1. Why Play Matters in East Lothian Jane Crawford Senior Play Development Officer

2. About Play Scotland
Play Scotland is a children’s charity formed in 1998 to promote The Child’s Right to Play and funded by The Scottish Government.
© Play Scotland

3. Aims of Play Scotland Creating a Policy framework for Play
Providing support and resources to the Play Sector
Promoting a Playwork Profession
Develop and dessimate information and research on the benefits of play and child-friendly communities
© Play Scotland

4. Policy Framework for Play in Scotland
Equally Well (June 2008 and review, 2010)
Achieving our Potential (Nov 2008)
Early Years Framework (Dec 2008)
Child Poverty Strategy (2011)
© Play Scotland

5. Play Scotland promotes child-friendly communities
Provide support to Local Authorities to embed Play in Single Outcome Agreements and integrated planning
Providing support to membership and the play sector
Identifying where play happens in Scotland and audit of training needs ( Glasgow, Shetland, West Lothian, East Ayrshire)
Play Manifesto 2011
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6. Getting it Right for Play
Developing a Toolkit for Local Authorities and Community Groups ‘Power of Play’ - literature review and policy context Play Indicators to measure sufficiency and quality of play provision Opportunity to pilot toolkit in summer
Slide 9
That leads on to the next objective of conducting an audit and needs analysis. The full extent of this is being consulted on just now but it will definitely include provision which does not need to register. You’ll certainly hear more about this over the next few months.
A major product of this project will be a Toolkit for Play. This will be a resource to allow local authorities and play services themselves to evaluate the quality of Play. We’re enlisting the help of a cross section of experts to advise and shape this work, which is being lead by Issy Cole Hamilton. There will be events around the country in 2011, to get local input, so look out for these.
And lastly, but a huge task, I will be offering Play Scotland’s support to CPPs to help them in planning local actions for their Early Years Framework action plans. We have already mapped Play to the 15 National Outcomes and this guidance will be strengthened for use directly by local authorities. Possible actions may be the creation of a Play Strategy, and we’ve worked with a number of authorities to help them produce one, currently Angus. Another outcome may be the creation of more Play Forums/ Associations or networks. The name doesn’t matter so long as there is a structure to support and recognise the variety of local Play providers.
© Play Scotland

7. Early Years Framework Outcomes
SHORT TERM PRIORITIES
£4M investment from Scottish Government focusing on free play for 5 -13yrs.
Creating a robust infrastructure across Scotland for the play sector.
Support to strengthen and support play services in areas of greatest need.
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8. Regional Infrastructure
Midlothian Association of Play (MAP)
East Ayrshire Community Play Forum
Aberdeen Play Forum
Newly created by Go Play funding
DG Play (Dumfries and Galloway)
North Lanarkshire Play Association
Play Borders

9. What a Play Forum could do
Influence the attitude of children, parents and the community by promoting the Child’s Right to Play, Article 31 UNCRC
Provide support and cohesion to the delivery of Play by all sectors
Assist community groups to access external funding and resources
Develop sustainable Play opportunities and fill gaps in provision

10. More that a Play Forum could do
Creating child friendly communities through a multi agency strategic approach to Play • Provide training and resources for groups/individuals/volunteers involved in Play
Attend national Play events to ensure the Local Authority Play Forum is kept up to date with national initiatives.

11. Local challenges
Delivery of Play priority in Early Years Framework. Who?? How??
Cost effective delivery of services – Out of School Care, Active schools, Community playschemes !
Quality of Play through a trained workforce
Keeping at the forefront of new developments and initiatives

12. Government priorities
A Change fund for early intervention – Children and Family Centres
Additional funding for parenting, PLAY, childcare, child and maternal health family support
National Parenting Strategy – agencies working together to develop parenting skills
“Play, Talk, Read” and “Take Life On”

13. Future opportunities
Support from Play Scotland via Play Forum Network for Scotland. (13 local authorities)
Role of East Lothian Out of School Care Network (ELOSCN)
Play Forum providing authority wide support to all play providers
Exploring capacity of Midlothian Association of Play
Strategic direction for early years, play and childcare
© Play Scotland

14. Improving children’s quality of life through PLAY

15. “when one examines the benefits of play holistically, it seems that we have been granted a magical gift, and people are now taking notice” Danielle Marshall, Health Policy Forum “Let’s share the magical gift!”
© Play Scotland