Gateshead
Play Strategy
2010 - 2030
Contents
Page
Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
National Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Local Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Our vision for 2030 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
More places to play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Supporting play throughout childhood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Playing safely . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Play in the Neighbourhoods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Sustainability of Play and Quality Assurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Play and Workforce Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Appendix 1 - Short, Medium and Long Term Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Appendix 2 - Risk Benefit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Annex A - Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Annex B - Endorsements from stakeholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
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2 Gateshead Play Strategy 2010-2030
Foreword
Fun and exciting opportunities to play are at the heart of a
happy, healthy and enjoyable childhood. Better outdoor
play opportunities are good for children, good for families
and good for communities.
The Play Strategy for Gateshead gives due regard to the
significant capital investment in new and refurbished play
sites to meet the needs of children, parents and the local
community in every area across the borough.
Time and space to play safely is integral to our ambition to
make Gateshead the best in the country for children and
young people to grow up - it is vital to children’s physical,
emotional, social and educational development.
We are delighted to see the first new Adventure
Playground in Gateshead which opened Summer 2010.
Our vision is to make sure that every residential area has a
variety of high-quality places for all children to play safely.
We are committed to making play accessible for all
children.
As a result of our investment and the implementation of
this Play Strategy, led locally by the Gateshead Children’s
Trust we anticipate continuously increasing levels of
satisfaction amongst children, young people, families and
communities.
“Tell us Survey” provides us with evidence of increasing
levels of satisfaction and confirms in 2008 satisfaction
levels were below the regional average and achieving
37.6%. With the investment from Play Builder in 2009
satisfaction levels rose to 47.1% a 9.4% increase.
We can only achieve our vision for play in 2030 by working
in partnership with Play England, the third sector and
range of partners including Early Years, Schools, Housing,
Police, Children and Families, Youth and Community,
Transport to name but a few. We shall put children, young
people and their parents at the heart of the design and
development of neighbourhood provision.
We hope to continuously deliver improvements in Gateshead
Play provision and to sustain our significant contribution
to Gateshead’s Strategic Partnership Vision 2030.
Margaret Whellans,
Group Director Children Services
Dave Taylor, Assistant Director Play England, Councillor
Catherine Donovan and the Mayor John Eagle.
Councillor Catherine Donovan
Chair Children and Young Peoples
Gateshead Play Strategy 2010-2030 3
Introduction
Gateshead’s ambition is to provide the
best Play provision in the country.
Children, young people and their
parents all recognise that play is a
vital ingredient of a happy and
healthy childhood, supporting
children’s physical,
emotional, social
and educational
development.
The Gateshead Play Strategy
backed by significant
investment for local play
facilities across the borough, is
informed by the views of
children, young people and
their parents.
Our aim, shared with children, young people and parents,
is for all children to be able to enjoy a range of safe and
exciting places to play close to where they live. Through
children and communities’ involvement in the design and
planning of these spaces, play areas will be valued locally
and continue to reflect the distinct needs of each
community.
This Strategy sets out how we will deliver our vision for
2030, supporting local delivery partners to make a reality
of children’s right to play, as stated in Article 31 of the
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
‘Play is a very
important part of my child’s day.
It is the way that they relax, have
fun, explore and find out about the
world and themselves’.
National context
Playing for children is a primary need, linked to the need
for them to be able to express themselves, to explore,
learn about and make sense of their world. The term ‘play’
within the play strategy describes what children and
young people do when they follow their own ideas and
interest in their own way and for their own reasons.
Nationally the Government values play for its own sake
and sees it as instrumental to a happy childhood,
recognising it as a right for children under article 31 of the
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
“All children have a right to play, and to join in a wide
range of activities.”
The Children’s Plan sets out the Governments aim to
make England the best place in the world for children and
young people to play and grow up.
Play England have a focus on 8 - 13 year olds, whilst the
overarching National Play Strategy embraces play in its
wider sense for children and young people up to the age
of 19 years.
‘We want to play after School,
in the holidays and at weekends’.
4 Gateshead Play Strategy 2010-2030
Under Section 10 of the Children Act 2004 and the
supporting Every Child Matters Framework local
authorities and partners have a responsibility to support
children’s play. Play work contributes to Every Child
Matters outcomes:
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Be Healthy
Stay Safe
Enjoy and Achieve
Make a Positive Contribution
Achieve Economic Wellbeing
The Government’s National Play Strategy 2009 and
supporting guidance from Play England and Skills
Active have informed the Gateshead Play Strategy.
These include:
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‘Embedding the Play Strategy 2008’ Play England
‘Play work Learning and Skills Strategy’ Skills Active
The National Play Strategy aligns play to new reconfigured
Children’s Trust arrangements further to new statutory
guidance and wider local strategic partnership
arrangements at Local Authority Level.
Nationally the Government are committed to strategies to
address child poverty. Play experience and opportunities
assist in enriching the lives of families at risk of socio
economic exclusion.
Local context
Gateshead Play Strategy is aligned to Gateshead Strategic
Partnerships Vision 2030 and Sustainable Community
Strategy, making a key contribution to narrowing the gap
between groups of young people and between the
different wards across Gateshead.
Gateshead Play Strategy supports the
development of the 6 big ideas of Vision 2030:
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City of Gateshead
Gateshead Goes Global
Creative Gateshead l
Sustainable Gateshead
Active and Healthy Gateshead
Gateshead Volunteers
Gateshead Play Strategy is central to the
wider Gateshead’s Children’s Trust
arrangements, the Children and Young Peoples
Plan and makes a major contribution to improving the
outcomes of Children and Young People across the Every
Child Matters Spectrum.
The Play Strategy sits within the context of new Area
Integrated Working Arrangements and Play Development
is aligned to the work of Early Years, Connexions, Youth
and Community, Youth Crime Prevention, Extended
Services and Teenage Pregnancy. Alignment
arrangements are developing with Children and Families,
School Improvement Cluster arrangements and wider.
Gateshead Play develops collaborative
arrangements with a broad range of
statutory and voluntary sector partners
which include community safety, housing,
local environmental services, health, police,
neighbourhood management et al. This
umbrella partnership arrangement is
cemented through Gateshead Play
Partnership governance arrangements and
supporting partnership agreements.
‘We like to play outdoor
with our friends’.
Gateshead Play Strategy 2010-2030 5
Our vision for 2030
Definition of Play
“Children and Young People follow their
own ideas and interest, in their own way,
and for their own reasons, having fun, whilst
respecting themselves and others.”
“All children need to play and have a
right to play. Children of all ages should
be able to play freely and confidently on
their own and with other children”.
Play England Strategy (2008).
Children’s Play Council (1998).
Core Offer of Play
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Play will assist children to develop physically,
intellectually, emotionally, spiritually and socially
Play will be inclusive, will be child led and of the
highest standard to improve the outcomes for children
and young people.
Play is accessible for all local children and young
people, including disabled children, and children from
minority groups in the community.
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Children, young people and parents are key
stakeholders in monitoring the standards and quality
of play provision across Gateshead
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Gateshead play makes a key contribution to Gateshead
Strategic Partnerships Vision 2030
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Gateshead play assists in narrowing the gap in
inequalities across communities and groups of
children, young people and families.
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Play is intergenerational with parents and carers
offered support and guidance to develop play with
their children
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In every neighbourhood area across Gateshead there are
a variety of high quality supervised and unsupervised
places for challenging and stimulating play;
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Local neighbourhoods across Gateshead are, and feel
like, safe, interesting places to play;
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Routes to children’s play space are safe and accessible
for all children and young people;
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Parks and open spaces are attractive and welcoming to
children and young people, and are well maintained
and well used;
6 Gateshead Play Strategy 2010-2030
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Children and young people and their parents/carers
have a clear stake in public space and their play is
accepted by their neighbours;
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Children and young people play in a way that respects
other people and property;
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Children and young people and their families take an
active role in the development of local play provision
and in the management of their environments.
Delivering our vision for play
An implementation plan covering short term, medium
term and longer term goals will ensure that the Vision
2030 for Play is delivered. See appendix 1 for
implementation plan.
The Council are commited to developing a fixed play
strategy which will determine the future development of
outdoor equipped play areas.
More places to play
Children and parents told us in a comprehensive consultation in 2009 and 2010 that they want more high-quality
places to play near where they live. To respond to this demand, our aim is to provide a variety of safe, accessible and
exciting places to play in every residential area.
Children, young people and
adults asked for:
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Local play provision
A place to play with other children
A safe place to play
A wide variety of indoor and outdoor play
A place to play with friends and to be with family
Our key actions:
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Significant capital investment of over £1.2 million in 4
new parks and 18 refurbished parks across all 5
neighbourhoods in Gateshead.
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Play resource allocation allows access to all with some
focused investment on deprived areas of Gateshead.
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Play in Gateshead will develop usage of the £750,000
purpose built Adventure Playground, evaluate the
provision and explore further funding streams to
expand further adventurous pursuit opportunities
across the borough
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The Play Partnership/Service will continue to promote
the benefits of play in broad strategic developments
which will enhance play opportunities across the
borough (see Appendix 2 - Risk Benefit)
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The Play Partnership/Service will work in partnership
with Extended Services to develop Community Access
across Gateshead Schools with play provision therein.
“I like to come and have a bit
of a muck about because you
can’t muck about at school.”
Joe aged 13
Gateshead Play Strategy 2010-2030 7
Supporting play throughout childhood
Children of all ages want to have opportunities to play, regardless of their background, physical ability or where they
live. To improve opportunities for all children, the Strategy focuses on places where children and young people spend
their leisure time (including parks and green spaces), schools and Sure Start Children’s Centres. Through the
implementation of this Strategy, we will make sure that parents know what opportunities exist locally.
Our key actions:
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The Play Partnership informs parents and children of
the breadth of local play opportunities across
Gateshead by:
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Access to the play web site
Family Information Services, a local directory of
services
Play Newsletter
Mail shots to children, families and schools
Promotion of the play provision via Children Centres
Family Information Directory
PLINGS
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Play Partnership/Service delivery supports the Aiming
High agenda working in partnership with Children and
Families to provide bespoke, inclusive play
programmes for children with disabilities. This in turn
supports the health of children with disabilities
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Gateshead’s Children’s Centres will continue to deliver
best practice in design and provision of spaces for
children to play, disseminating this to further improve
provision across the borough
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Play is integrated into many of the services of
Children’s Centres
The Early Years Foundation Stage is a statutory play
based early learning framework across Gateshead
Early Years providers, giving an entitlement to play
based experiences for every child 0 - 5 years.
Toy Library linking through
Tyne View Children’s centre
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Gateshead’s Toy Library is a community resource to
improve play facilities for children and families in
Gateshead. It provides a loaning service of toys and
equipment, and also a dedicated space for children to
play. The library enables children to have a ccess to a
variety of high quality toys at low cost as well as
supporting parents and carers in understanding the
role of play in child development. The service is also
available for childminders and nurseries to help
enhance existing provisions in order to fully support
the six areas of learning and development in the Early
Years Foundation Stage.
8 Gateshead Play Strategy 2010-2030
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Through partnership working with Extended Services,
play makes a key contribution in providing positive
activities generally and activities tailored to the
economically disadvantaged young people’s
contribution in positive activities for young people and
the number of extended schools.
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Play provision through schools cuts across the school
day and outside school hours. Gateshead play
provision makes a key contribution to in supporting
Gateshead Schools by enriching the lives of children,
families and the wider community through a range of
play provision
Active Kidz in partnership with
Kingsmeadow School - Assault
Course
Gateshead council deliver
Active kidz holiday schemes in
conjunction with schools across
Gateshead. Active kidz is an
inclusive holiday scheme for
children between the ages of
5-19 years. Children and young
people are referred on to the
schemes from a wide range of
partners including the children
with disabilities team, youth
crime prevention service, family
support service and extended
services co-ordinators.
Playing safely
Gateshead children, young people and parents have informed us that concerns about safety are preventing children
from going outside and accessing play areas, and that play facilities are often dull and are not challenging and
stimulating for children. To address this Gateshead play will do more to tackle bullying and crime, and increase the
availability of appropriately supervised play, as well as to support partners to deliver safe and exciting play areas that
children and young people want to see.
Our key actions:
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Gateshead play targets young people at risk of
offending and engages them in constructive play
activities to divert from anti social behaviour, thereby
contributing to reducing the number of first time
entrants to the Youth Justice System
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To monitor the referrals from Youth Crime Action Plan
and to monitor the impact of tailored play packages
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Close collaborative work with police, neighbourhood
wardens and communities and Area Forums to ensure
that children play in a safe and secure environment
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The Play Service have partnership arrangements with
the Youth Service and Rathbone to develop outreach
programmes to engage young people at risk
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All play staff will be recruited and inducted to ensure
stringent workforce and safe employment practices,
vetting staff to meet the requirements of the Local
Safeguarding Children’s Board
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Play provision targets young people at risk of
emotional health issues working in collaboration with
the Targeted Mental Health in Schools initiative, this in
turn contributes to Gateshead’s Anti Bullying Strategy.
Targeted Mental Health
in Schools
Joseph Swan Secondary School highlighted bullying and
self confidence as an issue for a number of young people
within their school. Two play workers were commissioned
in to deliver weekly sessions for a targeted group who had
experienced physical or verbal bullying as well as those
who had bullied.
The sessions were tailored towards the young people’s
needs and drawing on their own personal experiences.
The impact on those who had been bullied was that they
had a better understanding of why they were bullied and
felt happier at being able to share experiences and less
isolated due to them understanding they were not alone.
Those who bullied were shocked and upset at the
degrading and emotional impact they had imposed on
others.
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Gateshead will strengthen the volunteering base of
over 20 volunteers, enhanced through V Volunteer
programme and Future Jobs +. This workforce will be
involved in direct delivery of play, facilitating
communities to take responsibilities in developing
play and in the governance arrangements of the Play
Partnership and Adventure Playground Advisory Board
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Play provision across Gateshead is inclusive and offers
opportunity for all, through interactive play and in
partnership with Extended Services and Community
Based Services, thereby making a significant
contribution to community cohesion and contributing
to the stronger community’s agenda.
Gateshead Play Strategy 2010-2030 9
Play in the neighbourhood
Gateshead Play Strategy involves assessing the needs of children and young people in respect of neighbourhood play
provision which includes play in public spaces, streets and communities as well as more structured provision via
parks, adventure playgrounds and play activities.
Clasper Towers Adventure
Playground
Central to the assessment of needs at neighbourhood level
is the involvement of children, young people, families and
partners in assessing the needs as a prerequisite for
planning play provision. Key elements of this include:
1. The involvement of Children in negotiating play
programmes in schools, leisure centres and community
centres. The play curriculum is child-led.
2. Children and families’ views are taken fully into account
in developing the Active Kidz programme via the
monthly planning group.
6. The Play Strategy aims to get children, young people
and parents increasingly involved in the Play
Partnership and Adventure Playground governance.
3. Children and families are fully involved in the selection
panels which prioritise where parks will be developed
in the neighbourhood.
7. Extensive consultation will continue to take place in
developing play in the community via partnership
work with housing, neighbourhood management,
community safety, neighbourhood police, local
environmental services et al.
4. Children, Young People and families are fully engaged
in comprehensive consultation processes in designing,
locating new park provision across Gateshead
neighbourhoods.
5. Extensive work is and will be carried out in meeting
the needs of children with disabilities e.g. involvement
in access issues in the development of new parks.
10 Gateshead Play Strategy 2010-2030
8. The partnership is committed to using ‘new needs
assessment’ tools, which involves taking the views of
children, parents and local partners into account in
planning play at the community level. They are also
taking the views of same in evaluating provision via
the TDA Impact Tool which in turn loops back to inform
the needs of children.
Consultation with Young People
Event for improving parks
The Play Strategy is aligned to decision making in respect
of use of green spaces. The strategy recognises the
importance of continually improving the quality of parks
and green spaces so that everyone has access to quality
green spaces close to where they live.
Play in Green Spaces
The strategy involves the analysis of data in respect of the
new national indicator with regard to the satisfaction
levels of children in relation to local parks as places to
play.
Gateshead Play Strategy 2010-2030 11
Sustainability of Play and Quality Assurance
The Play Strategy reflects the commitment to developing and embedding quality assurance in order to aspire to
Gateshead having the best play provision in the country.
Building on a ‘quality assurance’ away day for staff Autumn
2009 the following tools are being embedded by staff
across the play development service in collaboration with
partners:
1. An assessment of needs tool which will be applied
across the 5 neighbourhoods of Gateshead and will
include quantitative and qualitative research. This will
be informed by the joint strategic needs assessment,
GENIE and Health Profiles of South of Tyne NHS (PCT).
2. A Service Plan which supports the implementation of
the Play Strategy.
3. Reviews of Service Plan
4. Local Neighbourhood Action Plans of Area Workers
5. Play Executive reports to the Play Partnership
Play, Gateshead Children Trust
and Gateshead Local Strategic
Partnership
The play strategy will be aligned to broader Gateshead
Children’s Trust policy development and commissioning
processes. The impact tool will be used to monitor the
effectiveness of the play development service helping to
address these priorities.
Gateshead Play Strategy is aligned to Vision 2030 and
Gateshead Sustainable Community Strategy. The play
strategy is intended to impact and cut across ‘Stronger
and Safer Communities,’ the local economy and
environmental sustainability (see Appendix 2 - Risk
Benefit).
6. The use of Performance Management Information to
inform policy e.g. NI199 - satisfaction surveys
7. The use of the TDA Impact Tool in measuring the
effectiveness of play provision involving and views of
children and young people.
8. Monitoring the impact of play on Local Area
Agreement Priorities across the Children and Young
Peoples Block and wider National Indicators.
9. Robust inductions supervision and Achievement and
Development reviews across the play workforce.
10. Comprehensive training a development of staff to
support the workforce development arm of the play
strategy.
11. The development of value for money indicators as
part of a wider drive towards efficiency.
Play and the Health Sector
Gateshead play strategy gives due regard to the joint
work between South of Tyne NHS (Primary Care Trust) and
Gateshead Council. The play partnership is committed to
contributing to the joint strategic needs assessment and
joined up service planning with the Health Sector.
The play strategy is fundamental in addressing priorities
for both South of Tyne NHS (PCT) and Gateshead Council,
for instance, the need to reduce obesity rates for children.
Gateshead play is aligned to Gateshead Obesity Action
Plan.
Play is a clear contributor to the Change 4 Life
Programme, the new national initiative to help every
family in England and Gateshead eat well, move more and
live longer e.g. Hoop Hop and What’s Cooking initiatives
in partnership with Extended Services, Healthy Schools,
Children’s Centres and Contin You.
The play strategy involves a commitment to increasing
the collaboration with the PCT/NHS to strengthen
partnership arrangements in respect of needs assessment,
service planning, commissioning and governance.
12 Gateshead Play Strategy 2010-2030
Play contributing to the
reduction in Obesity amongst
children
Gateshead councils play development service delivered
healthy eating programmes to children and young people
in partnership with ‘what’s cooking kids’. Quotes from
Children and young people show the impact the
programme had on their opinion of healthy eating.
“Cooking was mint
and it tasted great.”
Play and the Third Sector
Gateshead Play Strategy recognises the need to
collaborate with the voluntary and community sector, not
least, through collaboration with GVOC. The Play
Partnership offers a myriad of volunteering opportunities
which are promoted through GVOC.
The play strategy includes a commitment to enabling
communities to develop play provision in their local
neighbourhood which includes training local people and
providing bespoke support for groups wishing to set up
voluntary sector provision. This is done in collaboration
with Community Based Services.
There is a commitment to involving the umbrella
organisation GVOC in governance, planning and review of
volunteering opportunities.
“It was fun making
pizzas with the staff.”
“I learnt how to cut a
pepper properly and garlic!
Also how to make chips healthy
aswell. Brown rice is healthier
than white rice! Cool”
Gateshead Play Strategy 2010-2030 13
Play and Workforce Development
Play is central to Area Based Working. The Play Service is linked into the Area Based Working training and staff
development group. This in turn is aligned to the overarching Workforce Development Strategic and Operational
groups which operate across Children Service’s.
The play workforce is fully trained in the core principles of
workforce development:
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Safeguarding
Common Assessment Framework
Lead Professional
Multi Agency Working
Information Sharing
The play workforces apply the national Working Together
Policy in respect of safeguarding and are represented at
the Gateshead Local Safeguarding Children Board.
Staff are trained in CAF, Lead Professional and ‘Think
Family’ tools and apply these as part of an integrated
approach to meet children’s needs.
The Play Service is aligned to the development of Multi
Agency Groups across Gateshead, helping to support
Children and Young People who are vulnerable as part of
targeted provision.
The Gateshead Strategy aims to make a reality of our
aspiration for first-class opportunities for play in every
area, by helping professionals to respond to the play and
recreational needs of children and young people.
The prime focus and essence of play work is to support
and facilitate the play process and this informs the
development of play, training and education. The play
service has appropriately skilled and qualified staff to
provide a quality service. Staff has access to a range of
play work qualifications and endorsed training.
The play work principles, endorsed by Skills Active,
underpinning the National Occupational Standards, state
that ‘The role of the play worker is to support all children
and young people in the creation of a space in which they
can play’. Knowledge and skills developed include risk
management, safety, creating enriched play environments
and wellbeing.
Quality Training, Quality Play 2006 -2011 is the UK
Strategy for Play work Education and Training, developed
by the Sector Skills Council for the Play work Sector, Skills
Active which oversees the National Occupational
Standards for play. Gateshead’s approach is to develop the
play workforce to ensure staff are qualified and trained
and fit for purpose.
14 Gateshead Play Strategy 2010-2030
The play development service has access to:
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Change for Children training
Community Based Service training
Area Integrated Training
Level 3 qualifications
Working With Children Diploma
The current play development workforce have a range of
Degree level qualifications which cut across Play, Sport
and Leisure, Youth work, Business Management.
The Play Strategy will be underpinned by a workforce
development plan that links with the wider context of an
integrated workforce.
We are enabling play workers to achieve a level 3 play
work qualification or play work Foundation Degree.
We are supporting the continuous professional
development of leaders and managers in the play
workforce by managers attaining either Business
Management qualifications or leaders awards.
We strive to develop a high quality volunteer programme.
This Strategy aims to make a reality of our ambition for
world-class opportunities for play in every area, by
helping professionals and volunteers, the third sector and
business to respond to the play and recreational needs of
children and young people.
Appendix 1
‘Our vision for 2030’, sets out the short,
medium and long-term objectives that
will deliver our vision for play.
Short term: 2010-2013
Through the development and implementation of
Gateshead’s Play Strategy, backed by dedicated
investment, our immediate priority is to increase the
availability of safe, exciting and inclusive play facilities,
putting the needs of local communities at the heart of the
design process and improving facilities in the areas where
children need them most. In addition to this a new fixed
play strategy will be developed.
We will work as a Gateshead Play Partnership to identify
clear roles and responsibilities for local play delivery. Our
vision event Spring 2010 for the Play Partnership gave a
clear direction in developing the Strategy and the role of
statutory and voluntary sector agencies in implementing
the Strategy.
We will identify evidence based best practice to
disseminate and improve play across the borough.
We will continue to develop the play workforce through
Forest School, Play Degrees, Play Diplomas and Play NVQ’s
in conjunction with Gateshead College and other learning
providers.
The Play Service is central to Area Integrated Working
across the 5 neighbourhoods of Gateshead and will
monitor quality of play provision they provide using the
“NYA Quality Mark” quality assurance tool and the TDA
Impact Toolkit.
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To embed new quality assurance systems and to use
satisfaction surveys to identify priorities for play in the
medium term and to disseminate best practice.
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To identify funding streams to enhance the
development of play across the borough
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To continue to build a strong Play Partnership
infrastructure which is underpinned by robust service
level agreements between play and a breadth of
partners, monitoring impact of play in respect of
Gateshead Local Area Agreement Priorities and wider
national indicators pertinent to play
Long term: 2020-2030
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We will monitor the impact of play in terms of its
contribution to Gateshead Strategic Partnerships
Vision 2030
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We will aspire to have the best play provision in the
country using best practice identified across the world
to inform this
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As part of Gateshead Goes Global we shall explore
international links for play to exchange best practice
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We will ensure sustainability of play by developing our
local environment across the borough in helping to
make Gateshead the best place to live and work
The short term strategic objectives are encapsulated in
the Play Service Plan 2010 - 2013.
Medium term: 2013-2020
Over the medium term we will concentrate on four broad
themes:
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To align our workforce development opportunities to
the Play work Learning and Skills Strategy, to 2016.
Gateshead Play Strategy 2010-2030 15
Appendix 2
Risk Benefit for Play
Common Safety Lord Young Health and Safety Review
Friday 15th October 2010 ‘Risky play is vital for a child’s
development and should not be sacrificed to the cause of
overzealous and disproportionate risk assessments.’ A
shift from a system of risk assessment to a system of riskbenefit assessment is required.
‘In general use, the word “risk” refers to the probability,
likelihood or chance of an adverse outcome. In risk
management contexts, the word tends to include a
measure of the seriousness of the adverse outcome, as
well as its probability. The HSE defines risk as the chance
that “somebody could be harmed by (a hazard) together
with an indication of how serious the harm could be’HSE
2006.
16 Gateshead Play Strategy 2010-2030
Good risks and hazards in play provision are those that
engage and challenge children and support their learning
and growth. Bad risks and hazards are those that are
almost impossible for children to assess for themselves
and have no obvious benefits.
Risk management involves balancing risks and benefits in
a strategic way and the most important consideration for
assessing risk and decision making should be an
understanding of the benefits. Gateshead’s Play Strategy
will continuously assess play provision by using Risk
Benefit Assessments by building on current practice and
not adding bureaucracy.
Annex A - Glossary of Terms
CAF
Common Assessment Framework
GENIE
Gateshead Electronic Neighbourhood Information Engine
GVOC
Gateshead Voluntary Organisations Council
NEET
Not In Employment, Education and Training
NHS
National Health Service
NI
National Indicator
PCT
Primary Care Trust
PLINGS
Places To Go & Things To Do
TDA
Training Development Agency
VCS
Voluntary Community Sector
Gateshead Play Strategy 2010-2030 17
Annex B - Endorsements from stakeholders
Director of Children’s Service
Margaret Whellans
“The DCS, Margaret Whellans very much welcomes
Gateshead’s new Play Strategy. The Strategy will help
Gateshead Council, their partners and communities to
transform public parks, children’s play areas and school
grounds so that all children have the opportunity to enjoy
playing outside with their friends in a safe, stimulating
and exciting environment. It puts us on the right footing
for world class play facilities in Gateshead and makes
major contribution to Vision 2030.”
Northumbria Chief Police Officers
Kevin Waring Acting Inspector 8958
Gateshead Inner West Neighbourhood
Police Team
"The Gateshead Inner West Neighbourhood Police Team
fully supports the Gateshead Play Strategy. The benefits
of the strategy bring an environment that is welcoming
and accepting of children and young people playing
sociably and respectfully outside. The strategy
contributes to a healthy community as relationships are
developed amongst young people and providing better
opportunities for Police Officers to engage with children
and young persons.
Importantly, the Play Strategy recognises there is an
appropriate balance to be struck between meeting the
developmental needs of children and young people
through free play without preventing other members of
the community, including other young people, safely
enjoying shared public space ensuring their safety and
protection from crime and anti-social behaviour."
Gateshead Planning - Mike Poremba
“Landscape Architects and Planners have a crucial role in
the design of our public realm, which includes spaces
suitable for play and informal recreation. We welcome the
support outlined for Landscape Architects and Planners to
consult local communities, especially children, when
creating play areas. Involvement must mean being lead by
children, as with best play schemes, recognising that
young people need genuine influence over local places
and services.”
Gateshead Transport - Nick Clennet
The Transport & Highways Service full recognises the
important role of play in the quality of place and the
quality of life within our communities. We also
acknowledge the influence of transport on play and, in
turn, the influence of play on transport. Through our
policies and programmes, we are seeking to work
together to create active, healthy, safe and sustainable
communities for all.
Gateshead Local Environmental
Services - Kevin Robson
Local environmental services are responsible for the
management, maintenance and development of all
outdoor play spaces and recognise that play is a
fundamental aspect of a child's development, therefore
the design and ongoing management of these spaces
needs to reflect this. Children are at the centre of this
process so the play strategy is very important in ensuring
any existing and future developments take their needs
into account e.g. taking risks in a safe stimulating
challenging environment. Being a member of the play
partnership also ensures children and young people are
consulted fully and their views taken into account in the
creation of any play spaces.
18 Gateshead Play Strategy 2010-2030
Gateshead Children and Families
Jessica Moore
Disabled children, like all children, want to spend time
with friends, take part in fun activities, and develop new
skills and independence through exciting play
opportunities. As part of the national Aiming High for
Disabled Children programme, all local authorities in
England have been given additional funding to increase
the quality and quantity of short breaks available to
disabled children.
A central objective of Gateshead’s programme has been
to make sure that all disabled children, including those
with the most complex needs, can access communitybased play and leisure opportunities alongside nondisabled children.
In partnership with play and youth services, we have
enhanced existing provision, such as Active Kidz, and
developed a range of new opportunities including:
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Adventure play sessions at Clasper Towers
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One-to-one workers to accompany children to
community activities
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After-school sessions with children from the Jewish
community
As well as ensuring that staff are trained and experienced
in working with disabled children and that each child gets
the level of staff support they need to have a safe and
enjoyable experience, we have invested significant capital
funding to remove some of the physical barriers that
disabled children can experience when accessing
community facilities.
This impact of this partnership work is clear; over the past
two years we have increased the number of disabled
children accessing play and leisure opportunities in
universal settings by 187%. This means that 8,638
additional hours of provision has already been delivered
and 318 more disabled children are now enjoying
inclusive play opportunities.
Inclusive Saturday Clubs at Leam Lane and Blaydon
Gateshead Play Strategy 2010-2030 19
Produced by Gateshead Council, Learning and Children.
© Gateshead Council, December 2010