Play Sufficiency Assessment

The Play Sufficiency Assessment and local Well-being Plans

This section should identify how the Play Sufficiency Assessments form part of the local needs assessment and to what extent the Play Sufficiency Assessment and Action Plan are integrated into the Well-being Plan and Public Service Board.

The Pembrokeshire Public Services Board undertook an updated Local Wellbeing Needs Assessment in 2021, which will be available on the Council’s website from May 2022. At the time the Local Wellbeing Needs Assessment was undertaken, children and families were still facing disruptions to access to routine services and schooling as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Due to this, the impact over the long term on children’s health and well-being is unknown at this time. It is also important to acknowledge that some indicators and research show disruptions, due to Covid-19 especially, which makes planning at a time of uncertainty particularly challenging.

From the research undertaken, there are a number of key findings, which may affect the childcare sector in the short- and long-term. These include:

• Pembrokeshire has an ageing population, which may impact the demand for play provision
• Welsh language use is increasing in the county; this should be reflected in the availability of Welsh language play provision
• Public transport in rural areas could be a barrier to accessing play
• Child poverty rates in Pembrokeshire are higher than other areas of Wales
• People who regularly attend arts and culture events report higher levels of wellbeing
• Pembrokeshire has the highest number of blue flag beaches and green coast awards in Wales.
• The presence of the National Park has a positive impact on the well-being of young people in the county, with many citing it as the best thing about Pembrokeshire.

The Pembrokeshire Public Services Board will monitor and review their analyses to ensure they reflect current and future trends as and when new or more reliable information becomes available. The findings from the Local Wellbeing Needs Assessment will inform the next Local Wellbeing Plan, to be completed by May 2023.

The Cabinet for the Local Authority monitors the progress of the delivery of the action plan through an annual report