Play Sufficiency Assessment

Matter H

Community engagement and participation

The Local Authority should consult widely with children, their families and other stakeholders on their views on play provision. It should also promote wide community engagement in providing play friendly communities.

RAG Status: Criteria partially met

Criteria

• The Local Authority promotes initiatives to engage relevant groups in enhancing play opportunities for children in its area

RAG status 2019

Green: Criteria fully met

RAG status 2022

Green: Criteria fully met

Evidence to support strengths

• The LA promotes its community events such as Summer of Fun and Winter of Wellbeing. 

Identified actions for Action Plan

• Create an agenda to push the value of play regularly.

 

Criteria

The Local Authority promotes community engagement in:

• making space available and suitable for play
• organising play events
• positive attitudes towards children and play
• training on the importance of play

RAG status 2019

Green: Criteria fully met

RAG status 2022

Amber: Criteria partially met

Evidence to support strengths

• Strategic & Operational Play Officer offers training to community groups and volunteers.
• A number of play events have been on offer over the last 2 years, all free of charge, thanks to WG who have provided funding for the Summer of Fun and Winter of Winter of Wellbeing programmes

Shortfalls

• This was stopped throughout the pandemic due to restrictions. National Play Day will be reinstated in 2022.

Identified actions for Action Plan

• Reinstate and schedule dates through annual to link in with partners such as FIS.
• SOPO to update Play web pages.
• SOPO to use social media as a regular communication vehicle.

Community engagement and participation

How has the Local Authority effectively used existing mechanisms for children’s participation and family consultation processes with regards to play?

The Pembrokeshire Play social media page is widely used to promote all play activities on offer throughout the county, including activities which are offered by partnership agencies, encouraging people to get involved in play within their local areas.

The WG Summer of Fun and Winter of Wellbeing initiatives have allowed Pembrokeshire to provide a vast range of play and sporting activities for all age groups. These projects have been hugely successful allowing children and young people to access a variety of opportunities free of charge which would not usually be on offer for them.

These initiatives have allowed children, young people and families reconnect and socialise, which was extremely beneficial after the previous lockdowns we have seen across the UK which have heavily impacted children and young people’s rights to play.

We utilise the Family Information Service to communicate play opportunities, as well as weekly school newsletters, DEWIS, social media platforms and relevant department and professionals to assist us in promoting what we have on offer.

Have there been challenges?      

The coronavirus pandemic impacted children’s play and the ability to effectively use existing mechanisms for children’s participation and face to face consultation for play.