Mark Gladwin, who died last year, has been awarded the Paul Bonel Memorial Award at the National Playwork Conference, in recognition of his unique contribution to the play and playwork sector. Mark worked and volunteered in play development and support for over 30 years, supporting play in York, Bradford, Yorkshire Play, PLAYLINK and Play England.[…]
Play Builds Children: A Statement from the Children’s Play Policy Forum The Children’s Play Policy Forum A collective voice for children’s play Press Statement 4th February 2019 For Immediate Release A crisis in childhood is happening every day, all around us. The Children’s Play Policy Forum has today issued a policy statement identifying a crisis[…]
Play England and London Play are calling on Zurich, which recently withdrew its cover from several adventure playgrounds, to revisit its decision, issuing a Joint Statement which highlights what could be lost should other insurers follow suit. Lawrence Waterman OBE, chair of the British Safety Council said: “Young people need to learn about taking and managing[…]
A big thank you to everyone who has made our play policy forums so successful. Over 150 playworkers, play rangers, academics, head teachers, public health workers and councillors have come together to help shape a new manifesto for play. Huge thanks to hosts Bristol City Council, Bristol Play Network, Shiremoor Adventure Playground, Sycamore Adventure Playground[…]
Today, Play England made its full submission to the Labour Party’s consultation on Building Statutory Youth Services. Play England welcomes Labour’s consultation on ‘Building a statutory youth service’. We support the creation of a National Strategy for Youth Work and a Charter underpinned by law, to define sufficient levels as well as a sustainable funding[…]
Play has that power, through nonsense, to soften hard edges and warm the cold moments and offer a ‘what if…’ where previously only inevitability existed. Play England’s new Trustee Laura Walsh is Head of Play Services at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust. With Play in Hospital Week starting on Monday, here she talks[…]
The Labour Party has opened a consultation on ‘Building a statutory youth service.’ Following this consultation process, the Party aims to create a ‘National Strategy for Youth Work and a Charter underpinned by law’ and ‘create a sustainable funding model to support the delivery of a statutory youth service’ The Party has said that “it[…]
Play England today welcomed recommendations in the report ‘Child’s Play’ by Children’s Commissioner Anne Longfield for increased investment in play provision. The report highlights the urgent need for a joined-up approach to reverse the decline in children playing out. It draws attention to children’s worsening mental and physical health – and rightly argues that children’s[…]
The UK’s annual celebration of play – Playday 2018 – takes place today! This year all four children’s commissioners from England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales stand together to support the importance of children’s play as an essential aspect of childhood as thousands of children across the four nations attend organised Playday events. Koulla Yiasouma,[…]
A big thank you to everyone who helped make our packed out Play policy forum such a success yesterday in Bristol. A special thank you to Bristol City Council and Councillor Helen Godwin for hosting the event, along with Bristol Play Network. The successful event organised with the Playwork Foundation, brought together those involved in[…]