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Wrexham Play Strategy

Wrexham Play Policy
Wrexham Strategic Play Forum

The purpose of Wrexham’s five-year Play Strategy is to increase the number of children and young people having regular access to a wide range of play opportunities within their own communities. The strategy aims to do this by addressing some of the root causes of play deprivation as well as encouraging the development of more compensatory play provision.

The Play Strategy begins with our Play Policy, which gives our definition of play and explains our understanding of its critical importance in the lives of children and young people. The way we plan to implement this policy is then described over six chapters. Each chapter heading relates to a priority area for play development. A number of objectives, which we plan to work towards over the next five years, are then identified under each of these headings.

he strategy document aims to provide the reader with background information about play, an overview of the play sector in Wrexham and rational to support the identified objectives. This document is then accompanied by a strategic action plan, which describes the specific actions we will take to meet these objectives.

In addition to this document, the Wrexham Outdoor Fixed Play Equipment Strategy covers work specifically related to the development and management of fixed equipment play areas, multi use games areas (MUGAs), BMX tracks and skate parks. It includes information on the distribution of these types of play areas and how work on this type of provision will be prioritised. Copies of this additional strategy and further information are available from the Parks, Countryside and Rights of Way section of the WCBC Environment Department.

Wrexham Play Strategy 2009 - 2013

Play Strategy 2009 - 2013 - PDF Format 5.21Mb

Wrexham Play Strategy Action Plan 2010- 2011

Play Strategy Action Plan 2010 - 2011 - PDF Format 214Kb

Wrexham Play Strategy Year One Progress Report

Play Strategy Year One Progress Report - PDF Format 875Kb

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Wrexham Play Policy

The Right to Play

This Play Policy is founded on the fundamental right of children and young people to play, as recognised by:

The Welsh Assembly Government’s National Play Policy (2002)
Core Aim 4 of the Welsh Assembly Government’s Seven Core Aims for Children and Young People, which states that: "All children and young people have access to play, leisure, sporting and cultural activities." The Welsh Assembly Government, Children and Young People: Rights to Action, January 2004.
Article 31 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which states that: "Parties recognize the right of the child to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts." The United Nations, The Convention on the Rights of the Child, November 1989.

Wrexham’s Children and Young People’s Framework Partnership, recognises that the impact of modern society on children’s lives has significantly restricted their opportunity to play freely and has resulted in a poverty of play opportunities in the general environment.

Play is a child led agenda. It is what they want to do and what they choose to do when given the freedom, independence, time and space to determine their own behaviour. If we value our children and see them as equal citizens then we must uphold their right to play.

As a result, this play policy and accompanying play strategy adopts and endorses the principles and priorities set out in the Welsh Assembly Government’s Play Policy (2002) and Play Policy Implementation Plan (2006).

What is Play?

Wrexham’s Children and Young People’s Framework Partnership believes that:

"Play encompasses children’s behaviour which is freely chosen, personally directed and intrinsically motivated. It is performed for no external goal or reward, and is a fundamental and integral part of healthy development - not only for individual children, but also for the society in which they live." The Welsh Assembly Government, Play Policy, October 2002

Freely chosen means that children themselves choose when, how and what to play. Play is not part of a set programme and does not have any steps that need to be completed.

Personally directed means children themselves control the content of their play and they decide the rules and roles they take when playing.

Intrinsically motivated means that play is undertaken for its own sake, and not performed for any reward, certificate or status. Play is the process that children are involved in rather than the end product. Definition adapted from: Play Wales, www.playwales.org.uk (External Link), January 2009

Play transcends age, ability, ethnicity, social standing, religion and gender. It can take many different forms and it has many different characteristics. It is this scope and potential in play that makes it inclusive to all children and young people.

The Need to Play

"Play is the elemental learning process by which humankind has developed. Children exhibit a behavioural imperative and instinctive desire to play. It has contributed significantly to the evolutionary and developmental survival of our species. Children use play in the natural environment to learn of the world they inhabit with others. It is the very process of learning and growth, and as such all that is learnt through play is of benefit to the child." The Welsh Assembly Government, Play Policy, October 2002

Play is critical to children’s physical and emotional well-being and is central to a healthy child’s life. It impacts on the development of both their bodies and their brains. When given the opportunity to play children are more likely to be physically active by running, jumping, dancing, climbing, digging, lifting, pushing or pulling. Through play children experience a wide range of emotions including frustration, determination, achievement, disappointment, confidence and upset, and through practice, can learn how to manage these. By playing with their peers children also develop their social skills and build strong friendships, which lead to positive feelings of happiness and belonging.

Children deliberately seek out physical and emotional uncertainty in their play. From birth children are inquisitive and curious with a deeply rooted and compelling drive to explore the unknown and experiment with their surroundings. By taking risks and having adventurous play experiences children can challenge themselves, test the limitations of the environment around them, develop problem-solving skills and find creative approaches to new situations. Ultimately play influences a child’s ability to be adaptable and resilient, to cope with stressful events and therefore enables them to support their own well-being.

Play is the essence of childhood, and anything other than free access to the broadest range of opportunities for freely chosen, personally directed and intrinsically motivated play, will have a detrimental affect on the development of the child.

Providing for Play

This policy states that play is critical not only to children but for the society in which they live. We therefore believe that everyone in the Wrexham County Borough has a responsibility to uphold children’s right to play whether they are involved in providing for play or by ensuring restrictions on play are avoided whenever possible. Due to the impacts of modern society we are committed to developing more high quality compensatory play spaces; however we also recognise that the freedom to play should not be constrained to these areas but should instead be promoted throughout the child’s community.

Wrexham Strategic Play Forum

The Strategic Play Forum is responsible for upholding the Wrexham Play Policy and driving forward the Wrexham Play Strategy on behalf of the Children and Young People’s Framework Partnership. In doing this the forum aims to give strategic direction to the development of the play sector by encouraging greater partnership working between play providers and by ensuring that impacts on play are considered in all matters affecting the lives of children and young people.

Wrexham’s Strategic Play Forum also represents the Play Network at a strategic planning level and works in partnership to address issues identified by Play Network members.

The Strategic Play Forum is made up of representatives from voluntary and statutory partners whose work impacts on children and young people’s play.

If you would like to receive Strategic Play Forum minutes join the Play Network and you will be sent them via email.

Terms of Reference

Vision

Play is a fundamental right of children and young people, as recognised by:

The Wrexham Play Policy (2009)
The Welsh Assembly Government’s National Play Policy (2002).
Core Aim 4 of the Welsh Assembly Government’s Seven Core Aims for Children and Young People.
Article 31 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The Strategic Play Forum is responsible for upholding the Wrexham Play Policy and driving forward the Wrexham Play Strategy on behalf of the Children and Young People’s Framework Partnership.

Objectives of the Strategic Play Forum:

To ensure the affective implementation of the Play Strategy’s action plan working towards meeting the strategy’s objectives.
To monitor, review and evaluate the Play Strategy’s action plan ensuring the Play Strategy has a real and lasting impact on the play experiences of children and young people across the county borough.
To redevelop the Play Strategy’s action plan on an annual basis to accommodate for developments both local and national developments relating to play.
To act in an advisory capacity to the Children & Young People’s Framework for all play related issues and provide them with regular reports.
To forge strategic links with other strategies and ensure that play is included on agendas of other groups and is integrated in appropriate plans and initiatives.
To ensure mechanisms are in place, which encourage all stakeholders to make an ongoing contribution to the future implementation of the Play Strategy.
To ensure that all relevant agencies and departments are represented on the forum and that this representation is retained beyond individual personnel changes.

Frequency of meetings:

The Strategic Play Forum will meet bi-monthly throughout the year. Additional meetings will be arranged if members agree they are required.

The Strategic Play Forum will provide an overview of the implementation of the Play Strategy. Separate task and finish groups will be established from this forum to focus on specific areas of work and to complete individual actions where necessary.

Membership:

Members of the Strategic Play Forum should, whenever possible, attend bi-monthly meetings. If for some reason an individual can not attend they should try to identify a suitable representative from their department/organisation to attend the meetings on their behalf.

The Strategic Play Forum should include members representing the following:

Play Development
Disabled Children’s Play Services
Environment Department (with a focus on parks and play areas)
Family Information Service
Planning
Transport & Asset Management
Economic Development
Youth Services
Leisure Services
Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership
The Foundation Phase
Flying Start
Primary and Secondary Education
Healthy Schools
Community Focussed Schools
Glyndwr University
Clybiau Plant Cymru Kids Clubs
NEW Play (North East Wales Play Forum)
Police and Community Safety Partnership
Parenting Services
AVOW
NHS Trust
Local Health Board

In addition to this the Strategic Play Forum will incorporate five representatives from the wider Play Network including the Network’s Chair and Vice-chair. Each of these five representatives will also be responsible for representing one of the following focus areas: