APPENDIX 2 SANDWELL’S PLAY POLICY Putting Children And Young People First

‘Every Child in Sandwell has

an equal right to play in a safe and stimulating

environment. To be healthy and enjoy childhood experiences

through a range of quality formal and informal play

opportunities’

PLAY’S MAKING A DIFFERENCE Through Play ensuring that Every Child in Sandwell does Matter.

FOREWORD

Children in play are fantastically creative, both in the roles they adopt and with the objects from

which they create their fun and games.

Play is an essential part of every child’s life and vital to the processes of human

development. It provides the mechanism for children to explore the world around them and

the medium through which skills are developed and practiced. It is essential for their social,

physical, intellectual, creative, emotional and spiritual growth.

All children in Sandwell deserve the right to be given the opportunities to flourish and take full

and active roles in the decision-making processes that effect their lives and communities.

Sandwell Council’s Play Policy and Strategy has been developed in a true spirit of partnership

with the statutory and voluntary sectors. It harnesses the views and aspirations of children and

determines priorities for investment in play opportunities that are both challenging and

rewarding to children’s experiences.

This Play Policy is Sandwell Council’s commitment to provide and encourage others to deliver

quality and accessible play for all children. This is our commitment to the children of Sandwell.

Councillor Bill Thomas Leader Of Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council

FOREWORD

Play is fundamental to how children and young people develop their emotional, physical and

intellectual potential. Play encourages children to explore, practice, build up skills, take risks,

make mistakes and learn how to think imaginatively and with creativity. Children gain a real

sense of achievement through play and learn how to cooperate with other children. Play is a

way for children to explore new means of expressing their ideas. Above all, play is fun and it

makes learning fun.

Sandwell Council values its children and young people. It values their rights and promotes

their entitlements to play in safe, welcoming environments.

Sandwell Council's Play Policy and Strategy are important tools in raising the profile of

children’s play and for securing much needed resources for Borough. It demonstrates the

Council’s commitment to children’s play opportunities and links with a number of corporate

policies and agendas that have children’s interests at heart.

Sandwell Council’s Play Policy and Strategy provide a shared understanding of the meaning

of play and provides examples of the types of play provision that exists across the Borough.

They connect the energies and creativity of stakeholders in making its vision a reality for the

children and residents of Sandwell.

I would like to thank the children and parents involved in the consultation towards the

Strategy. Their valuable contributions will determine the Council’s future investment in

children’s play opportunities.

I would also like to express thanks to all those involved in putting the policy and strategy

together, sharing their views, contributing to discussions and by helping in the detailed

planning.

Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council

CONTENTS

Ref Topic Page

1 Introduction 5

2 Defining Play 6-7

3

3.1

3.2

3.3

Why children’s play matters in Sandwell

Every Child Matters

The Benefits of Play

Enriched Play Environments

7-8

8-9

9-10

10-11

4

4.1

4.2

4.3

4.4

4.5

4.6

4.7

4.8

4.9

4.10

Policy Statements Community & environmental play

Play in parks and open green spaces

Play and physical health and fitness

Mental health

Safeguarding

Risk and play

Inequality & exclusion, equality and diversity

Legislative requirements

Quality Assurance standards

• Quality Assurance schemes

• Play work National Occupational Standards

• Criminal Records Bureau (CRB)

• OfSted National Childcare Standards

Workforce Development

11

12-15

15-16

16

16

16-17

17-18

18

19

19

19

19

19

19

20

5 Play and Culture 20

6 Play England’s – Revised Charter for Play 20

7 Conclusion 21

1 INTRODUCTION

Sandwell Council recognises the importance of providing stimulating play opportunities for children and is committed to raising the profile of play by enhancing the quality and quantity of current and future play provision across the Borough.

The Play Policy sets out Sandwell Council’s vision for play, anchored in a strong value base that promotes children’s rights and freedom to play, balanced alongside their social responsibilities towards the wider community. It highlights the benefits of play and the need to deliver free innovative and inclusive play opportunities for local children to play in safe environments. Sandwell Council acknowledges the importance of play for all its children linking this key activity to the Every Child Matters Agenda as well as Article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. As a Council we have responsibilities to ensure that all our children have access to play, are safe, healthy, able to make a positive contribution, reach their potential and enjoy their childhood living in an environment that is economically viable.

This Play Policy links with all other council’s strategies and plans to ensure a co-ordinated approach to play services. Sandwell Council is committed to welcoming all newly arrived children and their families and acknowledges the benefits of a richly diverse community. We strive to ensure that all our children feel included and welcomed and see that play has a vital role to play in community cohesion.

Sandwell Council has a shared responsibility with parents and carers; the voluntary and private sector and community groups to facilitate play opportunities for all children across the Borough.

Sandwell Council’s Play Policy provides a shared understanding of the meaning of play and an emphasis on ensuring that services that are responsible for children provide an appropriate play environment. The Council draws on Dr Macintyre (2001) and Janet R Moles (1989) research based publications, which provide a valuable source of reference on the subject of how play enhances children’s learning and development. Extracts from their publication Child Development through Play (SPICES) can be found in Appendix B of The Sandwell’s Play Strategy

In meeting children’s play needs and aspirations, Sandwell Council will work strategically with partners and key stakeholders and take into consideration a combination of factors, including the targeting of social need, co-ordinating play opportunities delivered by different agencies, monitoring quality standards and relevant legislative requirements, promoting equality, involving children and community in play developments, capitalising on available resources and promoting the long term sustainability of play provision.

2. DEFINING PLAY

Although we all recognise play when we see it, it is notoriously difficult to define. Best Play offers the following, which is widely accepted within the playwork sector:

“Play is freely chosen, personally directed, intrinsically motivated behaviour that actively engages the child. Play can be fun or serious. Through play children explore social, material and imaginary worlds and their relationship with them, elaborating all the while a flexible range of responses to the challenges they encounter. “ From Best Play – what play provision should do for children NPFA/PLAYLINK/Children’s Play Council (2001)?

Getting Serious About Play uses the straightforward description of play as ‘What children and young people do when they follow their own ideas and interests in their own way and for their own reasons’. While the play strategy may adopt a simple definition, it is important to recognise the diversity, complexity and richness of children’s play. Recognising this level of variety and complexity is helpful when planning for play as it helps us think beyond play equipment and kick-around pitches.

“As well as really good, well-organised activities... we need to provide children with opportunities for adventures. A load of constructive material must be put at their disposal. Children must be able to play games and let their imaginations roam around the possibility of using such material.” Hilton Dawson, MP, Hansard, 2003.

These definitions suggest two things: • That play arises from children’s innate need to express themselves, to explore,

learn about and make sense of their world; and • That its benefits for children derive from them choosing it and doing it for

themselves. Given this, much of children’s play is likely to be spontaneous and unpredictable, although there is a place for more structured activities too where children choose them.

The adult role in play provision is to enable rather than to direct. This is reflected in the playwork qualifications framework.

The role of the playworker is to support all children and young people in the creation of a space in which they can play. Playwork Principles, 2005.

The right to play is a child’s first claim on the community, because play is natures training for life. (David Lloyd George 1925) CPC- Best Play (2000)

The steering group of the play policy acknowledged that children’s play can be carried out in structured environments and with elements of supervision, however agreed that play should be based on the following statement:

Play is non-directed is and based on children’s choices

Sandwell Council recognises the importance of play under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which states:

“Children have the right to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to their age and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts.” Article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child

Sandwell’s Play Policy seeks to drive home these policy statements aforementioned in order that the vision for play is fully implemented.

“Every child in Sandwell has an equal right to play in a safe and stimulating environment. To be healthy and enjoy childhood experiences through a range of quality formal and informal play opportunities”

3. WHY CHILDREN’S PLAY MATTERS IN SANDWELL

Play is of fundamental importance for children and young people’s health and well being, their relationships, their development and their learning. There is increasingly strong evidence, however, that children’s opportunities to play are limited by factors outside their control: the dominance of the car in residential roads, lack of tolerance for children and young people, lack of access to and conflicts over use of local spaces in both rural and urban areas, fears for safety, increased focus on academic learning and structured activities outside school hours, the effects of disability, poverty and other social conditions, commercial pressures and more.

While the decline in play opportunities affects children generally, the impact is disproportionately greater on disabled children and children living with other forms of social or economic disadvantage, for whom access to free and enjoyable play spaces is especially important.

“Can you remember digging in the mud for worms? Or making perfume from rose petals? Or just hanging out with friends, talking about things, listening to music? Or walking with your eyes closed to see what it felt like? Climbing trees? Playing pranks on grown-ups? Doing things you knew you shouldn’t? Making things, reading, dreaming, hanging out, running, jumping, making yourself dizzy, pretending to be someone else?” Gloucestershire Play Policy, 2005.

The Children’s Play Council’s publications, ‘Best Play – What Play Should Do For Children’ and ‘Making a case for Play- Building Polices and Strategies for School Age Children’, set out a series of researched based play work values and principles that have been created, endorsed and adopted by the play work field. Sandwell Council acknowledges and will fully support the Play Charter as formulated by the Children’s Play Council and seeks to implement its objectives across all service areas.

These publications emphasise that play is a natural, healthy activity, and that providing good quality play opportunities means ensuring choice, equality of opportunity, recognising children’s abilities, respecting children’s needs and wishes and allowing children space, time and understanding for play, including managed opportunities for children to explore risk.

3.1 Every Child Matters

The Council believes that Every Child Matters in Sandwell and therefore will embed this Play Policy across other key policies and influence it’s partner agencies. Children’s play is closely linked to each of the five outcomes for children and young people, namely: being healthy, staying safe, enjoying and achieving, making a positive contribution and achieving economic well-being. The following statements set out how good play provision helps to meet the five outcomes.

Being healthy Play is crucial to health and development throughout childhood, contributing to social, physical, intellectual, cultural, emotional and psychological development. The physical activity involved in energetic play provides children and young people with a significant amount of their regular exercise. Research shows that school-aged children and young people get more exercise in free play than from most structured activities, excepting only P.E. Good play opportunities give children and young people the chance to try out and experience a range of emotions in a 'safe' way. It allows them to learn and develop emotionally by promoting resilience and fostering self-esteem.

Staying safe One of the main reasons children give for not playing outdoors more is that they and their parents are afraid for their safety. Fear of strangers, traffic and bullying by other children combine to keep children in their own homes. Good play provision protects children through reducing unacceptable levels of danger, while allowing them the opportunity to challenge themselves and use their initiative. At the same time, play enables children to take risks, to think through decisions and gain increased self-confidence and greater resilience. Enjoying and achieving The essence of play is enjoyment. When playing, children define their own goals and interests, decide what is success or failure and pursue those goals in their own way. Children’s enjoyment through play is linked to the control and choice they are able to exercise. Giving children the chance for free, uninhibited play allows them a psychologically safe space in which to try out new roles and experiences and enhances their enjoyment of life. There are many developmental and experiential advantages associated with children’s play – providing children also with the opportunities for achievement and enabling them to reach their full potential. These include the development of problem solving and language and literacy skills as children and young people develop their social skills and express their emotions. Play is also seen as important in the development of children’s imaginations and creative interests and abilities. Play allows children and young people to explore boundaries, be fully absorbed in what they are doing and feel satisfied with what they have achieved.

Making a positive contribution Children’s involvement in the development of their own play is fundamental. Children learn, from the way others and the environment react to their play, the effects of their actions and value others place on them. When there are no adults present, children will create and make their own choices. In good supervised play provision, adults involve the children and young people in decisions about resources and facilities that might be available to them. Sandwell is increasingly involving children and young people in local play audits and discussions about their play and free time needs. This results in more appropriate provision, helps children and young people develop their skills and knowledge and ensures they are valued as active community members. Respecting and incorporating children and young people’s views into our plans and provision helps develop motivation and, potentially, participation in society. Economic well-being Good play provision enables parents to work or train and allows them to feel their children are happy, safe and enjoying themselves. Offering parents the opportunity to have time away from their children can also be an important benefit of play provision. Play provision often acts as a focal point for parents and carers to meet, giving them an opportunity to socialise with other adults. The creative and social skills that children develop through play help them to develop the lateral thinking and emotional intelligence that are becoming increasingly important in a globalise, non-hierarchical economy. Good play provision promotes community well-being and security. It brings economic benefits through jobs and training, and parents can feel confident their children are occupied and enjoying themselves. Good play provision, which offers those seeking it genuine challenge and excitement, can help prevent bored children and young people behaving in ways that are socially unacceptable. Development of outside play and recreation spaces has been shown to have a measurable impact on local interaction, new friendships, community cohesion and community safety. Children’s Play Council – Planning for Play Publication March 2006

3.2 The Benefits of Play

Sandwell Council recognises that play provision can make a significant impact on:

• Increasing children’s self-confidence and social interaction; • Contributing to community cohesion through reducing segregation of children and

communities; • Encouraging understanding and respect for diverse cultures and traditions; • Play provision provides an important context in which children can counter the

effects of poverty and deprivation; • Play provision can be the starting point for tackling social exclusion.

Sandwell Council will proactively seek investments in children’s play because of the following benefits:

• Play, along with the basic needs of nutrition, health, shelter and education, is vital to develop the well being of children;

• Play helps children develop socially, physically, intellectually, creatively, emotionally and spiritually;

• Play promotes children’s learning and independence; • Play fosters social inclusion. It helps children understand the people and places

in their lives, learn about their environment and develop a sense of community; • Play allows children to find out about themselves, their abilities and interests; • Play is therapeutic. It helps children to deal with difficult or painful circumstances,

such as emotional stress and medical treatment; • Play gives children the chance to let off steam and have fun.

3.3 Enriched Play Environments

The following statement is taken from Best Play: what play provision should do for children, a document produced by the National Children’s Bureau. The following criteria for an enriched play environment are adapted from those given in Hughes (1996a). The examples given for each section are in no sense exhaustive, merely indicative. Play provision should provide opportunities for: • A varied and interesting physical environment

Examples: Things at different levels, spaces of different sizes, places to hide, trees and bushes as well as things that have been made, places to inspire mystery and imagination.

• Challenge in relation to the physical environment

Examples: activities, which test the limits of capabilities, rough and tumble, sports and games, chase.

• Playing with the natural elements - earth, water, fire, air

Examples: campfires, digging, playing snowballs, flying kites.

• Movement - e.g. running, jumping, rolling, climbing, balancing

Examples: beams and ropes, soft mats, bike riding, juggling equipment, ladders, space.

• Manipulating natural and fabricated materials

Examples: materials for art, cooking, making and mending of all kinds; building dens; making concoctions; using tools; access to bits and pieces of all kinds.

• Stimulation of the five senses

Examples: music making, places where shouting is fine, quiet places, different colours and shapes, dark and bright spaces, cooking on a campfire, rotting leaves, a range of food and drink, objects that are soft, prickly, flexible, large and small.

• Experiencing change in the natural and built environment

Examples: experiencing the seasons through access to the outdoor environment; opportunities to take part in building, demolishing, or transforming the environment.

• Social interactions

Examples: being able to choose whether and when to play alone or with others, to negotiate, co-operate, compete and resolve conflicts. Being able to interact with individuals and groups of different ages, abilities, interests, gender, ethnicity and culture.

• Playing with identity

Examples: dressing up, role-play, performing, taking on different kinds of responsibility.

• Experiencing a range of emotions

Examples: opportunities to be powerful/powerless, scared/confident, liked/disliked, in/out of control, brave/cowardly.

4 POLICY STATEMENTS

Sandwell’s Play Policy is divided into 10 policy areas which are as follows: -

4.1. Community & environmental play 4.2. Play in parks and open green spaces 4.3. Play and physical health and fitness 4.4. Mental health 4.5. Safeguarding 4.6. Risk and play 4.7. Inequality & exclusion, equality and diversity 4.8. Legislative requirements 4.9. Quality Assurance standards 4.10. Workforce Development

4.1 POLICY STATEMENT: COMMUNITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PLAY

“Children are losing their connection with the natural environment and their wellbeing and environmental quality are inextricably linked. The worse a local environment looks, the less able children are to play freely...” Thomas and Thompson, A Child’s Place, Demos, 2004.

Research conducted by Demos and the Green Alliance has found that there is a big gap between children from rural and urban backgrounds in their level of access to natural environments and that this is detrimental to children living in cities. Among the report’s key recommendations was that children from disadvantaged backgrounds should be provided with more and better opportunities to good quality open space. Evidence shows that contact with the outdoors, and especially with the natural environment, is important for children, particularly in the middle years of childhood. The benefits of building a relationship with nature include a sense of identity, of being in the natural world, and experiencing the restorative effects of special places, which are often secret. Sandwell Council aims to meet the needs of children and their families in local neighbourhoods by working with communities to initiate, develop and support play opportunities that build on and supplement those which children are offered within their homes and in school. To ensure that resources are effectively used, the Council seeks to target its resources to neighbourhoods and children that have been identified as having the greatest need.

• The Council will support and encourage children and local residents

involvement in all possible aspects of local play provision.

• The Council aims to help children understand and feel secure in their surroundings, and to care for the natural and built environment.

• The Council will ensure that community play provision will where appropriate include forming closer links with potential partnerships with statutory, voluntary and private sectors to promote further development of neighbourhood based play opportunities.

• The Council will work towards ensuring that community play provision is accessible to all children and their parents and carers.

• The Unitary Development Plan (UDP) Policy T9 states a programme of “traffic calming” measures on existing highways will be promoted, and developers will be required to incorporate or fund measures in appropriate developments.

• The UDP Policy OS8 states developers will be required to ensure that there is sufficient good quality open space provided to meet the needs of the people living in the new housing development.

Where new community open space is provided, the developer will be required to make provision for its future maintenance.

Where the development is too small to provide a useful area of open space on site,

or where local provision is already sufficient in terms of quantity, a contribution may be required to improve the quality of existing community open space within 400m of the proposed development. A legal contract will be drawn up for this purpose.

• The UDP Policy H7 states new housing developments, of 10 dwellings or more, will be required to provide appropriate levels of Community Open Space, including children’s play areas. (See policies OS5, OS8 and Development Control Policy DC9 – Provision of Open Space and Play Space in New Residential Areas). Developers will be required to carry out landscaping schemes on developments where appropriate.

Consideration will be given to demand for other supporting facilities e.g. schools and community centres, where appropriate to the development proposals.

• The Council will work with budget holders and fundraisers to develop long-term maintenance, development and sustainability of local play opportunities, which meet the needs of all children and young people. The Council will ensure that resources for play are allocated equitably and effectively. The investment in play opportunities will adhere to sound Council beliefs and principles as determined in the Sandwell Plan, Best Value and the Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy.

• Environmental play is an important consideration in the Council’s land use planning and development policies and activities. Opportunities for environmental play need to be included as an integral part of the design and development of an area.

• The policy framework established by the Unitary Development Plan (UDP)

recognises the value of different types of open space and play space, and seeks to protect and enhance that provision. A detailed policy within the UDP (DC9) provides guidance in relation to the provision of community open space and play space in relation to new residential development.

• UDP Policy OS5, states, Community Open Spaces are open spaces, which are physically accessible and publicly available.

The Council will seek the provision of Community Open Space at a minimum ratio of 2 hectares per 1000 population, and will seek to ensure that at least 1 hectare of Community Open Space is provided within walking distance (0.4 km) of all the Borough’s residents.

Quality Community Open Space is seen as an integral part of quality living space, and should be provided as part of new housing developments where such spaces are not available within easy access of the development. Where provision locally is adequate in terms of quantity, greater emphasis will be placed on improving the quality of existing nearby Community Open Space.

• The Council will use the Open Space Hierarchy Policy OS1 detailed in the UDP to analyse existing provision of open space, to identify strengths and weaknesses in the provision, and to guide decisions about improvements, new and replacement provision, and development proposals which impact on the provision.

• The following criteria detailed in the UDP Policy DC9 should be taken into account when siting playing spaces for children:

• It is important that play spaces are part of the design of an area and not just an after thought;

• All play spaces should be accessible by safe, practical routes; • All play spaces should be sited in welcoming, open areas, not on backland or

land that is undevelopable for other purposes;

• Play spaces should be accessible from pedestrian routes and away from major vehicle movement;

• Play spaces should be sited on land that is suitable for the type of play space identified. For example, equipped or kick about areas on slopes are inappropriate;

• Play spaces should be over-looked by houses or well-used pedestrian routes, but also be far enough away from houses to reduce the likelihood of general disturbance;

• Play spaces should be linked with other open spaces, play spaces and footpath systems etc.

• Psychological, as well as physical, barriers should be avoided. Such barriers could include, territorial barriers of having to move from one housing area to another, or the fear of having to use a bridge to cross a busy road;

• A wide range of play opportunities should be provided. Playgrounds should include unobstructed open space to kick or throw a ball, as well as natural opportunities for play for creative development;

• Play spaces need to be attractive and safe to encourage children to play there, as well as meet the needs of the wider area, particularly those people living nearby.

• The Council will actively encourage the right of children’s informal play particularly

in the landscape of open green spaces, as determined by this policy and the Children’s Play Council’s - 7 Play Objectives and the Charter for Children’s Play.

• Improving existing Playspace or developing new Playspace: the Council will undertake extensive public consultation and will seek the active involvement of the local community, particularly children in decisions relating to the siting and design of Playspace.

4.2 POLICY STATEMENT: PLAY IN PARKS & OPEN GREEN SPACES

• The Council believes that the best policy concerning the welfare of children should be to create a situation in which the risks associated with the physical environment of the playground is reduced as far as reasonably practicable. The Council will seeks to encourage communication between parents and carers and children and young people so that other risks of play are recognised and appropriate action is taken.

• The Council will monitor playground safety and information periodically to assess the need for policy modifications.

• The Council will seek to attract maximum use of facilities, with the minimum disturbance to nearby residents, the Council will identify suitable sites (by involving local children and their families) that can be used, improved or acquired to serve each local community within the Borough.

• Equipment will be selected on the basis of quality, play value, safety, durability and visual attractiveness. Wherever possible equipment on the same site must be selected to cater for a range of physical experiences. All play equipment must be manufactured and installed to either British standard bs5696 or the German din7926 as a minimum. Paint must have the lowest lead content possible and not exceed 0.25% lead in the dry film subsequently introduced by Sandwell Council.

• The Council will apply the highest standards of maintenance and inspection to ensure that all formal play areas are safe and continue to meet the needs of children.

• Play areas will be enclosed sympathetically to provide a safe and dog-free

environment and sense of enclosure without hiding the area from view or isolating it.

• All new play areas will be surfaced in a variety of materials or natural coverings as appropriate to the landscaping and equipment of the scheme and with maximum regard to safety. Consideration will be given to ensuring recommended critical fall height requirements are achieved.

• The Council recognises that sensitive landscape treatments can contribute significantly towards producing a rich environment conducive to children’s physical, social and psychological development.

4.3 POLICY STATEMENT: PLAY AND PHYSICAL HEALTH AND FITNESS

Play is crucial to health and development throughout childhood, contributing to social, physical, intellectual, cultural, emotional and psychological development. The physical activity involved in energetic play provides children and young people with a significant amount of their regular exercise. School-aged children and young people get as much exercise in free play as they do from more structured activities. Good play opportunities promote good social, mental and emotional health, giving children and young people the chance to try out and experience a range of emotions in a 'safe' way. It allows them to learn and develop emotionally by promoting resilience and fostering self-esteem.

The chief medical officer advises that ‘children and young people should achieve a total of at least 60 minutes of at least moderate-intensity physical activity each day’. There is growing research evidence that increased opportunity for free play is the most effective way to ensure this for children, and that a range of increasing health problems are associated with the decline in play opportunities. The Government White Paper Choosing Health (2004), noted that ‘many children appear to have less time being physically active ... because of the increase in car use and heightened concern about the potential risks of unsupervised play outdoors.’

“The shift from unstructured to structured events for children is one of the causes of their decrease in walking … letting children go out to play is one of the best things that parents can do for their children’s health: outdoor play uses more calories than clubs and tuition.” Centre for Transport Studies, University Central London (UCL), 2004.

4.4 POLICY STATEMENT: MENTAL HEALTH

In parallel with concerns about the physical health of our children and the rise in childhood obesity and related disorders, there is also evidence to show a sharp increase in mental illness. The Mental Health Foundation estimates that at any time 20 per cent of children and young people experience psychological problems. Their report, Bright Futures, states that the opportunities for risk taking in unsupervised play helps children build self-confidence and resilience – key protective factors for mental health. Given the decrease in opportunities for playing out unsupervised, the report also recognises the importance of supervised opportunities for play and the role of these services in supporting children’s mental health.

“The increasingly limited amount of time children have to play outside or to attend supervised play projects is a causative factor in the rise of mental ill-health in young people.” The Mental Health Foundation, Bright Futures: promoting children and young people’s mental health 2000

4.5 POLICY STATEMENT: SAFEGUARDING

Sandwell Council recognises its legal duty, to work with other agencies in safeguarding children and protecting them from “significant harm”

“Safeguarding is about keeping children and young people safe from abuse or neglect. All those that come into contact with children and young people and families in their everyday work, have a duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. And Sandwell Council, through the work of the Sandwell Local Safeguarding Children’s Board (LSCB) undertake this role through providing training, development of policy and procedure and awareness raising.” (Sandwell Local Safeguarding Children’s Board (LSCB) – Vision Statement 2007)

Sandwell Council supports providers of play opportunities in fulfilling their statutory responsibilities as laid out in “Working Together to Safeguard Children 2006 ”. These responsibilities apply to all public, private or voluntary organisations that provide services for, or work with children. Support offered includes: Development of Policy and Procedure Staff induction, training and support packages Safe recruitment processes Monitoring, referral and evaluation processes Creating child centred environments, which support management of risks Safeguarding and promoting the well-being of children is defined as:

• Protecting children from maltreatment • Preventing impairment of children’s health and development • Ensuring that children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the

provision of safe and effective care

“Undertaking that role enable children to have optimum life chances and to enter adulthood successfully.” (NSPCC 2006 Stopcheck: A step by Step guide for Organisations to Safeguard Children)

By fostering a Safeguarding Culture within agencies providing services for children, young people and families Sandwell Council have a unique opportunity of promoting children’s welfare and in being alert to those exceptional circumstances when children might be at risk of or become involved in harmful circumstances.

4.6 POLICY STATEMENT: RISK AND PLAY

“Children need and want to take risks when they play. Play provision aims to respond to these needs and wishes by offering children stimulating, challenging environments for exploring and developing abilities. In doing this play provision aims to manage the level of risk so that children are not exposed to unacceptable risk of death or serious injury.” Managing Risk in Play Provision- Play safety Forum 2002

Sandwell Council recognises its responsibilities in managing and assessing risk when providing informal and formal play provision for children and young people. Whilst children need to test themselves and experience challenges the environment might pose, the risks they take need to be in a controlled context. All relevant legislation is implemented when creating play spaces for children and young people recognising that:

“The play provision should aim to manage the balance between the need to offer risk and the need to keep children safe from harm”. PLAYLINK 2000- Best Play: What Play Provision should do for Children

Sandwell Council acknowledge that robust risk assessment and quality monitoring processes are key to the effectiveness of quality play spaces and seek to engage with all relevant agencies to ensure that these processes are maintained.

4.7 POLICY STATEMENT: INEQUALITY AND EXCLUSION, EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY

“Inclusive play provision is open and accessible to all and takes positive action in removing disabling barriers so that disabled children and non-disabled children can participate” Alison John, Kidsactive and the Better Play Awards.

For disabled children, negative attitudes and inaccessible environments compound the general problems experienced by most children, creating enormous social and physical barriers to their enjoyment of the right to play independently. There is evidence that disabled children do not enjoy equality of access to play and leisure activities. A recent survey of 1,000 parents of disabled children demonstrated how their children were excluded from ordinary leisure opportunities. Parks and playgrounds were the least user-friendly, with few facilities for disabled people. Other studies have shown that disabled children and young people can often feel threatened in open spaces and that the design of play equipment often limits their access. Research suggests that certain minority ethnic groups are disproportionately excluded from play provision. For example, some Asian children – and girls in particular – are discouraged from attending mainstream play services owing to a range of cultural and ethnic pressures. Enjoyment of the public realm is significantly compromised for many black and minority ethnic children who still report experiencing overt and implicit racism. The evaluation of the Better Play Lottery programme recommends that the involvement of community-led organizations in the development of play strategies is vital if play opportunities are to be culturally appropriate and socially inclusive.

Sandwell Council is committed to ensuring all children regardless of race, culture, background, age, sex, religious beliefs, disability, access to childcare, and competence in spoken English, have equal access to quality play opportunities. The Council opposes and will challenge direct and indirect discrimination on these grounds.

• The Council will take into account various policies, strategies and frameworks that promote equal opportunities. The Council will work in partnership with agencies to:

• Address barriers that deprive children and young people from accessing and engaging in play opportunities;

• Develop strategies that promote their inclusion. Provide appropriate training to workers and volunteers delivering play;

• Increases play opportunities for children with individual needs. • The Council celebrates the diversity of its many communities and is committed to a

culturally appropriate play service to all of its children. The Council recognises that play can be a rewarding experience for children and therefore will take steps to ensure services and activities are responsive and appropriate to the changing needs and aspirations of all sectors of the community.

4.8 POLICY STATEMENT: LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENTS

The Council will monitor and adhere to relevant legislative requirements in its play provisions for children and young people. The following list is not exhaustive:

• The Race Relations Act 1976 (Amendment Act 2000) • The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 • The Health And Safety At Work Act 1974 • The Children Act 2004 • The Childcare Act 2006 • The Human Rights Act • The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 • The United Nations Conventions Of The Rights Of A Child • Commission for Equality and Human Rights

4.9 POLICY STATEMENT: QUALITY ASSURANCE STANDARDS

The Council will regularly monitor and evaluate play provision to ensure that changing local needs continue to be met. The Council will ensure that advice and support will be offered to encourage voluntary and community groups improve the quality of play opportunities they provide.

Quality Assurance Schemes

The Council will support play and childcare providers to gain accreditation through a Department for Children Schools and Families approved scheme. It will encourage providers to continually assess and improve their service delivery to children by encouraging them to work towards recognised quality assurance schemes. Examples of quality assurance schemes include, Quality On Play (London Play), Aiming High (4 Children),

Playwork National Occupational Standards

The Council will encourage play providers to consider the Playwork National Occupational Standards in their service delivery to children. These standards have been based on a number of assumptions and values that underpin good practice in playwork. The standards bring together aspects of other studies of Play and have been developed by people within playwork and other related fields.

Criminal Records Bureau (CRB)

Any adult, whether employed by the Council or a volunteer directly engaged in children’s provision who has contact with children either in an informal or formal play setting will be required to undertake a CRB check in line with the Children Act 1989 and Ofsted’s 14 National Childcare Standards. Ofsted National Childcare Standards

The Council will comply with Ofsted’s 14 National Childcare Standards in all of its facilities that require registration and inspection. The Ofsted standards place a strong emphasis on values and principles that promote children’s safety and protection, care, learning, equality and quality of play opportunities.

4.10 POLICY STATEMENT: WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Sandwell Council is a key driver with regard to the workforce reform of Children’s Services and recognises this responsibility within its Children and Young Peoples Strategic Plan for Sandwell. We acknowledge also, that raising the profile of play and providing play specific continual professional development opportunities has the potential to raise quality within all services in relation to Children’s right to play. Key elements to ensure success:

• Extending the knowledge, experiences and potential of the existing workforce at all levels

• Development of interdisciplinary learning and multidisciplinary teamwork • Inclusion of the children, young people and families in defining areas for

development and delivery • Implementation of a high quality evaluative process to inform future delivery • Analysis of impact on the sector and service users

The council acknowledges that service providers need to feel confident, when entering a workforce, that they have the ability and the experiences needed, to deliver high quality services and opportunities for children and young people. We must effectively harness the expertise within the field in order to grow and develop a future for play within Sandwell.

5. PLAY AND CULTURE

Sandwell Council acknowledges it’s rich cultural heritage and diversity both in terms of its people and place. The Council believes that play opportunities should be firmly embedded with it wider cultural offer for all.

The culture of children is play Play England WM 2007

Play is one of the ways children and young people learn how values, beliefs and traditions come to life through their actions and engagements with other people. This type of understanding cannot be taught. It is the difference between being able to quote a moral code, and learning to live by one. Leisure pursuits and play, whether undertaken by adults or children, share the common characteristics of being undertaken voluntarily requiring no necessary outcome. It is central to our understanding of ourselves as individuals and as a society that we value such freely chosen engagements. These engagements are intrinsically worthwhile, and are distinct from those driven by necessity. They enrich and give meaning to our lives.

6. PLAY ENGLAND’S – REVISED CHARTER FOR CHILDREN’S PLAY:

Sandwell Council adopts and will promote Play England’s revised 8 principles outlined in its charter for play, which are as follows:

PRINCIPLE 1: Children have the right to play

PRINCIPLE 2: Every child should have time and space to play

PRINCIPLE 3: Children need adults to let them play

PRINCIPLE 4: Children should be able to play freely in their local streets and neighbourhoods

PRINCIPLE 5: Children value and benefit from supervised play provision PRINCIPLE 6: Children at school should be given time and space to play PRINCIPLE 7: Children’s play is enriched by skilled playworkers PRINCIPLE 8: Children in difficult situations need special attention to their right to

play

Working with Play England, and our Sandwell’s Play Champion, the Council will:

• Raise awareness of the importance of play; • Take action to improve children’s opportunities to play; • Strategically plan for children’s play services; • Review services that have an effect on children’s play.

7. CONCLUSION

In conclusion, Sandwell Council will continue to work in a true spirit of partnership with key stakeholders to promote this Play Policy.

It will drive each of the policy statements through it’s Play Strategy in order that opportunities for children play can be effectively implemented.

Sandwell Council's Play Policy will act as an important tool in raising the profile of children’s play and for securing much needed resources for Borough.

It will demonstrate the Council’s commitment to children’s play opportunities for generations ahead and links with a number of corporate policies and agendas that have children’s interests at heart.

Sandwell’s Play policy is an evolving document, which seeks to guide the actions of lead agencies and partners. It will need to take on board future developments on both the national and local stage. The responsibility for monitoring, review and evaluation of the Play Policy will lie with Sandwell’s Play Strategy Steering Group.

ABOVE ALL SANDWELL COUNCIL IS COMMITTED TO ENSURING THAT THERE IS APPROPRIATE, FREELY AVAILABLE AND ACCESSIBLE PLAY PROVISION OF THE

HIGHEST STANDARDS FOR ALL ITS CHILDREN.