December 2010

Welcome
In this issue
Welcome to the December issue of the Children’s Play Update,
a monthly round up of news, information and events for the
play sector in England. It is produced by the Children’s Play
Play in the news
Information Service in coordination with Play England.
To subscribe, or unsubscribe, to the update please email What’s new at
playupdate@ncb.org.uk CPIS?
Play in the news Play England
A snapshot of the month’s news relating to children’s play
from play organisations and from Children in the News, a daily update
and weekly abstracting service published by NCB’s Library and
Information Service. Children in the News covers the key Policy
stories and events relating to children and young people, as
reported in the national daily press.
http://www.ncb.org.uk/library Conferences and
events
The play's the thing
Discussing the value of play for both children and adults,
Libby Brooks writes "the risk-taking and passion of the Play resources
playground might be just what adults need in austerity
Britain". She touches on the work of Iona and Peter Opie, who About us
investigated play in the 1970s, and Steve Roud's Lore of the
Playground, published last month.
(Guardian, 3 Dec 2010, p50) Contact us
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/dec/02/play-
risks-passion-playground-britain

The Register of Play Inspectors (RPII) launches Play Inspector Finder

To help play providers find play safety inspectors, hold down costs and stay 'green',
the Register of Play Inspectors (RPII) has added, ‘Find Your Nearest Inspectors’ to
its website. Visitors simply type in their full postcode, click ‘Search’ and all of the
relevant RPII UK play inspectors are listed in mileage sequence from the chosen
postcode.
http://www.playinspectors.com

Girls more likely to be overweight at age seven than boys, study shows
Researchers have warned that girls are almost 50 per cent more likely to be
overweight than boys by the age of seven. The Institute of Education analysed the
weights of 11,000 children taking part in the Millennium Cohort Study and also
found that only children were 25 per cent more likely to suffer weight problems at
the age of seven than classmates with one sibling.

Children’s Play Update – December 2010

Principal author Dr Alice Sullivan said, `It is not clear whether the increased risk for
girls is due to them being overfed compared to boys, or because they are involved in
less physical activity - perhaps due to the over-protectiveness of parents - or some
combination of the two’.
(Mail, 7 Dec 2010, p18; Mirror, 7 Dec 2010, p23; Sun, 7 Dec 2010, p29; Telegraph,
7 Dec 2010, p10)
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2010/12/07/girls-more-likely-to-be-
overweight-than-boys-by-seven-115875-22766633/

What’s new at CPIS?

CPIS funding due to end
The Children’s Play Information Service (CPIS) – the play sector’s library and
information service – is under threat of closure. Our funding, from the Department
for Education (DfE) and Play England, is coming to an end on 31 March 2011, and it
looks unlikely that it will be extended or renewed.

CPIS provides a free and highly regarded service to everyone in the play sector –
from small community groups trying to improve their play spaces to play
professionals and academics. If you use our services, or if you work with people who
do, and you think that it is important to keep CPIS – please publicise this to your
contacts and networks. We are doing everything we can to find alternative funding
but we do need your support.

New factsheet on playtime

CPIS has published a new factsheet, The Benefits of School Playtime. Written by
Shelly Newstead of Common Threads, the factsheet provides an overview of some of
the research on the benefits of playtime, and looks at how schools and pupils can
benefit from playful playtimes. The factsheet can be downloaded from the CPIS
website:
http://www.ncb.org.uk/cpis/resources/factsheets.aspx

Play England Update

Consultation on a new structure for Play England
Play England will begin a formal consultation with its staff on a new structure during
December 2010. Play England is reorganising what will inevitably be a smaller
resource to continue to provide a strong and focused national voice for play in the
more austere times ahead. For more information visit the website:
http://www.playengland.org.uk/news/2010/12/play-england-consultation-with-staff

Play England’s response to Office of Civil Society consultation

Play England has submitted a response to Supporting a Stronger Civil Society – An
Office for Civil Society consultation on improving support for frontline civil society
organisation. This response, which is the first of two planned submissions to the
OCS, focuses on the role of the national voluntary and community sector play
infrastructure. You can read this response on our website:
http://www.playengland.org.uk/media/248012/supporting-civil-society-
consultation.pdf

Children’s Play Update – December 2010

Play England responds to DEFRA consultation
Play England has also submitted a response to a consultation published by the
Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: An invitation to shape the
Nature of England – a discussion document. The submission is available on our
website:
http://www.playengland.org.uk/resources/department-for-rural-affairs-consultation

Sustaining adventure playgrounds seminar

Ninety hardy play people braved the big freeze for a Play England seminar on
sustaining adventure playgrounds and including all children and communities. The
event, on 30 November in Euston, was jointly organised with KIDS to explore models
of sustainability in an age of austerity.
The day got off to a bright start with an inspiring presentation from the Venture
Centre, a community hub that grew out of the Notting Hill adventure playground.
Delegates had an opportunity to participate in various workshops and round table
discussions on the opportunities and challenges facing the play sector in the current
economic climate. For more information about this event and the adventure
playgrounds programme, visit the website:
http://www.playengland.org.uk/events/sustaining-adventure-playgrounds-including-
all-children-and-communities

Engaging Communities in Play

Play England's new programme, Engaging Communities in Play, will be providing
expert support to communities in 20 areas of England over the coming months. The
communities have been selected following an evaluation of expressions of interest
submitted in October.

Engaging Communities in Play is designed to empower local communities to take

control of spaces where their children would like to play and give local people the
inspiration and resources to develop, manage and sustain the places where their
children play.

The communities selected to receive a package of support are in: Bath and North
East Somerset; Blackpool; Enfield; Gateshead: Oxfordshire; Kent; East Riding;
Manchester; Knowsley; Camden; Hackney; Haringey; Torbay; Cornwall; Bradford;
Southwark; Richmond; Worcestershire; and Peterborough. This is likely to benefit 16
voluntary sector and pathfinder adventure playgrounds, and over 50 community
organisations.

The Engaging Communities in Play programme offers support for other community-
led play provision through the website: http://www.playfulcommunities.org.uk or
the Play England advice line: 020 7843 6300.

For more information about the Engaging Communities in Play programme visit our
website:
http://www.playengland.org.uk/our-work/engaging-communities-in-play

Kent gets first revised Play Shaper

The first of the updated Play Shaper: Engaging Communities in Play seminars takes
place in Kent this December.

The one-day professional development seminar will be hosted by the Kent County
Council and the Kent Children’s Fund Network, and will focus on how the local

Children’s Play Update – December 2010

authority, and voluntary and community sectors can work together to meet local play
needs and priorities.

Play Shaper is part of Play England’s Engaging Communities in Play programme

aimed at empowering local communities to take control of spaces where their
children would like to play. For further information about Play Shaper visit
http://www.playshaper.org.uk

For further information about Engaging Communities in Play visit

http://www.playengland.org.uk/our-work/engaging-communities-in-play

Quality in Play
Quality in Play is the only quality assurance programme developed for the play sector
by experienced playworkers. Play England welcomes applications from play providers
ready for assessment. The next deadline for submission is 14 January 2011.
If you are interested in finding out more about the Quality in Play programme, please
contact us by email: qip@ncb.org.uk or by phone: 020 7833 6838.

Keep an eye on our website, where we will be announcing new training opportunities
for 2011.
http://www.playengland.org.uk/our-work/quality-in-play

Play England's Annual Report 2009–2010

Play England's Annual Report 2009–2010 is available online. The report documents
the achievements of Play England over the last year and sets out our aims for the
next five years.
http://www.playengland.org.uk/resources/annual-report-2009-2010

Play Today
The new issue of Play Today, issue number 71, is now available to download from
our website. Play Today has a long track record as the leading journal for the play
sector and this latest issue is packed full of news, lively debates and ideas on good
practice from the world of play.
To sign up to receive your free copy, please visit the website:
http://www.playengland.org.uk/sign-up

Policy
Communities

Community Infrastructure Levy retained

Following parliamentary lobbying, the government has decided to retain the
Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), a tax on developments intended to make a
commercial profit. A proportion of the money raised through the CIL will go to local
infrastructure, providing a potential source of investment in play provision.
http://living-places.org.uk/culture-and-sport-planning-toolkit/funding-and-
delivery/sources-of-funding/community-infrastructure-levy-cil.html

Children’s Play Update – December 2010

Education

Schools White Paper

The Department for Education has published the Schools White Paper, The
Importance of Teaching. It includes proposals to reduce local authority oversight
over education in favour of Academies and parents and teachers run Free Schools. It
also proposes to review the curriculum and to introduce a £2.5 billion per year Pupil
Premium targeted at the most deprived areas.
http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/cm79/7980/7980.pdf

Health

Public Health White paper

The Department of Health has published Healthy Lives, Healthy People: Our strategy
for public health in England which sets out the government’s long-term vision for the
future of public health in England. This includes the establishment of a ‘wellness’
service and the devolution of power over spending on public health to local
authorities.
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publichealth/Healthyliveshealthypeople/index.htm

Playwork

Foundation degree in playwork

The University of Brighton is recruiting its next cohort to start in April 2011, to study
the Foundation Degree in Playwork. This is a two and a half year part-time course.
Further information is available on their website
http://courses.brighton.ac.uk/course.php?cnum=748

Poverty

Independent Review on Poverty and Life Chances

An independent review, commissioned by Prime Minister David Cameron, has called
for a redefining of child poverty that would include play deprivation. The Independent
Review on Poverty and Life Chances, led by Frank Field MP identifies access to play
facilities and the quality of the local environment as part of a new suite of measures
of child poverty to run alongside the existing financial poverty measures.
http://povertyreview.independent.gov.uk/media/20254/poverty-report.pdf

Conferences and events

Below is a selection of forthcoming conferences. Please have a look at the CPIS
website for the full listing, Play Conferences & Events, which is published at the
beginning of each month: http://www.ncb.org.uk/cpis
If you would like to receive an email alert about this listing please email
cpis@ncb.org.uk

10 February 2011, London

Inspecting Play Areas - cutting the cost
This seminar will show how significant savings can be made yet systems be improved
by reducing paperwork and having a smarter approach to inspections. Each person
attending will receive a free copy of Impact Absorbing Surfaces/Using Grass as an
IAS.
http://www.londonplay.org.uk/file/1550.pdf

Children’s Play Update – December 2010

11-12 February 2011, London
Nursery World Show 2011
http://www.nurseryworldshow.com

24 February 2011, London

Everybody’s Business: Annual Playwork Inclusion Project (PIP) Conference
The content of the conference will derive from the next PIP Guidelines book with the
same title and which will be launched at the conference.
Whilst final arrangements are being made about what to expect, you can email:
pip@kids.org.uk for a booking form to secure your place. Further details of the
conference will be available on the PIP website as they are confirmed.
http://www.kids.org.uk/pip

1-2 March 2011, Eastbourne

National Playwork Conference
Details to be provided nearer the time.
http://www.meynellgames.org.uk

2 March 2011, London

A Foundation for Life - The New Landscape for the Early Years
Organised by 4Children, the conference will provide a valuable opportunity to reflect
on the changing landscape of early years and to begin to map out the vision and
priorities for a new early years system.
http://www.4children.org.uk

3 March 2011, London

Playing with the Rain
This seminar at Toffee Park Adventure Playground in London will be led by Matt
Davies of Planet Earth, award-winning landscape architect who will show how to
safely use rainwater for water play features. There will also be an opportunity to
have a play with the installation at Toffee Park, developed jointly with Islington Play
Association and Middlesex University. For further information please email Alan
Sutton, London Play: alan@londonplay.org.uk

Children’s Play Update – December 2010

12 March 2011, Chertsey, Surrey
Spirit of Play South East
More details to come.
http://www.skillsactive.com

12-13 April 2011, University of Gloucestershire

Philosophy at Play Conference
http://www.glos.ac.uk/philosophyatplay

27-30 April 2011, Rochester, NY

Play and Health: 37th TASP Annual International Conference: Call for papers
http://tasplay.org/conference.html

Play resources
Below is a selection of new books, reports and journal articles relating to children’s
play and added to the CPIS library in the past month. Please have a look at the CPIS
website for the full listing, Play Abstracts, which is published at the beginning of each
month: http://www.ncb.org.uk/cpis
If you would like to receive an email alert about this listing please email
cpis@ncb.org.uk

BEDFORD, J. (2010)
Every picture tells a story: Donne Buck: adventure playground pioneer
Playtoday, no.71 (Autumn). pp16-18.
The author, who created an exhibition of photos from adventure playgrounds in
1960s London, presents an selection of the photos, with comments from Donne
Buck, who worked on the playgrounds and took the photos. The photos are held in
an archive at the Children's Play Information Service at NCB.

CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE COMMITTEE, NATIONAL ASSEMBLY FOR

WALES (2010)
Provision of safe places to play and hang out
Cardiff: National Assembly for Wales.
Reports on an inquiry into the experiences of children and young people in Wales
accessing safe places to play and hang out. The inquiry looked at issues affecting the
play experiences of children and young people; issues relevant to existing provision,
such as quality, cost and access; effectiveness of current policy provision and
initiatives in providing safe places to play and hang out; and the impact of specific
barriers such as bullying and road safety issues. The report makes 26
recommendations.
http://www.assemblywales.org/cr-ld8301-e.pdf

ELSE, P. (2010)
Playing: It's natural?
The Playing Field, (Autumn). pp20-21.
Originally published in Playback, Sutcliffe Play's newsletter. Discusses the importance
of play and exploring in the natural environment for children.

Children’s Play Update – December 2010

FACTOR, J. (2010)
Verbal play - flexibility, invention and experiment
Play and Folklore, no. 54 (Oct), pp15-19.
Discusses children's verbal play, including rhymes and riddles.

HOLDEN, A. (2010)
Children's play and community cohesion in Blackburn
Playtoday, no.71 (Autumn). pp14-15.
The integration of children from different religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds
into cohesive communities is increasingly seen as a priority in many cities. This
article reports the findings of an 18-month study in Blackburn, which examined how
children integrate through play.

HULAAS SUNDE, K. (2010)

Yes, we play with guns here
Montessori International, no.97 (Oct-Dec). pp14-15.
The author, a head teacher at a Montessori nursery school, explains how a chance
encounter with a book challenged 17 years of practice and thinking, and her nursery
school's approach to play involving war, weapons and superheroes. From a position
of zero tolerance of play with weapons and warfare, the school has moved to a
position where it allows children to play in this way, recognising the creative benefits
of the physical play that has resulted and the children's ability to distinguish between
role play and real life.

MORTENSEN, K. and GRUNBAUM, L. (2010)

Play and power
London: Karnac for the European Federation for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy.
This collection of papers explores the concepts of play and power, both in a
therapeutic context and in the broader context of the community.

NEWSTEAD, S. (2010)
Follow the leader!
Learning Support, no.33 (Autumn). pp31.
Looks at the role of the lunchtime leader in ensuring that the school playground is a
well supervised and enjoyable space for both pupils and school staff.

Children’s Play Update – December 2010

About us
Children’s Play Information Service (CPIS)
http://www.ncb.org.uk/cpis ▪ cpis@ncb.org.uk ▪Tel. 020 7843 6303/6026

The Children’s Play Information Service (CPIS) is the national information service on
children’s play based at the NCB library. CPIS holds information on all aspects of
children’s play, including play theory, research and practical guidance.
Services include:
● enquiry service
● reference library
● free factsheets and student reading lists
● contact details of play consultants and play organisations
● details of play conferences and events

CPIS is funded by the Department for Education, and the Big Lottery Fund through
Play England.

Play England
http://www.playengland.org.uk ▪ playengland@ncb.org.uk ▪ Tel. 020 7843 6300

Play England promotes excellent free play opportunities for all children and young
people. Play England provides advice and support to promote good practice, and
works to ensure that the importance of play is recognised by policy makers, planners
and the public.
Services include:
● resources and information
● training, conferences and seminars
● networking and referrals
● advocacy and campaigning support

Play England is part of NCB, and is supported by the Big Lottery Fund.

Children’s Play Update – December 2010

Contact us
If you have any news about your organisation, including conferences, that you would
like to be included in the next Children’s Play Update, email us at
playupdate@ncb.org.uk

Copy deadline Friday 14 January 2011, publication date Thursday 20

January 2011

Children’s Play Information Service (CPIS)

Tel: +44 (0)20 7843 6303/6026
Email: cpis@ncb.org.uk

Play England
Tel: +44 (0)20 7843 6300
Email: playengland@ncb.org.uk

NCB Library & Information Service

Tel: +44 (0)20 7843 6008
Email: library@ncb.org.uk

NCB Membership
Tel: +44 (0)20 7843 6080
Email: membership@ncb.org.uk

Children’s Play Update – December 2010