighbour’s or friend’s dog.

Photo © Jon Parker Lee Photography Ltd


• Play eye-spy on yourwalk to make it moreinteresting or gameslike ‘how many of thesecan you spot?’ (dogs,cats, red vans, buses).You get the idea!

• Get them on a bike –and maybe join them yourself. It’s safer than you think, great fun and gives kids a sense ofachievement. Almost everyone can learn to ride a bike and a cycling proficiency coursewill give them addedconfidence.

• Check out the clubs – look out for after school and community sports clubs and physical activitysessions. There are a wide range of sports andactivities out there that

Find out moreHow are the Kids? is a website with ideas, tips andinformation about how to keep children happy and healthy.Register on the site and you will get a free action packtailored to your family, find out what’s happening near you and get regular updates. Why not log on atwww.howarethekids.com or phone 0300 123 4567 (calls to 03 numbers should cost no more than geographic01 or 02 calls).

Find cycling proficiency courses near you by contactingyour local authority or ask at the local library for details. Also try www.bikeability.org.uk

Join Change4Life to get great practical ideas to keep you and your family eating well, moving more and livinglonger – little changes can make a big difference. Visitwww.nhs.uk/change4life/ or phone 0300 123 4567 andfind out what is happening in your local area.

Visit your local authority’s website to see if children andyoung people in your area can access the government’sSwim4Life programme, a free swimming programme, andto find out what activities are available near you.

Visit Youth Dance England to search the Youth DanceDirectory to find dance opportunities in the West Midlandswww.yde.org.uk

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The way life is today means that most of us spend toolong sitting down doing nothing. Remember kids’bodies are designed to be active and moving aroundwill help them burn off energy. Not being active meansour bodies don’t burn off enough fat, which leads to itstoring up inside.

• ‘2 hours max’ – You may find it helpful to set a limitto how long your children can sit still in front of theTV, computer or video game. Some families havefound saying ‘2 hours max’ of screen time each dayhelps them to make sure kids jump up and play, or gooutside after they’ve been sitting around for a while.

• Get them running around after school. We tend tothink that they get loads of exercise at school, butthey still need to be active out of school hours too.

• Get them up and about after eating, instead ofplonking down in front of the telly. Moving aroundhelps digestion and can be fun.

These days it’s all too easy for kids to eat an unhealthydiet and be inactive, meaning they can end up storingunused energy as fat in their bodies. This can put themat a greater risk of preventable illnesses in later life, soChange4Life is really important to their future.

UP AND ABOUTUP AND ABOUT

Find out moreFind sports facilities near you at www.activeplaces.comCounty Sports and Physical Activity Partnership websitescan tell you about local sports clubs and lots more. Visit:Birmingham: www.birmingham-sport.org.ukBlack Country: www.the-blackcountry.com/beactiveCoventry, Warwickshire & Solihull: www.cswsport.org.ukand search the directory

Herefordshire & Worcestershire: www.morethansport.comShropshire, Telford & Wrekin:www.shropshiretelfordwrekinsportspartnership.org.ukStaffordshire and Stoke on Trentwww.sportacrossstaffordshire.co.uk

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Carers from Dudley, their families and the childrenand young people they look after, recently had avery special day out at the Black Country LivingMuseum. It was opened for the day just for them.Kath Smith and Elaine Wall, who have both beenfoster carers for many years, thought it was awonderful day...

‘All the carers have been raving about it’‘It made us feel so special because it was just for us, we really felt valued’

The Black Country Living MuseumThe Black Country Living Museum

PLAYTIME FOR CARERSPLAYTIME FOR CARERS

Kath and Elaine described how a PamperDay for foster carers can get those ‘feelgood’ chemicals whizzing.

It was organised by the DudleyFostering Service in partnershipwith Halesowen College. Thestudents got to try their beautyand massage skills and thecarers had a day of delightfulattention and treatments. We allenjoyed the treatments verymuch and agreed that it hadshown us how important it is totake care of ourselves and maketime to relax, as the foster caringtask can certainly take its toll.

Go underground in a coalmine, travel on a tramcar or take a lesson in an oldfashioned school. This ‘living’ museum will take you back in time and let you meetthe people who lived there. Find out more at www.bclm.co.uk

Black Country Living Museum Trust, Tipton Road, Dudley DY1 4SQ

Tel: 0121 557 9643

Cost: Family tickets (2 adults and 3 children) cost £34.95. Parking charge.

www.show.me.uk is the UK’s galleries and museum website for children – use it to get childreninterested before you go or to exploreplaces too far away to visit. The mapshows what is near you and there arelots of activities and games to do online.

Find out about museums and galleries near you, by visitingwww.culture24.org.uk and searchingunder ‘Places to go’ then ‘WestMidlands’ for up-to-date informationabout exhibitions and events.

A manicure for Kath

Elaine gets a soothing facial

‘If you don’t take care ofyourself how can you takecare of anyone else?’


Play is an amazing tool that can help children get overdifficulties, catch up on developmental delays andlearn how to get on with others. That’s why play is soessential for looked after children – not only will it helpthem enjoy life and experience the joy of being a childbut it can also help them recover from earlier difficultexperiences.

Looked after children may not have had the everyday and ordinaryexperiences of being cared for and stimulated that help children develop– it seems the brain, our feelings and emotions, learning to trust and geton with people need to grow and develop just as our height, weight,learning to walk and run need to. Children who have been neglected arelikely to have been deprived of opportunities to play too – they may havehad a lack of toys and stimulating environments, a limited range ofplaces to explore, and little experience of adults who interact with themand encourage expression, for example.

Experts tell us that children who have been deprived of play opportunities have:

� poorer ability in motor tasks� lower levels of physical activity� poorer ability to deal with stressful or traumatic situations and events

� poorer ability to assess and manage risk� poorer social skills, leading to difficulties in negotiating socialsituations such as dealing with conflict and cultural difference.

The child trauma expert Bruce Perry* has described theimportance of play and pleasure for all children in thefollowing way.

The Importance of PlayKim Golding, a Clinical Psychologistin Worcestershire, explains...In the early years play is the main way by which childrenlearn about themselves, the world and how to relate toother people. Whilst attachment helps a child to feelsecure and safe, play and exploration helps a child tolearn and to develop confidence.

Children who have been traumatized or haveexperience of highly insecure attachments will put theirenergy into trying to feel safe and secure. This reducesplay and exploration; novelty becomes frighteningrather than exciting and the need to remain vigilantinhibits play and fun.

Helping the child to feel safe and secure enough to playis an important part of helping the child in care.

Play and lookedafter childrenPlay and lookedafter children


*Bruce Perry www.childtraumaacademy.com

How learning is driven by playPlay often stems from curiosity:

Curiosity leads to exploration

Exploration leads to discovery

Discovery leads to pleasure

Pleasure leads to repetition

Repetition leads to mastery

Mastery leads to new skills

New skills lead to confidence

Confidence leads to increased self-esteem

Self-esteem leads to a sense of security

Security leads to more learning


Well it’s easy... but there is one golden rule...

always make the child or young person feel safe first – if the game or activity involves touch, do tell them andcheck it is okay with them. I started with some simple playground clapping games – it got her near tome and we looked at our hands and at each other’s faces but she couldkeep a safe distance from me and know that nothing was going to happenexcept the clapping game. She enjoyed it and after a few days could notwait for us to play together for those 10 minutes.

Then we moved on to try some different things.

Drawing a football pitch on a big piece of paper with goals at each end, weplayed a game of football but used straws to blow cotton wool balls intothe goals. It meant lots of interaction and looking at each other.

Face painting was great as touch and trust was needed, I talked to herwhile I was painting her face – saying how nice it was to do somethingtogether and telling her what I was doing. You can adapt this for olderchildren and teenagers by making face masks instead – although manystill enjoy the facepaints whatever their age!

I used hand creams to massage her hands, all the while talking to herabout little details of how different our hands are.

We did some cooking together – there were lots of chances for being closeto each other, for example mixing ingredients in a bowl together, helpingher to roll out pastry by putting my hands on hers. It was fun to makethings together and eat them together.

I drew outlines of an eye and asked her to paint my eye – she had to keeplooking at me to get it right – lots of chances for giggles and smiles but at asafe distance. It made eye contact a pleasant experience for her.

We used paints to talk about and describe feelings, for example I mixedcolours to show that colours may change just as feelings do – angrycolours can become happy colours.

Tracey Taylor, an experienced foster carer from Coventry, has beenusing play to help the children she cares for build up their self-esteem and to develop trust between her and the children.

HELPING CHILDREN TRUSTHELPING CHILDREN TRUST

Some children have just not learnt or hadgood experiences of basic things like making eyecontact. For them being touched may not havebeen a good experience, it may have beenabout anger or neglect or abuse, so it is hardfor the child to be touched or even get closeto someone, it can be too frightening or thechild just freezes. Carers can help childrenbuild trust and relationships using playfulgames. I did a parenting course and what agreat time I had, I found out what it waslike to be a child all over again. At the end ofthe day we were given a box that containedpaints, paper, face paints and, believe it ornot, cotton�wool balls! I had a little girl placed with me who didn’ttrust adults, wouldn’t make eye contact withme and hated to be touched. I decided tospend 10 minutes every day trying some of theactivities from the course. And you knowwhat? It really worked! She changed from achild who panicked at any type of touch to achild who would interact and have eyecontact with me - she would come in fromschool bursting with excitement about whatshe had done that day, in a nutshell shelearnt to trust me.

II bbeett yyoouu aarree wwoonnddeerriinngg hhooww II ddiidd iitt……

Communicating through play Techniques for assessing and preparing children for adoption by Berni Stringer

This guide provides some creative,simple to do and fun activities tohelp children talk about theirfeelings, fears and hopes. Itincludes activities that can help achild build closeness, explorefamily relationships and enhanceself-esteem. This book is abouthow to help children moveforward to a successful andpermanent family and home.

Tracey reviewed Communicating through play and said:

‘This book has some great for tips and ideas that would work well for primary-school-aged children leaving for newhomes and help them to discuss how they feel. It doesn’treally cover younger children and, in my experience, it ismore difficult to find how they are feeling except throughobserving their behaviour. I would definitely find this book useful for helping children move on to a permanentfamily and home.’

Available from:British Association for Adoption and Fostering www.baaf.org.ukTel: 020 7421 2604Cost: £11.95 plus £2.00 postage and packing


BUILDING RESILIENCEBUILDING RESILIENCE

What helps build resilience What you can do

1 Strong social support networks Get them involved in local activities, playprovision, groups and clubs – they willget to meet people their own age andadults in the community.

2 At least one unconditionallysupportive parent or parentsubstitute

You are the parent substitute but it couldalso be a member of the child’s family –help them keep in contact if possible.

Playing with a child is one of the mostsupportive things you can do.

3 A committed mentor or otherperson from outside the family

Sometimes a playworker, youth worker, sports coach, a mentor or familysupport worker might be just the rightperson to take an interest in a child and encourage them.

4 Positive school experiences Make it about more than just going to school if you can – after-schoolactivities, school events and school trips can all help a child get more outof school and be more successful at school. Be sure to attend parentsevenings and special events to show your support.

5 A sense of mastery anda belief that one’sown efforts can make adifference

If a child has an interest or a special talent, then encourage it andsupport them to do it. Help them develop interests and hobbies –doing something they like is the best way to become good at it.

Playing in different ways can help children learn what they aregood at and gives you a chance to spot their talents.

Being able to deal with the ups and downs of life is something that looked after children and youngpeople can find difficult. They are easily put off and can give up at the first setback. Research hasidentified* what you can do to help children and young people become more resilient.



6 Participation in a range ofextracurricular activities thatpromote self�esteem

Help children to do things that make them feel good – remind them whenthey have achieved something, go to events they are part of, be proud of them, encourage them to bring friends home to play and make theirfriends welcome.

7 The capacity to re�frameadversities so that the beneficialas well as the damaging effectsare recognised

Be supportive when things do not go as expected or go wrong but alsoshow them how to deal with disappointments – a ‘never mind, what couldwe do differently next time? ‘ type approach.

8 The ability – or opportunity – to‘make a difference’ by helpingothers or through part�time work

Encourage children and young people to see what a difference they havemade. Helping with pets can be a good activity to try. Keep remindingthem when they have donesomething that helps someone else.

Give positive feedback to children’sown perceived achievements whenthey are playing.

Support young people to findinteresting work-experienceplacements.

9 Not to be excessively shelteredfrom challenging situations whichprovide opportunities to developcoping skills

Children and young people need to experience risk so that they canlearn about their physical, social andemotional possibilities and limitsand those of their environment –adventurous play is a good and safe way to do this.

Find out moreA new website for parents uses short videos of parents and carers andchildcare experts talking about how to deal with the everyday issues of beinga parent – including a section on ‘well-being’. Visit www.parentchannel.tv

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*Newman T and Blackburn S, (2002) Transitions in the Lives of Children and Young People: Resilience factors.Interchange N

o 78 Scottish Executive Education Departm

ent



Jo Thompson, Named Nurse for Looked afterChildren, answers a common worry from a fostercarer in the West Midlands

Dear Jo

I am caring for a nine-year-old boy who is quiteoverweight and also has asthma – sometimes he isvery breathless and has had a few bad attacks sincehe has been with us. I think it would be good for himto be more active as his favourite activities arecomputer games and watching TV! It wouldprobably help him lose weight too but I am not surewhat to suggest or if it will spark off an asthmaattack. He likes football and supports Worcester Citybut he doesn’t want to play – he says he’ll be rubbishand need his inhaler. My husband was thinking oftaking him to a home match and having a bit ofa kick about with him in the park to get himinterested. I think we need something for him to domore often and that won’t cause a problem, I thinkhe is a bit embarrassed about his size too. Whatwould you suggest?

Sharon

Just askJo replies:Dear Sharon

You are not alone, one in eleven children in the UK has asthma.Regular exercise benefits everybody – including people withasthma – it keeps our heart, bones and digestive system healthy.Being more active and staying fit can improve asthma and helpwith weight control.

First of all check with his doctor or asthma nurse to make sure thathis asthma is controlled as well as it can be.

You need to find something that your young lad feels confidentwith and enjoys. Talk to him about what he might like to do.Whatever it is keep it short and informal – your idea of a trip to afootball match and a kick-about in the park might just get himinterested and give him confidence. Try not to rush him to joinsomething before he is ready.

Think about other things he might like to do – maybe swimming –and encourage him to walk more. He might prefer to do somethingwith you or your family rather than join a club or team.

Whatever activity he does it is important to:

� tell the people he exercises with that he has asthma (whether itis formal like a training session or an informal kickabout withfriends)

� always make sure he has his Reliever inhaler with him whenexercising

� increase exercise levels gradually� make sure he always warms up and cools down thoroughly� if he has asthma symptoms when exercising, he should stop anduse his Reliever inhaler, and wait until he feels better beforecarrying on

� if exercise triggers his asthma symptoms he should use theReliever inhaler immediately before warming up

� if he has Preventer medicine he should take this as prescribed� help him to avoid contact with other things that trigger theasthma.

Taking part in activities can help him develop confidence and self-esteem as well as give him the chance to meet and make friendswith other children and, of course, to have a good time. You mightwant to mention that a few famous sports people have asthma too– like footballer David Beckham and athlete Paula Radcliffe – and ithasn’t stopped them!

HEALTH AND PLAY

Find out moreVisit www.asthma.org.ukwhere there is a section for parentsand carers and you can order free information booklets including:

Out there and active a guide for parents and carers of youngpeople with asthma – tips and advice

Asthma and my child – information and advice

Asthma UK also have an Adviceline staffed by asthma nursespecialists, 08457 01 02 03

www.kickasthma.org.uk is a fun website for childrenand young people packed with games and quizzes thathelp to explain asthma in child-friendly language andfeature the Kick-A crew.

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Did you knowNHS Choices is the one stop website for everything to dowith health. If you want to find out about a condition, check

symptoms, get advice or find out about healthy lifestyles for

yourself and the children then visit www.nhs.uk

If you need to talk to someone you can call NHS Direct on0845 4647 24-hours-a-day.

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Dear Mandy and EmmaI would like to get the teenage girl we care forinvolved in some activities that are safe but excitingtoo. She’s 13 and has learning difficulties - she’s veryshy and can be too trusting with people and she hasbeen bullied by other children. I think she needs aninterest or somewhere to go where she can makefriends but still be supervised a bit - she needs tolearn to get on with other kids her own age, makesome local friends and feel good about herself. As shegoes to a special school, her school�friends don’t livenearby. She did horse riding on a school trip once andstill talks about it, so I thought that might be good as there are stables fairly near. I asked her socialworker but she�s not keen as she says it might bedangerous. I am at a bit of a loss.Leila

Mandy replies:Dear Leila

Yes, it can be a bit of worry – it’s that

balance between helping young people

do something more challenging and

making sure they are safe. First, find out if

this young woman would like to do horse

riding on a regular basis – it may have been fun

once but she might not want to do it every week!

The 2009 Statutory Guidance on Promoting the Health and Well-

being of Looked after Children says that ‘Access to positive leisure

activities is vital to well-being and provides opportunities to meet

and interact with others, build social or other skills and self-esteem,

to develop friendships and to come into contact with trusted adults.’

If this young woman wants to do horse riding or another activity then

it would fit perfectly with the guidance.

Gather some information and get back to the social worker.

� It is important to ensure that the riding school has appropriately

qualified staff, so questions to ask are:

– Are they approved by the British Horse Society

(www.bhs.org.uk) or the Association of British Riding Schools

(www.abrs-info.org)? You can also check this yourself via

the websites.

– Do they provide instructors with expertise and experience

in working with disabled people?

– Do they provide any Riding for the Disabled group sessions?

– Can they provide or hire safety equipment?

� Check the Riding for the Disabled website for information about

their groups and activities in your area (www.rda.org.uk). They

aim to enable disabled people to ride or carriage drive to benefit

their health and well-being. Suggest the social worker looks at

the case studies on their website describing this.

� Contact the school and ask how she coped on the school trip,

what advantages do they think horse riding could offer and

would they have any concerns? It will give you more information

to help make a decision and convince the social worker.

Raise it for discussion at the young woman’s next LAC review,

encourage her to say what she thinks about it. Suggest her interests

are included on her health plan and education plan as this will help

her get support to keep up her interests, including possibly using

her personal educational allowance to support leisure activities.

Emma replies:Dear Leila

There are risks to horse riding, but encourage the social worker tolook at the benefits of the activity. This young woman is already shyand may not have the same social opportunities and skills as othersher age. Encouraging her to do activities that interest her and withpeople her age could have a big impact on her social development.And she has a right to play!

National charity KIDS advocates the Bridging Model – a bridging orlink worker to link a young person and their family with an activityprovider or setting. Several local authorities now have versions ofthis model. Over time, as confidence grows, the bridging workerwithdraws. Some bridging workers are attached to a specifiedgroup of settings. For more information on the model contact KIDSat www.kids.org.uk/pip

Aiming High for Disabled Children is a government programmefunding short breaks for disabled children, young people and theirfamilies. It can also support disabled children and young people todo activities that they want to do. In this case, that sounds like horseriding! All local authorities have funding but they may use it indifferent ways. Ask the social worker how it works in your area.Have you considered a personal assistant (PA) to help this youngwoman access any activities she wants to try, including horse riding.The PA would be in the background to make sure her needs are met.This support can be accessed using Direct Payments. Under-16scan’t apply for Direct Payments, but as the person with parentalresponsibility, and as you are already in contact with social services,you may be able to access it on her behalf. Talk to the social worker,or try visiting www.direct.gov.uk for more information.

Find out morewww.rda.org.uk Riding for the Disabled Association provides information about groups around the countryand other support, such as specialist equipment. They also offer opportunities for learning about horses andbeing involved in their care, as well as providing therapy.www.cafamily.org.uk Contact a Family is a charity providing advice, information and support to the parents ofall disabled children. Its website lists local groups and activities in the West Midlands.

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Mandy Bainbridge, Designated Nurse for LookedAfter Children in Warwickshire, and Emma Kirk, KIDSPlaywork Inclusion Project, suggest how to supportyoung people to do activities of their choice


Amazing places

Wolverhampton Old Fallings Adventure PlaygroundOld Fallings Crescent, Low Hill, Wolverhampton WV10 9PUTel: 01902 552 303

This exciting, inclusive adventure playground has a part-burieddome, allowing play to go on inside and on top of the building, a secret garden with boulders, tunnels, water features, astorytelling area and more.

Coventry Allesley ParkAllesley Hall, Drive Allesley Park, Coventry CV5 9AD Tel: 02476 832368

Discover lots of natural play opportunities, tree trunks to climbon, a big zip wire and climbing structure, a crazy spinning top andmusical play equipment. It is within a large park and has manyother attractions including crazy golf, a walled garden, footpathsand plenty of open space to enjoy.

Dudley Sycamore AdventureSycamore Green Adventure Centre, Old Park Farm Estate, Dudley DY1 3QE www.sycamoreadventure.co.uk

State of the art indoor and outdoor adventure play facilities,completely accessible for children with disabilities. It is the onlyadventure playground in the country to offer overnight, short-break accommodation for children with profound and complexdisabilities. You need to book to visit and can do this online at:www.sycamoreadventure.co.uk or phone 01384 813755.

Staffordshire Craythorne Woods Adventure Play AreaCraythorne Road, Rolleston on Dove, Staffordshire DE13 0BATel: 01785 278 709

In a rural setting, this site encourages children to explore thenatural environment. Constructed by the community, there is large mound, a space net, a shelter and challengingadventurous kit for older children.

to play in theAmazing places

to play in theWhy not visit one of these great new play spaces and get your children and young people to test them out. Built using both lottery money andgovernment playbuilder funding, these spaces have been designed withchildren in mind and are just waiting for you to come and have some fun.Contact each playground to see what's on offer.

Craythorne Woods


Allesley Park


Broadway Play Area

West Midlands

West Midlands

Find out moreFor information about play spaces and activities for childrenand young people in your area:

Check your local authority website and see what isavailable for children and young people – it will also tell you about special events.

Ask at your local library – there will usually be a directoryof children’s services.

Phone your local Family Information Service orChildren’s Information Service – you can find the numberthrough your local authority website or ask at the library.

Visit www.cafamily.org.uk – a UK-wide charity providingadvice, information and support to the parents of alldisabled children. Check the ‘In your area’ section andsearch for West Midlands or phone 0808 808 3555

Use the postcode finder at www.nhs.uk/change4lifeto find out about sports and leisure facilities near you.

If you live in Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall orWolverhampton, visit www.playspace.tv to find out about local play spaces.

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Worcestershire Broadway Play AreaHigh Street, Broadway, WR12 7DTTel: 01386 854 813

This large site caters for all age ranges and includes a toddlerplay area, tunnels and a pendulum swing. There is also aclimbing wall and boulder, a roundabout and a high-intensity, physical zone – plenty for everyone to let offsteam! To access the area follow the alleyway at the side ofthe pub on the High Street.

WarwickshireCaldecott ParkLancaster Road, Rugby, Warwickshire CV21 2QNTel: 01788 547 621

Located in this popular town centrepark, this Heritage Lottery Fundsupported play area offers interestingand stimulating equipment for children of all age ranges and includes a toddlers’ play area.

Caldecott Park

Find out moreFor more information on any of these or other sites acrossthe West Midlands, contact Play England – West Midlandson 0121 245 0159 or email [email protected]

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Who said that?Our aim, shared with childre

n, young people and parents,

is for all children to be able to enjoy a range of safe and

exciting places to play close to where they live.

Answer: The Government! Play strategy 2008

!



It is often said that children are too protected these days –parents and carers are afraid to let them out of their sight – weworry about traffic, ‘stranger danger’, air pollution, allergies,stray dogs, germs and so the list goes on.

Foster carer Mandy Blair fromBirmingham has some words of adviceA risk-benefit assessment is just a list of what you are going to doabout something and what you are going to do is common sense.Don’t let it put you off doing an activity – see it more as a ‘To do’ list.

We are constantly risk-benefit assessing but don’t notice it or record itbecause it is a part of what we do – every time you get rid of a broken toy you arerisk-benefit assessing, making sure children are securely fastened with seatbelts inthe car and taking the first aid box with you on a trip out... it’s common sense,sensible and practical.

When I go out on trips somewhere new I check it out first – so for something like anadventurous activity I want to know what equipment and training they have, whattheir insurance covers, do they provide specialist equipment and so on . You cancheck this when you check times and how much it will cost. Then write it down asthat’s how you show you have done a risk-benefit assessment. Remember childrendo exciting activities all the time and most don’t come to harm – in fact, they have a very good and safe time!

For some activities you will need permission from the child’s social worker and/or parent, so talk to them about it – tell them what you have found out and thebenefits for the child. Disabled children sometimes get fewer opportunities to tryexciting activities but most things can be adapted and access is getting better allthe time – we need to keep thinking ‘Oh yes we can!’

RISKS AND BENEFITS OF PLAYRISKS AND BENEFITS OF PLAY

The government says children must learn to manage risks...Children need to take risks to learn how to manage risks. This is anessential part of growing up, and play is one of the most important waysin which they develop this vital skill. Riding a bicycle, climbing a scramblenet or pushing a friend on a swing all involve risk. We cannot, and shouldnot try to, remove all the risk from play.The Play Strategy 2008

Risk-benefitassessmentIssy Cole-Hamilton of PlayEngland suggests we look at risk more positively:‘When you are doing a riskassessment think about thebenefits of the activity as wellas the risks. This way you will be able to make a balancedjudgement about thesuitability of the activity for the child and what they – and you – might get out of it.’

Playday 2009 in Dudley


‘Health and Safety’ is the butt of many jokes and is supposedly what’sstopped us doing all sorts of everyday things. Well the Health and SafetyExecutive have published a series of myth busting posters and a mythbusting calendar... have a chuckle!

Myth: Children need to be wrapped in cotton wool to keep them safe The realityHealth and safety law is often used as an excuse to stopchildren taking part in exciting activities, but well-managedrisk is good for them. It engages their imagination, helps themlearn and even teaches them to manage risks for themselvesin the future. They won’t understand about risk if they’rewrapped in cotton wool.

Risk itself won’t damage children, but ill-managed andoverprotective actions could!

Health and safety myths

?Find out moreThe Child Accident Prevention Trust provides expert andpractical information on how to prevent accidents to childrenand young people. Visit www.capt.org.uk or test yourknowledge in the parent and carer safety quizzes atwww.childsafetyweek.org.uk (look in the parent section), youcan also sign up for a free child safety week booklet and poster.Information on First Aid for parents and carers of babies andyoung children – how to deal with emergencies like choking,burns, an unconscious child and more – is available atwww.childrenfirstaid.redcross.org.uk RoSPA’s child safety information covers issues such as car seats,carrying other people’s children in a car, safety in the home andlots more. Visit www.rospa.com or phone 0121 248 2000.

Myth: Kids must wear goggles to play conkersThe realityIit’s one of the oldest chestnuts around – a truly classicmyth. A well-meaning headteacher decided childrenshould wear safety goggles to play conkers. Subsequentlysome schools appear to have banned conkers on ‘healthand safety’ grounds or made children wear goggles, or evenpadded gloves!

Realistically, the risk from playing conkers is incredibly lowand just not worth bothering about. If kids deliberately hiteach other over the head with conkers, that’s a disciplineissue, not a health and safety one.

Reproduced under the terms of the Click-Use Licence



Tracey Reynolds, an experienced fostercarer from Herefordshire, enjoys gettingout into the countryside with the childrenshe cares for.

As a family we often go to a small local wood. We never tire ofit and nor do the children – even the older ones. A favourite gameis for one trustworthy youngster to go ahead and lay a trail ofarrows made with sticks. We follow the trail with the youngerchildren and it almost always ends up at a small stream. Thatusually leads to splashing about and building a dam out ofbranches and twigs – great fun. Sometimes there is a bit of treeclimbing too. We end up at a small lake for a picnic. I don’t know ifmud builds confidence but getting mucky seems to be verypopular. I always bring bin bags to put on the car seats for the verymuddy children to sit on! The children love these days out – thereis something so carefree about them and it costs practicallynothing but time and some extra washing.

Tracey’s tips for a successfulday out in the country� Bring raincoats and wellies – then it doesn’tmatter about mud or rain, in fact that might be even better!

� Pack lots of drinks and a picnic – then you can stop wherever you like then. Includesomething hot in a flask, there may not be a cafe and it is warming on a cold day.

� Pack the essentials – bin bags for muddyclothes and boots, wet wipes and tissues,and the First Aid box. Stuff a carrier bag inyour pocket for those treasures that arefound on the way – feathers, specialpebbles, conkers, interesting leaves and unusual twigs.

� Remember the camera – photos of a muddychild in the middle of puddle can be just the best, the children love them.

� Don’t plan anything for the evening – the childrenmay fall asleep in the car but you will have to wait until later... A day in the woods is very tiring!

?Mud andMud and confidenceconfidence

Find out morewww.wildlifewatch.org.uk is the website of the junior branch ofThe Wildlife Trust. It has lots of information about wildlife andactivities to do at home, indoors and out. You can register formore information and free downloads, like bird-spotting charts,and find your local Wildlife Trust.

www.bbc.co.uk/breathingplaces/ tells you about places nearyou where children can explore the natural world and there aresuggestions for activities to bring nature to your doorstep.

www.naturedetectives.org.uk provides child-friendlyinformation about how to find out more about nature, includinggames and quizzes and ideas for things to do.

www.rspb.org.uk/youth/ the children’s section of the RoyalSociety for the Protection of Birds with lots of activities and gamesfor all ages plus a free book to send off for.

www.naturalengland.org.uk the Countryside Visitors sectionincludes places to enjoy the natural environment near you, checkBreathing Places and Nature Reserves.


You don’t have to live in the countryside tointroduce children to the natural world – a garden or park will do just fine. Here are someactivities to try…

Build a bug hotelProvide a lovely home for all sorts of bugs and beasties...

Find a quiet part of the garden for the children to build their bug hotel – it’s best if it’s notdisturbed too much by footballs and the like.

Collect twigs, branches and dried leaves – you can find ideas for bug hotels atwww.buglife.org.uk/getinvolved/gardening/

It doesn’t have to be a five star bug hotel – they will be quite happy with a simple one!

Encourage the children to visit the bug hotel regularly and – without disturbing the guests – to notice how many have moved in and what kind of guests have been attracted.Really keen bug hoteliers will want to keep aguest list, draw them, count them – just makesure they don’t get invited home for tea!

A magnifying glass can make looking at smallbugs much more interesting.

You might want to get a book aboutinsects to help children recognisethem, so try the library. And visitwww.buglife.org.uk/discoverbugsand www.wildlifetrusts.org forlifelike images of bugs and minibeasts of all kinds!

confidenceconfidence

Foster care secretsWhen a child gains knowledge about something and becomes abit of an ‘expert’ they also get to feel successful. So becoming abird watcher, a rock collector or a bug detective can help themgain more than you think.

Making something, like the bug hotel, helps children feel that theyare capable of doing different things. Every time they see it theyremember that they did that – and look at it now!

!

Photo © Z Bunter


Great places to go in the

Birmingham Nature Centre and Cannon Hill Parkare just two miles from the city centre. This delightful animalkingdom is home to otters, deer, wallaby, pigs, rabbits, reptilesand many more animals. It is right next to the River Rea andCannon Hill Park. The park has a children’s play area, boatinglake, wild flower meadow, tennis courts and cycling route.

A fantastic day out – bring a picnic!

Birmingham Nature Centre, Pershore Road, Birmingham B5 7RLTel: 0121 472 7775 – Nature CentreTel: 0121 442 4226 – Cannon Hill ParkWebsites: www.birmingham.gov.uk/naturecentre(weekends only in the winter) and www.birmingham.gov.uk/cannonhillpark

Cost for the Nature Centre: £3.00 for adults, £1 for children aged 5 to 15, under-5s go free, £2.00 concessions.

Central Forest Park, Hanley is home to the largest skateplaza in Europe and, if that’s not enough, there is a safari-themedadventure play facility and bouldering area – for children andadults to climb over – cycle routes, a picnic area, a lake and ofcourse a forest!

The park can be easily reached on foot from Stoke-on-Trent citycentre and there is a car park off Chell Street by the lake.

Central Forest Park,Chell Street, SneydGreen, Stoke-on-Trent ST1 6BBTel: 01782235108Website:www.visitstoke.co.ukand look in Fun for theKids for Central ForestPark

Cost: free.

Carding Mill Valley and the Shropshire Hills are greatplaces for a wild day out – walk through upland heath and picnicby countryside streams. See the famous Long Mynd, the mostimportant upland for wild birds in the West Midlands. A fantasticplace for nature lovers, with lots of bugs, birds, trees, fish, wildflowers and interesting geology.

National Trust tearooms, a shop and toilets are at: Chalet Pavilion,Carding Mill Valley, Church Stretton, Shropshire SY6 6JGTel: 01694 723068

Discovery Visitor Centre shop, information, cafe and toilets areat: Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre, School Road, CravenArms, Shropshire SY7 9RS

Websites: www.cardingmillvalley.org.uk andwww.shropshirehills.info

Cost: free – be prepared for the weather and being outdoors all day.

The West Midlands has some fantastic places for a good day out for all ages.Doing something different together gives everyone a break, getting outdoorshelps let off steam and it’s a great way to get some exercise. Don’t forget to takephotos... they add to happy childhood memories.


The West Midlands has some fantastic places for a good day out for all ages.Doing something different together gives everyone a break, getting outdoorshelps let off steam and it’s a great way to get some exercise. Don’t forget to takephotos... they add to happy childhood memories.

Carding Mill Valley Cannon Hill Park Birmingham Nature Centre Central Forest Park Telford Town Park

Carding Mill Valley and the Shropshire Hills Carding Mill Valley and the Shropshire Hills

Central Forest ParkCentral Forest Park


Telford Town Park is just minutes from the town centre butworlds away – with a nature reserve, ponds, woodlands andwildlife. There are also activities for children: a woodenadventure park, an amazing rocket slide and enclosed sand areafor toddlers. So there’s something for everyone, including a cafefor a cup of tea!

Telford Town Park, Spout Farm House, Telford TF3 4AQTel: 01952 382340Website: www.telfordtownpark.co.uk

Cost: entry to the park is free; the Teddies Town Train around the park costs £1 for adults, 50p for children, under-3s go free.

Coombe Country Park offers woodlands and the first‘climbing forest’ in England – great for climbing, scrambling and swinging through trees. Walk around the lake, play games on the open field and younger visitors will enjoy theplayground where some equipment has been designed fordisabled children.

Coombe Country Park, Brinklow Road, Binley, Coventry, West Midlands CV3 2ABTel: 02476 453720Website: www.coventry.gov.uk/coombe

Cost: free, £3.00 car park charge.

Worcester Woods Country Park has a hundred acres ofancient oak woodland to wander through – a rare experiencefor us all these days. Its waymarked walks, nature reserve,orchard and children’s play area providethe space and freedom to let off steamand enjoy the natural world. You candownload a children’s activity pack fromthe website before you visit.

Worcester Woods Countryside Centre,Wildwood Drive, Worcester WR5 2LGTel: 01905 766493Website: www.worcestershire.gov.ukand search for Worcester Woods.

Cost: free.

Foster care secrets…Bring a packed lunch – it’s cheaper and can be healthierand you won’t waste time queuing or trying to findsomewhere that suits everyone.

Consider going by train – if you book tickets in advanceand use a Family Railcard it can be very cheap. Using thetrain can be a bit of an adventure, you avoid traffic jamsand it’s less pressure on the person who usually drives...probably! To find out about rail travel visitwww.nationalrail.co.uk

Plan a trip with others – with another fostering family orlarge family – by joining together you may qualify for largegroup discounts at attractions. Check websites andpublicity materials for details.

Keep a box of essential items ready to take on trips out– like first aid, travel wipes and sunscreen – it saves tryingto remember to pack it all on the morning of a trip.Look out for special offers for local attractions – theyare often advertised in local newspapers but you mayneed to buy them regularly to collect tokens, etc.Check the weather forecast before you leave atwww.bbc.co.uk/weather – at least you’ll be prepared!

West MidlandsWest MidlandsCentral Forest Park Telford Town Park Telford Town Park Worcestershire Woods Coombe Country Park

Worcestershire WoodsWorcestershire Woods

For more great ideas for days out in the West Midlands: www.visittheheart.co.uk – look out for the top free

attractions page.

www.enjoyengland.com – search for places to go and

special events near you or further afield.

www.nationaltrust.org.uk parks, mansions and open

spaces across the West Midlands, some are free or an

annual family ticket is good value.

!


To get a free copy of the

Charter for Children’s Play

email:[email protected]

or call 020 7843 6300

Published for Play England by NCB. Play England is part of NCB and is supported by the Big Lottery Fund. Play England, 8 Wakley Street, London EC1V 7QE www.playengland.org.uk

play england A2.indd 1 16/3/09 09:26:35

Children have the right to play

Every child needs time and space to playAdults should let children play

Children should be able to play freely in their local areas

Children value and benefit from staffed play provisionChildren’s play is enriched by skilled playworkers

Children at school need time and space to play

Children sometimes need

extra support to enjoy their

right to play

To get a free copy of the

Charter for Children’s Play

email:[email protected]

or call 020 7843 6300

Published for Play England by NCB. Play England is part of NCB and is supported by the Big Lottery Fund. Play England, 8 Wakley Street, London EC1V 7QE www.playengland.org.uk

play england A2.indd 1 16/3/09 09:26:35

Play England have developed a Charter forChildren’s Play. It sets out a vision for play,outlining the basic principles of what playmeans for children and what we should alldo to promote their right to enjoy it.For more information on the Charter andhow you can order copies visitwww.playengland.co.uk/resources


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