Proposed Children and Families (Wales) Measure
Consultation Response
CF17 - The Venture (Part 1)
The Venture is an open access adventure playground and an Integrated Children’s Centre situated in Wrexham, North Wales. We have facilitated play opportunities for thirty years, and also offer a wide range of structured activities, Early Years provision and individual/family support.
The Venture welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the consultation process for the Proposed Children and Families (Wales) Measure of the National Assembly for Wales’ Legislation Committee No. 2.
The following comments are responses to the purpose Measure relating to children’s play:
Part 4
Miscellaneous and General
Miscellaneous
Section 60. Local Authority duties in respect of play opportunities for children.
Consultation Questions
1.Is there a need for a proposed Measure to deliver the stated objectives of:
Contributing to the eradication of child poverty;
Making provision in relation to child minding and day care for children;
Establishing integrated family support teams to provide services to families where there are children who need to be, or who are, looked after, and this is related to the needs on the part of their adult carers (such as dependence on drugs and alcohol); and
Making provision for play opportunities for children?
Yes.
Poverty affects every part of children’s lives and potential for healthy development, including their access to hazard-free, rich, stimulating quality play environments. The assembly Government’s commitment 'to ensure that all children have access to rich stimulating environments’, as defined in its Play Policy (2002), was welcomed by The Venture, which has provided open access play opportunities for 30 years. Our experience of welcoming children into their play-space from the 3rd poorest housing estate in Wales is that we are constantly presented with children experiencing poor physical health, who lack in socio/emotional skills/resilience and who are low in confidence, self esteem and self worth.
These children encounter the negative effects of poverty in their homes and on their streets, which erodes the naturally occurring environmental play opportunities available to them, which in turn erodes the crucial developmental benefits afforded by access to quality play environments.
Although the Assembly Government’s Play Policy (2002) and recommendations for implementation (2006) were 'joyously’ received by The Venture and others committed to providing quality play opportunities, our experience of Local Authority recognition via funding/responsibilities is at best 'patchy’. Whilst we receive the support of an excellent Play Development team on the one hand, we perceive /experience a lack of regard for the vital need for our provision on the other. There is a general feeling that there is a lack of understanding of the crucial importance of our provision to children of all ages, but especially those in the 'middle years’ of childhood as there seems to be a predisposition to the language associated with sport and educational benefits.
The Venture welcomes the Proposed Child and Families Measures’ implied requirement of recognition as a valued contributor to Local Authority 'sufficiency’ of provision. The proposed measure also implies a Local Authority duty to maintain both quality and quantity of play opportunities and may go some way towards communicating that children’s playing within their community is a valued activity, upheld by local/national strategy. The proposed Measures may effectively contribute to an over-all improvement in environments and go some way towards redressing the present deficit of quality places/spaces which promote community confidence in allowing their children to play out, whilst simultaneously enhancing generational well-being.
2. How will the proposed Measure change what organisations do currently and what impact will any such changes have?
As an I.C.C. The Venture is open 7 days a week and is committed to providing a wide range of services including Flying Start, Alternative Education, Mentoring, Sports, Youth Inclusion and Healthy Living whilst also being the preferred venue for supported education and a community advice shop. However the very heart of our provision beats within the open access adventure playground which is open for 6 days a week. We have 30 years of experience in providing staffed, open access, compensatory play opportunities and have recently embarked on outreach play in identified spaces/places within the community (which we are sure will have potential for development under the proposed Measures). The existing provision and community connections/knowledge can only be of use to the Local Authority in relation to implementation, whilst the Venture would benefit from Local Authority recognition, acceptance and stable commitment to existing resources. We hope that the proposed Measure would optimise the potential for communication, best use of skills and cooperation in what has traditionally been a 'precarious’ relationship.
The Venture would anticipate impacts upon staff resources and administration costs incurred via attending meetings, participating in consultation and contributing to environmental improvements by engaging the participation of children, young people and volunteers (as we believe that community involvement is vital to any sustainable outcomes). A very positive impact may be the 'lively’ collaboration between ourselves and Local Authority Planning Departments, Highways Departments, Education Departments and Leisure Departments necessary to improve the play potential for children whilst facilitating the potential for improved health and well being of the wider community.
3. Are the sections of the proposed Measure appropriate in terms of achieving the stated objectives?
Referring to 3(d) (Section 60)
Assuming that the content indicators of assessments and reviews are informed by and relevant to current theory and best practice referring to play and playwork, place attachment, peer attachment, resilience and emotional equilibrium; The Venture considers the proposed Measure as a positive step in identifying the quantity of play opportunities available and equally importantly, the quality of those play opportunities. All too often badly designed, ill thought out and costly play areas offer limited play potential at great cost. Successful improvements in communication should bring about a more collaborative approach, resulting in better use of resources and improved environments fit for play.
We voice some concern over section 60 para. (6) which defines "any recreational activity” as play. We ask the question: Are the Saturday Football Fixtures or a costly bowling alley play? The Venture views this terminology as an 'open gate’ by which valuable resources intended for quality play provision may 'escape’. We are also concerned that the inclusion of this term may affect the 'sufficiency’ figures of Local Authorities.
4. What are the potential barriers to implementing the provision of the proposed Measure (if any) and does the proposed measure take account of them?
As a voluntary Organisation, The Venture seeks funding from a variety of funders who rarely contribute to core staff/costs/administration. The core funding we receive from our Local Authority is fundamental to our extensive continued provision and we would therefore welcome the proposed Measure’s implication that Local Authorities might be more committed to continued funding in order to secure 'sufficient play opportunities’ (section 60) (3). The Ventures commitment to fulfilling assessment requirements and reviews will also help the local Authority’s need to account for their contributions towards supporting sufficient play opportunities, implying that what may appear as a barrier may actually promote positive outcomes.
5. What are the financial implications of the proposed Measure for organisations, if any?
The Venture views the proposed Measure as a welcome opportunity for dialogue, assessment, improvement of play provision and environments which afford play within disadvantaged communities. Our 'casual’ experience is that many different departments and organisations often share some common purposes. A more 'joined up’ approach suggests that existing resources may be used to greater affect. We do however recognise that any new commitments by all concerned would be over and above the services they already provide.
6. Are there any further comments you wish to make about specific sections of the proposed Measure?
The Venture is pleased to recognise the potential for improving play opportunities for children who are suffering poverty in many aspects of their lives and sees the proposed Measure as a much valued declaration of intent to address this issue. Positive play experiences in quality environments will undoubtedly have positive effects on whole communities. The proposed Measure will also signify National and local commitment to children’s right to play.
Theresa Burling
On behalf of The Venture, Wrexham
April 2009
