Play Sufficiency Assessment

Matter I

Play within all relevant policy and implementation agendas

The Local Authority should examine all its policy agendas for their potential impact on children’s opportunities to play and embed targets and action to enhance children’s play opportunities within all such policies and strategies

RAG Status: Criteria partially met

 

Criteria

• There is a named person on the Local Public Service Board who champions children’s play and ensures that the Play Sufficiency Assessment and Action Plan contribute to and are incorporated within the Well-being Plan

RAG status 2019

Red: Criteria not met

RAG status 2022

Amber: Criteria partially met

Evidence to support strengths

• A cabinet member has been identified as our play champion – Cllr Jon Harvey

Identified actions for Action Plan

• Implement new play strategy and ensure it is embedded within wider policies.  

 

Criteria

• The Well-Being Plan recognises the importance of play and contributes to the provision of rich play opportunities

RAG status 2019

Green: Criteria fully met

RAG status 2022

Amber: Criteria partially met

Evidence to support strengths

• No detailed actions within the Wellbeing plan currently relating to play.
• Wellbeing Plan is currently in development due to be published in May 2023.

Shortfalls

• Departments need to work more cohesively to ensure play is featured in the Wellbeing plan. 

Identified actions for Action Plan

• Individual departments to work collaboratively to include play within the wellbeing plan.

 

Criteria

• Schools ensure that children are provided with a rich play environment for breaks during the school day

RAG status 2019

Green: Criteria fully met

RAG status 2022

Green: Criteria fully met

Evidence to support strengths

• This is provided and schools are being supported to develop standardised play policies. 

 

Criteria

• Schools provide play opportunities during out of teaching hours

RAG status 2019

Amber: Criteria partially met

RAG status 2022

Amber: Criteria partially met

Evidence to support strengths

• The importance of this message was partly delivered through a Play Conference held in February 2020, focusing on the difference between freely chosen play and structured play. However, the second part of the conference was delayed due to COVID-19.
• An audit has been undertaken with all schools within the Local Authority to ensure that play opportunities are provided outside of teaching hours.

Shortfalls

• Continue to push the importance of play within schools
• Review audit to assess gaps and further areas where schools can promote play
• Work with schools to develop and deliver programmes of play therapy 

Identified actions for Action Plan

• Formulate audit findings into a report to share with Head Teachers and governing bodies

 

Criteria

• Schools encourage children to walk and cycle to school

RAG status 2019

Green: Criteria fully met

RAG status 2022

Green: Criteria fully met

Evidence to support strengths

• The Road Safety Officer undertakes kerb Craft in all schools.

 

Criteria

• The Local Authority offers guidance to ensure schools understand and ensure that regular outdoor play is not curtailed

RAG status 2019

Amber: Criteria partially met

RAG status 2022

Amber: Criteria partially met

Evidence to support strengths

The SOPO regularly inputs into weekly schools newsletter with articles/guidance on the importance of play and for it not to be used as a punishment. School play policies will also replicate this message; policy is near completion once complete will shared with relevant parties. 

Identified actions for Action Plan

• Share the play policy with all Head Teachers and Governing Bodies.

 

Town and Country Planning

Criteria

• The Local Development Plan recognises and addresses the outdoor play needs of children of various age groups and abilities 

RAG status 2019

Amber: Criteria partially met

RAG status 2022

Amber: Criteria partially met

Evidence to support strengths

• The Local Development Plan is currently being redrafted

Identified actions for Action Plan

• Ensure that the LDP include reference to play explicitly and review aligned with PSA actions

 

Traffic and Transport

Criteria

• The local Transport Plan recognises the importance of local streets, roads and walking and cycling route in offering play opportunities for children of different ages and abilities 

RAG status 2019

Red: Criteria not met

RAG status 2022

Green: Criteria fully met

Evidence to support strengths

• The Active Travel Act 2013 puts a duty on local authority to map walking and cycling routes and apply for funding to introduce routes in towns within the County.
• Walking and cycling have been improved by school warning signs, dropped pedestrian crossing points and dropped kerbs, introduction of open and covered cycle stands in schools, shared use paths, introduction of speed cushion in leisure centre car parks, street lighting in schools

 

Criteria

• The local Transport Plan identifies ways of assessing and addressing the needs of all groups including those which are often marginalised. 

RAG status 2019

Red: Criteria not met

RAG status 2022

Green: Criteria fully met

Evidence to support strengths

• Walking and cycling have been improved by school warning signs, dropped pedestrian crossing points and dropped kerbs, introduction of open and covered cycle stands in schools, shared use paths, introduction of speed cushion in leisure centre car parks, street lighting in schools.

 

Early Years Plans

Criteria

• Early Years and Flying Start plans and services recognise the importance of play and contribute to the provision of rich play opportunities for younger children 

RAG status 2019

Green: Criteria fully met

RAG status 2022

Amber: Criteria partially met

Evidence to support strengths

• Integration of the Early Years and Childcare Team has taken place in 2020/21. This has provided all settings a consistent support network following the same guidance of rich play opportunities. The Flying Start Childcare Guidance is used as a baseline for all childcare whether funded or not
• Walking groups Play, Engagement and Connection activities via Team Around the Family. 1:1 Work with families promoting the importance of play, supporting the environment within the home and community, access to community resources. Rhyme time and story time in the local parks, equipping parents with the skills to enhance play opportunities. Forest School activities also on offer in partnership with the National Parks.EY & FS also feed into the Winter of Wellbeing and Summer of Fun initiatives

Shortfalls

• Funding can be an issue to provide these activities. 

Identified actions for Action Plan

• Allocate funding to enhance play provision across the county

 

Family policy and initiatives

Criteria

• Family support initiatives provide up to date information and support for parents to enable them to support their children to play

RAG status 2019

Green: Criteria fully met

RAG status 2022

Green: Criteria fully met

Evidence to support strengths

• TAF provides 1:1 support on duty and as part of case management processes.
• Flying Start Health Visitors continually promote play; they are able to refer to community nursery nurses if needed to provide further support to families. 

 

Criteria

• The local implementation of the Families First programme recognises the importance of play and contributes to the provision of rich play opportunities 

RAG status 2019

Green: Criteria fully met

RAG status 2022

Green: Criteria fully met

Evidence to support strengths

• Within Families First, TAF is funded as well as a disabilities play officer who is attached to Sport Pembrokeshire. Working within the schools to break down barriers and enable children to access both play and sport opportunities.
• TAF work alongside Sport Pembrokeshire with the Real Play initiative AKA the Rainbow Project, which is currently being piloted within 5 junior schools.
• Engage with families and encourage active play at home via a family engagement club. Support the development of the whole child including personal, social and physical skills. 

 

Criteria

• Plans to reduce the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences recognises the importance of play and contributes to the provision of rich play opportunities

RAG status 2019

Green: Criteria fully met

RAG status 2022

Green: Criteria fully met

Evidence to support strengths

• TAF take a trauma informed approach to both acknowledge and work with the ACES agenda to inform practice with families in all casework, to promote developmental, social care support.

 

Inter-generational policy and initiatives

Criteria

• There are a range of play based approaches to inter-generational activity

RAG status 2019

Amber: Criteria partially met

RAG status 2022

Amber: Criteria partially met

Evidence to support strengths

• Memories of Play Project – all process and plans are in place to implement when time permits.

Shortfalls

• Limited staffing within the play team to carry out this piece of work due to the pressures from the WG funded projects; i.e. Sumer of Fun & Winter of Wellbeing 

Identified actions for Action Plan

• Apply to CCG strategic group for assistance with funding for a trainee PSO.

 

Criteria

• There is a creative approach to inter-generational activity which encourages better interaction between children of different ages

RAG status 2019

Amber: Criteria partially met

RAG status 2022

Amber: Criteria partially met

Evidence to support strengths

• Memories of Play Project – all process and plans are in place to implement when time permits.

Shortfalls

• Limited staffing within the play team to carry out this piece of work due to the pressures from the WG funded projects; i.e. Sumer of Fun & Winter of Wellbeing

Identified actions for Action Plan

• Apply to CCG strategic group for assistance with funding for a trainee PSO.

 

Health and Safety

Criteria

RAG status 2019

Green: Criteria fully met

RAG status 2022

Green: Criteria fully met

Evidence to support strengths

• Healthy Pre School Scheme criteria advocates this area and is part of the criteria under physical Activity and Play. 
•  PCC has a School Playground Equipment Arrangements document.

Two of the objectives in this document make reference to:

• ensuring that the benefits of play are experienced to the full and that play equipment comply with industry standards such as BSEN 1176
• That schools comply with the general requirements of the Welsh Government Play Policy 

There is further mention to schools and other services increasingly providing play equipment as a means of providing additional stimulus for children and opportunities to explore and develop their skills, physical abilities and approach to risk taking

 

Criteria

• The Health and Safety policies and procedures incorporate the risk-benefit approach to health and safety assessments as recommended by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE)  

RAG status 2019

Green: Criteria fully met

RAG status 2022

Green: Criteria fully met

Evidence to support strengths

• Yes, this is Statutory. Health and safety linked to play directly is included in corporate health and safety policies

 

Criteria

• The Local Authority offers the provision of insurance through the Local Authority scheme to all third sector play providers and community councils 

RAG status 2019

Green: Criteria fully met

RAG status 2022

Green: Criteria fully met

Evidence to support strengths

• If provision is sited within the play area then Pembrokeshire County Council would insure.  Inspections and Insurance are offered to PCC play parks as well as those owned and managed by the Community

Play within relevant policy and implementation agendas

Please use this section to highlight successes of collaboration across policy areas to improve play opportunities.

The local authority is working with schools to implement a play policy which will ensure that play is high on schools’ agendas and that time for play is not taken away from children as a sanction. 

Have there been challenges?      

Limited staffing within the play team to carry out this piece of work due to the pressures from the WG funded projects; i.e. Sumer of Fun & Winter of Wellbeing

How can these be overcome?

The LA should consider how it can provide long-term funding for subsidised transport to settings, especially those in rural areas or for groups of children with protected characteristics.