Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy
Play for All!!
Oldham Play Partnership
Foreword
children from making the most of play opportunities that we
will aim to address.
I am pleased to present a Play and Free-time Strategy for the
Borough of Oldham, to promote play opportunities and
initiatives over the next three years.
The Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy has been put
together by a multi-agency Play Partnership, through
consultation with a wide range of agencies and most
importantly with children, young people and their families.
This has been stimulated by financial support from the Big
Lottery Fund that will be used to expand on current provision
through a 3-year programme.
While ‘play’ may sometimes be seen as less important than
‘work’ or ‘education’, there is a growing recognition nationally
that when children are allowed the time and space to create
their own activities in their own way, the benefits are
immense – imagination and creativity, social and problem
solving skills, physical exercise and relaxation, learning about
the environment and nature, and much more.
And of course, we all have our own childhood memories of
playing on a beach, games in the street, being out in
woodlands and fields – for many these were some of the best
times!
The Borough of Oldham already has a great deal of
successful activity in the area of play and free-time activity.
There are a wealth of opportunities for children, young
people and their families to enjoy themselves in playgrounds,
parks and open country spaces, and there are a host of
organisations, particularly in the voluntary sector, that
provide children with the chance to enjoy play opportunities.
Oldham’s Play and Free-time Strategy sets out a plan to
promote the value and benefits of play for all children in the
Borough of Oldham – as we don’t tend to think of teenagers
‘playing’ in their spare time, this Strategy also includes a
focus on unstructured free-time activities for young people.
Of course, the Strategy aims to include all children and
young people, and it is the barriers that prevents some
Councillor H. McDonald, Lead Member
for Children, Young People and
Families, Oldham Play Champion
Acknowledgements
A large number of people were involved in the development
of the Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy and the Oldham
Play Partnership would like to thank all who contributed.
Most importantly, the Oldham Play Partnership would like to
express its thanks to those children, young people, parents
and carers who have given us an insight into their needs,
wants and views around play and free time, their input has
formed the backbone of this Strategy.
Page 3 of 3 - Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy 2007-2012
Summary
This is the Borough of Oldham’s first Play and Free-time
Strategy, developed in consultation with children, young
people, parents and agencies across the Borough to improve
play and free-time opportunities for all. Oldham Play
Partnership will deliver the Action Plan that accompanies this
Strategy over the next five years.
Play can be as important to the mental, physical and social
development of children and young people as formal
education. Improving play and free-time opportunities can
also help other organisations in the Borough of Oldham to
fulfil their aims: for example health professionals need to
reduce obesity, and the police need to reduce anti-social
behaviour.
Surely most children and young people when left to their own
devices are happy playing and (when older) hanging out, just
like their parents, grandparents or carers did when they were
young… aren’t they? Research shows that what children and
young people want is much the same as it was, ten, twenty,
thirty years ago. But like the country as a whole, increases in
traffic, building, negative attitudes towards young people
hanging out in public spaces (mostly unfounded) and parents’
/carers’ fears for children’s safety (also greatly exaggerated),
have drastically limited play and free-time opportunities.
This Strategy significantly contributes to all five Every Child
Matters outcomes supporting exciting, challenging and safe
(though not completely risk-free) play and free-time
opportunities for children and young people. So, within
reason, and avoiding harm to others and the environment,
they can do what they want, when they want and where they
want.
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This Strategy offers an excellent opportunity to provide a
more joined up approach to developing play, which will be
further enhanced by an additional £648,910 awarded by Big
Lottery. This work will aim to bring communities in the
Borough of Oldham out into the surrounding open spaces and
countryside areas, encouraging children, young people and
their families to share new experiences around play together
whilst exploring the natural beauty of the Borough of
Oldham’s countryside.
The main play and free-time needs that emerged out of a
thorough research process were:
Safety in play and free time places
o There is a need to ensure that existing parks and
natural spaces are used more by children and young
people for play and free time. Currently the wealth of
quality space is under used because of barriers such as
fears about safety (both children and parents), poor
play value, poor accessibility for disabled and special
needs children, and lack of provision located within
these areas. Children and young people need to feel
safer whilst accessing more stimulating and creative
play and free time.
Limited play and free time information
o Despite positive ad hoc initiatives to raise awareness of
what play and free-time activities are taking place, this
currently lacks coordination and means that many
children and young people are missing out on play and
free-time activities that may already be happening in
their neighbourhood. Therefore there is a need to
better market what already exists as well as what will
be provided by this strategy.
Attitudes to play and free time
Action 1 - Developing play and free time in the Borough
o While public agencies and the community recognise
that it is important for children and young people to
have adequate play and free-time opportunities, there
are sometimes conflicts between provision of play and
free-time activities and residents. There are also a lack
of prioritisation of play and free time resources from
some public agencies. There is a need to change these
attitudes.
Action 2 – Ensuring access for all in the Borough
Action 3 – Delivering play and free time in the Borough
Action 4 – Measuring and evaluating success
The key actions reported under the four themes in the Action
Plan include:
o
Develop a more strategic approach to play in the
Borough of Oldham
o
Generate a more positive attitude towards play
and free-time activities and towards children
and young people in general
o
Improve communication about the value of play
to parents, teachers, children and young people,
as well as better marketing of what play and
free-time activities are (and will be) available
o
Ensure that play and free-time opportunities are
inclusive and accessible, particularly to children
and young people with disabilities
Cohesive youth provision
o Youth free-time provision can be improved and can be
made more cohesive. There is a need for more things
to do for young people, and more free time
opportunities that bring different communities of
young people together through positive activities.
Currently there is little provision available for 12-16
year olds outside of Youth Work and more structured
activity, and what exists is highly segregated into
ethnic or interest groups.
Inclusive play
o There is a clear need for existing play and free-time
activities as well as new provision to be better suited to
a full range of children and young people. This means
that it should better take into account children and
young people with disabled and special needs, and
those that are hard to reach, as well as promote
cohesion amongst the various different ethnic and faith
communities of the Borough.
o
Improve the number and quality of free-time
opportunities for young people from all ages,
backgrounds and abilities
o
Promote and provide more unstructured outdoor
and natural play to the children and young
people and the communities in the Borough
o
The Action Plan that accompanies this Strategy in section
9 sets out around 40 actions that partners will undertake
to address these play and free-time priorities. The four
themes of the Action Plan are:
Provide supervised play to reduce the common
fears of safety around play by children and
parent
o
Facilitate ongoing and effective consultation with
children and young people, which is shared with
Page 5 of 5 - Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy 2007-2012
appropriate departments to make sure that new
play opportunities meet their needs.
o
Establish monitoring and evaluation systems
and performance indicators to measure the
success of the Play and Free-time Strategy
The Oldham
measure the
and ensure
importance it
Children & Young People Partnership will
impact of the Play and Free-time Strategy
that play and free-time receives the
deserves in our society.
From councillors to parents, chief executives to
pensioners, we must remember that quality play
and free -time is a right, not a luxury. By producing
this document, Oldham Play Partnership has
created a clear path to develop play and its legacy
will be to improve the quality of life for the whole
community.
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Contents
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Introduction............................................................................................................................................................. 8
What is the purpose of the Play and Free-time Strategy?..............................................................................................10
What are play and free-time?....................................................................................................................................12
What are the benefits of play and free time? ...............................................................................................................15
How does the Play and Free-time Strategy fit with other plans?.....................................................................................16
Who lives in the Borough of Oldham and what does it mean for play and free time? ........................................................19
What play & free-time opportunities exist and what is needed? .....................................................................................22
What are the play and free time priorities? .................................................................................................................34
What the Play and Free time Strategy actions?............................................................................................................36
Who is the Play and Free-time Strategy contact? .........................................................................................................49
1
Introduction
Welcome to the Borough of Oldham’s new Play and
Free-time Strategy.1 It is the Borough’s first
comprehensive review of play and free-time and sets
out what will be done in the Borough between 2007
and 2012 to improve the quality of play and free-time.
This important and powerful document has been
created by the Oldham Play Partnership, a new body of
local organisations who all share a commitment to
improving play and free-time activities for children and
young people.2
The Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy was
developed using the approach shown in the ‘Path to
Play’ (see figure 1). Vital to this process was listening
to a large number of local children, young people,
parents,
carers,
community
members
and
organisations and ensuring that the final Strategy
sought to address their needs. The Play and Free-time
Strategy is also based on a robust analysis of what
free-time activities currently exist in the Borough of
1 This Strategy uses the term ‘play’ to denote all ways that
children and young people play or enjoy themselves outside of
educational, work and family commitments. Because this
Strategy is for 0-19 year olds, play is generally referred to
alongside ‘free-time’ activities (i.e. those for older children and
young people, aged 12 to 19) to emphasise the importance of
recreation for teenagers.
2
Further details about the Oldham Play Partnership can be found
in section 2 and the Partnership’s terms of reference in the
accompanying Appendices.
Oldham and what play and free-time opportunities3 the
Borough’s children and young people4 will require in
the future.
The following sections of the Play and Free-time
Strategy highlight:
What is the purpose of the Play and Free-time
Strategy?
What are play and free-time?
What are the benefits of play and free-time?
How does the Play and Free-time Strategy fit with
other plans?
Who lives in the Borough of Oldham and what
does this mean for the Play and Free-time
Strategy
What play and free-time opportunities are
needed?
What are the play and free-time priorities?
What are the play and free-time strategy actions?
Who is the play and free-time contact?
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
3
In line with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the
term child is mainly used in this Strategy to refer to anyone
under the age of eighteen. However, the meaning of the phrase
‘young people’ will be evident by its context.
Figure 1: The Borough of Oldham Path to Play (How the Play
and Free-time Strategy was created)
Page 9 of 9 - Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy 2007-2012
2
What is the purpose of the Play and
Free-time Strategy?
2.1
Our vision for play and free-time
Based on local experience, national best practice and
the consultation undertaken for this Strategy, the
Oldham Play Partnership has created a vision for play
in the Borough:
We, the Oldham Play Partnership, will develop and
provide play opportunities to all children and young
people in Oldham. Play opportunities will be
creative, stimulating and, above all, inclusive. We
will ensure that all play provision embraces
diversity and everyone’s needs and ability.
2.2
Our objectives to deliver the vision
To deliver this vision, the Oldham Play Partnership
will do the following:
1.
2.
3.
Promote and raise the profile and the
importance of play to children, childcare
providers, young people, their parents and
communities
Use play and free-time opportunities as a
community cohesion tool, to encourage children
and young people to ‘play’ together, to enhance
understanding of each other’s cultures, faiths
and backgrounds.
Manage the balance between the need to offer
risk in play with the need to keep children and
young people safe from harm
Page 10 of 10 - Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy 2007-2012
4.
Encourage a strategic approach to play to enable
the best use of resources
5.
Ensure that play is included on agendas of other
groups and is integrated with appropriate plans
such as Oldham Borough Council’s Children and
Young People Plan
6.
To foster respect for others and offer
opportunities for social interaction
7.
Ensure mechanisms are in place, which
encourage all partners to make an ongoing
contribution to future planning processes and
play provision
8.
Develop, monitor, review and evaluate the Play
and Free-time Strategy and the appropriate
outcomes
9.
Make recommendations to relevant partnerships
in respect of allocation of play funding and other
appropriate funding opportunities
10. Measure progress against standards set by the
Play Englandl’s performance indicators and those
agreed at a local level by the Partnership
11. Maximise external funding for play (e.g. though
funding bids and developer contributions)
Again the objectives are based on local experience,
national best practice and the consultation undertaken
for the Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy. In turn, the
Action Plan at the rear of this document (section 9) has
a number of projects, policies and standards that will be
introduced to ensure that the objectives are fulfilled.
2.3
o Strategy & Resources Directorate
The Play Partnership
o Play England
The Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy has been
developed in consultation with children, young
people, partners and carers and the wider
community, by a range of organisations who together
form the Oldham Play Partnership. The Play
Partnership will take forward the Play and Free-time
Strategy.
o Sports and Recreation Development Service
o Family Information Service
o Extended Schools Strategy Team
o Connexions - Positive Steps Oldham
o Oldham Play Action Group (OPAG)
The Play Partnership is made up of statutory,
voluntary and other organisations that have an active
involvement in children and young people’s play and
free-time. The Play Partnership will operate within the
structures of Oldham’s Children and Young People
Partnership.
The following are the founder members. They, like
future members, must have a working knowledge and
understanding of children and young people’s play /
free-time activities and be committed to ensuring that
best play needs are met.
o Children’s Champion
o Services for Children with Additional and Complex
Needs
o Oldham Children’s Fund & On Track
o Oldham Youth Service
o Strategic Planning
o Oldham Primary Care Trust
2.4
What are the benefits to the Borough of Oldham
of a Play and Free-time Strategy?
o Oldham Young Carers - NCH
There are a number of important reasons why a Play
and Free-time Strategy will benefit the children and
young people of the Borough of Oldham, as well as
their parents or carers, communities and the many
organisations that are trying to improve play
opportunities in the Borough.
o Regeneration Directorate
o
The Strategy provides a co-ordinated and joined up
approach to developing play through prioritised
actions based on evidence of need
o
Because all the issues around play for children and
young people are properly considered, it means
o Early Years Service
o Oldfield Outreach Team
o Parks & Countryside Service
o Children with Disabilities Service , Oldham Council
o Community Safety Unit, Oldham Council
Page 11 of 11 - Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy 2007-2012
that a more inclusive approach can be adopted
rather than just meeting the needs of those who
‘shout loudest’
o
By demonstrating that issues of play have been
properly considered, it means that providers such
as Oldham Borough Council, voluntary sector
agencies and so on, can make clear allocations of
finances or staff to make the actions happen
o
This hard evidence approach provides the basis for
bids to organisations such as the Big Lottery, trusts
and charities for further funding
o
A Play Strategy is essential in helping deliver many
of the Government’s Every Child Matters outcomes
while raising the value and importance of play
locally
o
o
Play is common in all cultures. With the Borough of
Oldham having such a rich and vibrant mix of
cultures, traditions and faiths, play has an
important role in bringing communities together
Finally, the evidence of ‘play need’ gathered for the
Play and Free-time Strategy can be used to support
the new Local Development Framework (the spatial
plan for the Borough), so that gaps in play
provision can be addressed as part of the
requirements negotiated by the Council in future
planning applications.
3
What are play and free-time?
3.1
Background
[Every child has the right] to rest and leisure, [to]
engage in play and recreational activities
appropriate to the age of the child and to
participate freely in cultural life and the arts.5
The right to play is considered so important to the
development of children and young people that the
United Nations included the statement above in its
Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The leading UK body on play, Play England, defines
play as…
What children and young people do when they
follow their own ideas and interests in their own
way and for their own reasons.6
The Joint National Committee on Training for Play
Work describes play as follows:
Play is an innate drive and is essential for human
development. It is manifested as behavior that is
freely chosen, personally directed and intrinsically
motivated. The value of play derives from the play
process itself, not from any extrinsic goal, reward
or end product. Play is often spontaneous and
5
6
United Nations 1971 UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Quoted in Department of Culture, Media and Sport 2004 Getting
Serious About Play?
Page 12 of 12 - Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy 2007-2012
unpredictable. Through play children experience
their world and their relationship with it. 7
For older children or ‘seniors’ between 11 and 14 or
‘young people’ aged 15 to 19,9 ‘play’ is not something
they necessarily think of or want to be associated
with. Play is ‘uncool’, something that ‘younger kids
do’, often with their parents. However, seniors and
young people have their own types of play, including
hanging out, skating and watching bands (i.e. ‘freetime’).
It is this self directed ‘free-play’ that the Action Plan
(section 9) seeks to facilitate in the Borough of
Oldham.
Definitions of play do not normally include organised
sport. However, play activities (e.g. kicking a ball
about on local open space) may lead to positive
outcomes offered by formalised sport activities.
Play is also often thought of in terms of ‘fixed play
equipment’ such as swings and roundabouts. But
important though these are, play is, and can be, so
much more than this. It can be skateboarding,
climbing trees, attending a play scheme or messing
about in the park.
Play is also important because it allows those children
and young people who are not sporty or innately
competitive to gain exercise and develop physically
and socially.
Often, play is thought of as something for younger
children, perhaps for ‘toddlers’ aged between 0 and 5
year to ‘juniors’ aged 6 to 10. However, play is for all,
and the Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy focuses
on 0-19 year olds:
Children and young people of all ages play. As they
get older the words they use to describe their
activities change and they tend to use terms, which
describe specific activities rather than the generic
term ‘play’. The term ‘play’ is used to include the
free-time activities of children and young people.8
7
Joint National Committee on Training for Playwork 2003 Charter
for Playwork Education and Qualification.
8
Cole–Hamilton I & Gill T 2002 Making the Case for Play.
Page 13 of 13 - Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy 2007-2012
It is important that this Strategy broadens
community and support agencies’ views of what is
valid play because the research for this Play Strategy
(see section 8) showed that the range of play and
free-time activities and their value was not
understood by many parents and agencies. The
Action Plan at the rear of this Strategy seeks to
address this.
3.2
Play definitions
Having outlined the wide-ranging approach to play
that the Oldham Play Partnership wishes to take, the
following section gives definitions, which were
9
There is considerable debate over what age children might
naturally fall into specific types of play activities. These age bands
are used solely for guidance, and are not definitive.
integral to the development of the Play Strategy and
will guide its implementation.
3.2.1 Play spaces
For the purpose of this Oldham Play and Free-time
Strategy, play spaces are defined as any public
spaces used by children to play or young people to
hang out. They are nearly always unsupervised (i.e.
no adults are present) and unstructured, i.e. there
are no rules to them. This makes them different to,
say, playing organised team sports on a recreational
ground. Play spaces may be formal and deliberately
designed for play or free-time purposes (playgrounds,
parks, MUGAs (multi use games areas), playing
fields, skateparks etc.) or they may be informal
(include skateboarding in a shopping centre, playing
in a dilapidated neighbourhood communal space,
kicking a ball about in the street and so on). They can
include spaces which may be safe or unsafe.
Because of the lack of long-term investment in play in
the Borough of Oldham, while there are some good
parks (though not always as well used as they could
be – see section 8), informal spaces are often the
mainstay of the Borough’s children and young
people’s play experience. It is not to say that in all
cases this is bad, but just that more play spaces (or
better use of existing spaces) is required.
adults (and hopefully increasingly in conjunction with
children and young people) for this purpose. In recent
years this provision has proliferated (although less so
in the Borough of Oldham than similar London
Boroughs). This has often been in response to an
erosion of ‘natural’ play opportunities due to fear, a
risk adverse society and the dominance of traffic.10
Play provision can be indoor or outdoor (but is usually
staffed, i.e. supervised), and can take place with or
without equipment, be static or mobile and free or
charging.
Some play experts argue that there is too much
structured play (often due to parents’ concerns about
safety or achievement) and not enough unstructured
‘free play’, which they believe best develops children
and young people’s social and physical skills.
This Strategy concentrates on play spaces and
provision that are ‘freely chosen’, ‘free to access’
and ‘free to come and go’ (what are often known
as the ‘three frees’). This is in line with the thinking
from play professionals, funding bodies such as the
Big Lottery and government policy. The Strategy also
fits the landmark ‘Best Play’ document (See section
5)
3.2.2 Play provision
When this Strategy refers to play provision these
are play opportunities that take place in structured
settings which have been specifically developed by
Page 14 of 14 - Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy 2007-2012
10
Worpole K 2002 No Particular Place to Go.
4
What are the benefits of play and free
time?
4.1.1 The power of play
This Play and Free-time Strategy should, by now,
have demonstrated that it is enough to justify
investing in play, simply because children and young
people enjoy it.
Yet there is a very strong case to be made for the
social, cultural and economic value of play and freetime. It can help other aspects of children and young
people’s development, such as their mental and
physical health, formal learning and their ability to
relate to other children, young people and adults.
By communicating these benefits to partner
organisations, these partners can better understand
how play and free time helps them achieve their own
organisational goals (e.g. tackling crime, reducing
obesity etc.). Therefore development of the Play
Partnership will be important to the long-term
sustainability of improving play in the Borough.
Below are some of the major benefits that children
and young people, as well as society as a whole, can
receive from investing in play and free-time activities.
These assertions are taken from academic studies
and can be used in the Oldham Play and Free-time
Marketing Plan referred to in the Action Plan (see
section 9 1.4).
Page 15 of 15 - Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy 2007-2012
o
Play and free time develops informed risk-taking
behaviour and creativity which serves children
well in later life
o
Play and free time improves mental and physical
health, and can play a notable part in addressing
issues of obesity
o
Play and free time fosters social inclusion by
allowing children and young people of different
backgrounds to interact as equals
o
Play and free time gives children and young
people the chance to ‘let off steam’, reducing
pressure on schools and family situations
o
Play and free time can reduce crime and
vandalism by channeling children and young
people’s energies into positive activities
o
Play and free time benefits families and
communities, through the creation of social
networks and a sense of community.
Because of the overwhelming evidence about the
benefits of play and free time, a range of
organisations in the Borough have come together to
raise awareness of the value of play, develop this
Strategy and Action Plan and make it happen. The
next section outlines how this will work.
5
How does the Play and Free-time
Strategy fit with other plans?
5.1
Introduction
provided the following position statement
followed by play providers, including councils:
The figure overleaf shows how the Oldham Play and
Free-time Strategy will compliment now, and in the
future, these strategies, how it will avoid duplication
and how it will create a play infrastructure that is
greater than the sum of its parts.
Managing risk in the Borough of Oldham’s play
The need for risk in play is essential to ensure that
children and young people maximize their ‘play value’
(i.e. physical and mental challenge from play
activities) and develop their physical and social skills.
There has been much debate on providing risk in play
due to fears of litigation and being sued by parents.
However, as the Commission for Architecture and the
Built Environment (CABE) have proved, the number of
legal challenges (both attempted and successful) over
accidents in public spaces (including play areas) have
not increased over the past decade, despite common
perceptions that the country has developed a litigious
culture.
Therefore,
the
Health
and
Safety
Executive
Page 16 of 16 - Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy 2007-2012
has
be
"We consider Managing Risks in Play Provision to be
an important document that will contribute to the
debate on the provision of children's play. It
articulates the balance between the benefit and the
need for children to play against the duty of play
providers to provide safe play. We must not lose
sight of the important developmental role of play
for children in the pursuit of the unachievable goal
of absolute safety. It makes clear that the safety
must be considered at all stages of play provision
but that, inevitably, there will be risk of injury when
children play, as there is risk of injury in life
generally. The important message is though that
there must be freedom from unacceptable risk of
life-threatening or permanently disabling injury in
play."
If the Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy is to
maximise its impact on improving the quality and
availability of play in the Borough, it is vital that it fits
with existing plans and strategies that affect children,
young people and their environment.
5.2
to
Health and Safety Executive11
The Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy has fully
considered acceptable risk in the play opportunities it
will provide to ensure children and young people
benefit fully from their play experience.
11
The Play Safety Forum 2002 Managing Risks in Play Provision.
Figure 2:How does the Play and Free-time Strategy fit with other plans? A policy review (we have a modified version of this with Supporting People replaced by Community Engagement Framework and
Community Cohesion Strategy added in)
5.2.1 Every Child Matters and Oldham’s Play and Free-time Strategy
Page 18 of 18 - Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy 2007-2012
6
Who lives in the Borough of Oldham
and what does it mean for play and
free time?
6.1
Introduction
Pennines and is part of Greater Manchester. 22% of
the Borough is in the Peak District National Park13.
6.1.1 History
Despite a once successful industrial heritage, following
the demise of the cotton industry, the Borough of
Oldham went into economic decline, but due to the
past industrial success, it became a magnet for
migrant workers.
Play can be used as a way to bring young people
together; in May 2001, the Borough of Oldham
experienced a weekend of civil disturbances. People
have speculated as to the reason for this and the
specific reason has not been officially identified.12
These events brought tensions between community
groups and the Borough into the spotlight. As a result,
community cohesion has been high on the political,
and partnership, agenda ever since. For this reason, it
is crucial that the whole of the Borough’s population is
involved in play and the future of play.
6.1.2 Geography
Oldham Metropolitan Borough covers an area of
137.79 sq km. The Borough is predominantly urban,
although the Saddleworth area to the East of the
Borough, is a large rural area. It is located in the
12
See the Cantle Report for further details.
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13
The Borough of Oldham has 20 wards. These are Alexandra,
Chadderton Central, Chadderton North, Chadderton South,
Coldhurst Crompton, Failsworth East, Failsworth West, Hollinwood,
Medlock Vale, Royton North Royton South, Saddleworth North,
Saddleworth South, Saddleworth West & Lees, St James, St
Mary’s, Shaw Waterhead, Werneth
6.1.3 Population
Oldham Metropolitan Borough has a population of
217,27314, it is predicted to increase to 219,850 by
2016, which suggests that an investment in play will
benefit more children and parents in the near future.
In terms of age, 27% of the population is under 19
years compared to the national average of 24%.
Furthermore, there are 17% more children under the
age of 5 than the national average, indicating a
substantial need for under 5’s play provision.
6.1.4 Deprivation and Social Exclusion
The Indices of Deprivation 200415 ranked the Borough
of Oldham 43rd out of 354 local authorities in England
(where 1 was the most deprived area) putting it in the
bottom 12%.
The Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) 2004 used
Lower Super Output Areas16 to split the Borough of
Oldham into 144 areas. 13% (19 of 144) of these
areas are within the top 5% of the most deprived
areas.
The top 5% of the IMD rank in the Borough of Oldham
shows a high Index of Income Deprivation Affecting
Children, but interestingly, there is very little
deprivation in the Barriers to Housing and Services.
This figure indicates there could be overcrowding in
households as well as rural isolation.
The Borough of Oldham has a high percentage of Asian
or British Asian people. It is home to the highest
population of Bangladeshi people outside of London.
Almost 14% of the population are of ethnic origin in
comparison to 9% average in England. In 2004, it was
estimated that 21% of all under 15 year olds in the
area were Asian or British Asian. The Oldham Play and
Free-time Strategy has to be inclusive of ALL children
and young people, with this in mind, barriers that may
be affecting specific groups (such as BME groups,
those from deprived areas, rural areas etc) will be
considered and addressed.
14
All figures in this section have been taken from the 2001 Census
(Office of National Statistics)
15
Index of Multiple Deprivation 2004. The Indices of Deprivation
give a score and rank (out of 32482) for all Super Output Areas in
England (Super Output Areas are small units of geography created
by the Office of National Statistics to measure social and
demographic conditions accurately). The Indices of Multiple
Deprivation bring together seven indicators, such as household
income, crime, and transport to help give an holistic picture of an
area’s true deprivation.
Page 20 of 20 - Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy 2007-2012
16
Lower Output Areas are used instead of electoral wards to enable
analysis areas to be consistent in size and make it easier to provide
nationwide comparisons of areas of similar composition. This also
enables an understanding of demographics and needs at a very
local level.
6.1.5 Summary
Oldham is predominantly an urban Borough although
the area to the East is largely rural. With a mixture of
ethnic groups and the different levels of deprivation,
the Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy considered
the needs of children and young people from across
the Borough and from various social backgrounds.
Page 21 of 21 - Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy 2007-2012
7
What play & free-time opportunities
exist and what is needed?
7.1
Introduction
It is important to acknowledge that while the Oldham
Play and Free-time Strategy seeks to improve play
depth and quality for all children and young people in
the Borough, it is unrealistic that this can all be done
at the same time. Therefore, to ensure financial and
organisational resources are directed at the
geographical areas and social groups most in need of
play
improvement,
a
‘needs
analysis’
was
undertaken.
This included identifying what existing research and
consultation was available to avoid duplication and
then filling any gaps with new research.
Children, young people, parents as well as Play
Partnership members were all asked what play / freetime opportunities currently existed in the Borough of
Oldham, what condition it was in, what was needed
and what were the barriers to making change happen
to increase and improve play and free-time
opportunities. It also draws on an in-depth audit and
mapping of existing play provision from play schemes
to parks and informal hang out areas (see
Appendices). Together, this gives a picture of the
current play situation in the Borough of Oldham and
highlights play needs.
These results were analysed and presented back to
the Play Partnership members to firstly, prioritise
what they thought the greatest needs were and
secondly, to generate ‘play project ideas’ that could
Page 22 of 22 - Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy 2007-2012
be used in the project portfolio and the Play
Partnership’s Action Plan. These ideas were then
‘reality checked’ with groups of children, young
people and their parents, to make sure they would
work in the real world. This feedback was integral to
developing the projects detailed in the this Strategy’s
Action Plan (the Action Plan is section 9, project
details are in subsection 3)
The following section starts by highlighting what
children and young people would like to see more of
in the future to increase the play and free-time
opportunities in the Borough of Oldham. Then the key
findings from the consultation and mapping are
reported under the five key themes, which are:
•
Creating 21st Century play provision
•
Ensuring play opportunities for all the Borough of
Oldham’s young people
•
Changing attitudes to play and free time
•
Play for all
•
Accessibility of play
Figure 3. Consultation and research undertaken or examined for
the Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy
Page 23 of 23 - Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy 2007-2012
7.2
Theme 1. Creating 21st Century play provision
7.2.1 From springy chickens to exciting natural play
The Borough of Oldham recently completed its Open
Space, Sport and Recreation Needs Assessment.17
This divides play, as per the council’s own Unitary
Development Plan (UDP) standards, into LAPs (Local
Play Areas with a few pieces of equipment), Local
Equipped Play Areas (LEAPs – catering for slightly
older children and with slightly more equipment) and
NEAPs (Neighbourhood Equipped Areas for Play). The
UDP states that children and young people should be,
respectively, within one, five and fifteen minutes’
walk of these facilities.
Oldham MBC provides and maintains virtually all of
this provision and has within its limited budgets and
through funding gained from other sources,18
invested in substantial play improvements over the
past few years. There are now 66 play areas for
children, four skateparks, five multi-use games areas
(MUGAs) and a BMX track. There is a regular
inspection regime undertaken by the Council’s parks
department and an ongoing commitment from the
Council to maintaining this provision.
17
PMP 2007 Open Space, Sport and Recreation Needs
Assessment.
18
Oldham MBC & Groundwork 2006 Transforming Your Space.
This was an evaluation of a£1,2m Big Lottery funded Parks and
play area improvement programme undertaken by OMBC and
Groundwork between 2004 and 2007.
Page 24 of 24 - Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy 2007-2012
Feedback from parents and young people for this
Play and Free-time Strategy19 is mixed, with play
provision in Alexandra Park being well liked and
used. However, Copsterhill Road Park was criticised
for the presence of teenagers and drug users which
were identified as barriers to use. Hollinwood and
Copsterhill Park were seen to have poor parks with
limited play facilities20.
The Open Space, Sport and Recreation Needs
Assessment also highlights this variable quality in
fixed play provision, with the lowest score for
younger children’s play areas in West Oldham, even
though it has the most provision! Fixed play provision
for older children and teens is available in both West
Oldham and East Oldham but they are underused
because of maintenance issues and fears about
safety. The Needs Assessment also highlights that
Hollinwood and Failsworth have no physical provision
for this older age range.
In terms of sports facilities and recreation fields,
although they are not strictly ‘play’ facilities, they are
often used by children and young people for informal
activities and are therefore very important in this
secondary role. The Needs Assessment highlights a
perceived undersupply of this type of provision. While
19
20
See Appendices for further details.
The ‘Providing for Children’s Play’ section from the Oldham
Greenspace Strategy details information on the playgrounds
around Oldham and the true cost of playgrounds, both financial
and social.
this Play and Free-time Strategy cannot address
these issues directly it is important to highlight that it
is not just the poor condition of traditional fixed play
equipment which can limit children and young
people’s use of the Borough of Oldham’s open space,
sport and recreation infrastructure, but other spaces
they would otherwise naturally use.
While the Council will continue to maintain its fixed
provision and this is an important resource, partner
agencies in the Borough of Oldham and national
debate highlight that a ‘step change’ is required in
order to raise aspirations and standards of physical
play. To this end the Action Plan features major
interventions to introducing ‘natural play’ to the
Borough (see sub-section 3 in the Action Plan)
7.2.2 Harnessing the power of parks,
spaces and amenity greenspaces
natural
Research undertaken for the Open Space, Sport and
Recreation Needs Assessment, which examined the
quality, quantity and location of parks, natural spaces
and amenity greenspace in the Borough, highlighted
that, overall, parks in the Borough of Oldham are not
only the best loved form of open spaces but the
Borough’s highest quality open space resources.
There are some Green Flag21 parks right the way
through to more numerous small local ‘pocket parks’.
However, the study also flagged up that there is
inconsistency of provision across the Borough, with
21
Green Flag is the Civic Trust and Government’s accreditation
scheme for first-rate parks.
Page 25 of 25 - Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy 2007-2012
Failsworth, Hollinwood and West Oldham having
poorer than Borough average provision.
Research with respondents from mixed backgrounds
and religions for this Play and Free-time Strategy
found that Alexandra Park (which has a Green Flag)
was well liked and well used by children, young
people and parents (not just its fixed play provision,
but generally). It was favoured for the range of
facilities that it allowed and the presence of a park
ranger.
“There is a lot to do there. They have tennis
courts… There is a security guard there that makes
you feel safe.”
Young person
“A safe environment is needed for children and
young people to play in.”
Public sector agency
However, (and tied to the section above on fixed play
provision), the consultation also acknowledged that
the area’s parks, in general, provide limited play
opportunities and where they do, they are often
subject to vandalism and maintenance problems:
“Parks in [my part of Oldham] are run down.”
The research undertaken for the revised Children and
Young People’s Strategy indicated that that some
lighting and visibility in parks was very poor, which
deterred some children and young people from using
them. This is echoed in the Open Space, Sport and
Recreation Needs Assessment)
However, progress is being made in the Borough.
While, the children and parents using Coalshaw
Green Park said there needs to be adult presence in
the park to make them feel safe, they commented
that their parents were happy letting them play in
the park now security is provided in the evenings and
because Oldham Play Action Group (OPAG) and
Groundwork are undertaking activities there too.
frequently mentioned by older children (9-12 year
olds) as something they enjoy. In particular ‘GoApe23’
style playgrounds and wooed areas (‘wild play’).
“‘You can have an adventure there. [The woods
are] a place for trekking, [playing] hide and seek,
playing army [and] taking picnics.”
Young person
While some of safety barriers are being addressed by
action plan that accompanied the Open Space, Sport
and Recreation Needs Assessment (around signage
and accessibility), addressing how children and young
people use these spaces is also an important part of
this Play and Free-time Strategy. (Action Plan subsection 2.6)
Natural spaces (from woods to moors) are common
in the Borough of Oldham, but the quality is
considered poor or very poor mainly due to littering,
fear of crime and poor maintenance. Yet these
natural spaces are vital to complement more formal
park provision and while it is impossible for this Play
and Free-time Strategy to deliver improvements
alone, the projects in the action plans will seek to
improve security, promotion and activities within
these types of space.
This will respond to needs identified in the
consultation carried out for this Play and Free-time
Strategy.22 Adventure playgrounds and adventurous
activities such as tree climbing and den building were
“There is plenty [space] about and nobody ever
uses it, where I live, there is a lot of green land
with tree on the ground, can that not be made into
a cool football field for the lads, I want things for
the boys, I would go there just to watch the boys!”
Young woman
15 to 17 year olds wanted more informal sports areas
and the parents of very young children wanting more
natural play with sand and water. Many of these
could be sited on some of The Borough of Oldham’s
wealth of natural open spaces, if the barriers to
accessing them noted above are tackled.
What also stood out from the consultation conducted
for this Strategy is that cycling is an important
activity for children and young people. It is perceived
to be fun, a good way of getting fit and valued for the
sense of independence it can offer. There were
requests among parents, children and young people
23
22
See Appendices for further details.
Page 26 of 26 - Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy 2007-2012
‘Go Ape’ is a natural adventure activity park for young people
and adults.
for much better cycling facilities (tracks, paths,
routes) for all age ranges, in parks and other open
spaces. 24
Amenity greenspaces are the greenspaces in
between buildings often created as a result of housing
development. They can, if designed properly, be a
wonderful play resource (for kicking a ball about and
for hanging out by teenagers), particularly if housing
does not have much in the way of private gardens.
Failsworth, Chadderton and Hollinwood are most
poorly provided for in terms of quantity and / or
quality of amenity greenspace. Over time this can be
addressed through more effective use of the planning
system for example rather than providing a number
of small green pockets on housing developments that
are essentially unusable (which is often their
intention!) by instead creating one larger space which
is useable for kicking a ball about on or hanging out.
(Action Plan 1.4.4)
7.3
Theme 2. Ensuring plays opportunities for all
the Borough of Oldham’s young people
7.3.1 More provision for young people
Across the consultation it is clear that there are
limited free-time opportunities for young people in
the Borough. Young people comment that the lack of
provision results in them travelling to nearby cities to
access facilities such as cinema, ice skating and
listening to music in gigs and under 18 nightclubs.
“There’s ‘nothing to do’ in Oldham so [we] travel.
[There are] organised trips to Bradford, Blackpool,
Manchester.”
Young person (aged 15-18 years)
25
As acknowledged by young people and partner
agencies, young people are concerned with their
safety and often want somewhere warm, safe and
nearby to go to, where they can ‘chill out’ with friends
and relax. Café’s, youth shelters and youth clubs
were identified as things they would like more of,
even though the Borough and the voluntary / faith
sectors do provide quite a lot of this type of provision.
25 Consultation was undertaken in Junior youth clubs in the Arc,
Fitton Hill, Cherry Avenue in Alt, Blast in Limeside, Project Good
Neighbour in South Chadderton, Holts Community Centre,
Roundthorn School aged 8 – 13. Children and young people
between 5 and 16 in Coalshaw Green Park, and with children aged
3 – 11 and their fathers/male carers at Men Behaving Dadly also
inputted into this part of the process.
24
For detailed consultation with different age ranges, see Appendices
Page 27 of 27 - Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy 2007-2012
Youth spaces such as youth clubs and youths projects
are popular with young people because they can ‘chill
out and talk and feel safe” and “socialise with
friends”. They must be safe, comfortable accessible,
cheap or free, easy to get to and available at the
weekend and in the school holidays.
Other activities that young people would like to see
more of are teenage gyms, go-carting, paint balling,
Lazer Quest, more arcades, ’Go Ape’ style adventure
playgrounds and (As noted previously, “Parks with
stuff in them that we can do”. A typical comment
from the Borough’s young people is:
“We want to be able to talk about issues that
concern us, like here in Connexions and a place
where we can chill out and feel relaxed.”
Young woman
This perspective from young people is echoed in the
Best Value General Residents Survey26 over half of
the respondents stated that more activities were
needed for teenagers in the Borough of Oldham,
reinforcing a real need for provision for this age
group.
The Action Plan addresses this issue in sub-section
2.4.
26
Best Value General Residents Survey – Oldham Metropolitan
Borough Council 2006
Page 28 of 28 - Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy 2007-2012
7.4
Theme 3: Changing attitudes to play and free
time
7.4.1 Marketing play and free time well
The venues used to promote play projects and events
need to be given careful consideration to reach the
targeted audience, i.e. children, young people and
parents. Respondents suggested that children
centres, supermarkets and doctors surgery are used.
Partners are developing keys ways in promoting play,
ranging from the use of existing facilities (school
forums, council website and newspapers) to new
mediums such as a website designed and managed
by children and young people. (Action Plan 1.4)
7.4.2 Listening to children and young people on
play
A key message reflected in the new and existing
consultation was the need to LISTEN to children and
young people, not just in an ad-hoc way, but
consistently and on an on-going basis. This is true
generally (and is being addressed in the Children and
Young People’s Plan), but also about each specific
piece of new play or free-time provision.
It is important that children and young people are
engaged from the outset to ensure a sense of
ownership and that provision is tailored to their needs
and is realistic about what can be achieved.
“When designing something for young people, keep
them involved from the start so they feel like they
own it.”
Young man
‘Don’t get our hopes up [about what is going to
happen] and then let us down.’
Young woman
The Action Plan in this Strategy (sub-section 1.2.1)
shows how specific ongoing consultation will be
undertaken around play and free-time projects and
policies.
7.4.3 Give people a taste of ‘great’ play
Parents, children and young people can be hesitant to
try new play opportunities for confidence reasons as
well as fear of the unknown and the cost and travel
implications attached to accessing play. To address
this some parents would like taster days to promote
new (experimental) forms of play and increase the
interest of children and young people. (Action Plan
1.5.1).
7.4.4 Challenging negative
young people
perceptions
about
Young people hanging out in the street are often
considered as ‘trouble’- this is a universal issue.
However, the consultation in the Borough of Oldham
indicated that although there were issues in areas
between children, young people and residents, the
negative portrayal was thought to be more damaging
than the actual problems.
Across the research there is a consensus that limited
play and free-time opportunities for young people in
the Borough of Oldham. This can result in large
numbers of “youths” gathering in younger children’s
playgrounds ‘to hang out’.
Page 29 of 29 - Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy 2007-2012
Often people in residential areas object to having play
facilities near where they live due to noise and groups
of young people hanging out together.
Tackling negative stereotypes is being addressed
through the Children and Young People’s Plan, but
specifically regarding the siting of play and free-time
facilities, a much more proactive approach is being
proposed to engage communities as a whole and of
all ages to improve ‘inter-generational’ understanding
through the medium of play and free time. (Action
Plan 1.5.3)
7.5
Theme 4: Play for all
7.5.1 Increase understanding and value of play and
free time amongst all communities
The benefits of play and free time for children and
young people have already been highlighted in this
Strategy. There are a relatively high number of Asian
people in the Borough of Oldham, especially from a
Bangladeshi and Pakistani community. Across
England, the use of parks / open spaces is limited by
children and young people from these communities.
Specific consultation for this Strategy provided a
number of telling examples:
“Parents’ mentality is that girls should stay at
home. My mum doesn’t even like me coming here
[Connexions] but she [has] loosened up... Mums
are always softer, dads never understand, they are
too old fashioned.”
Young woman (aged 17)
Other more intricate cultural barriers include young
Muslim boys “getting girls into trouble”:
“If a girl goes into a mixed group or sings,
anything like that they lose their reputation and
possibly their parents trust… some lads record you
having fun and send it to your parents and that
causes fights and distrust with parents... then they
don’t let you go anywhere or do anything.”
Cleary some of these issues are very deep rooted
culturally and it is beyond the scope of a Play
Strategy to change them. However, this Play and
Free-time Strategy does seek to be inclusive and to
embed equality and diversity into the play setting. It
will promote the value of lay to all communities, with
tailored message for different cultures and faiths, as
well as ensuring that play and free-time activities are
devised to be as accessible to these different
communities as possible. (Action Plan sub-sections
1.5.3, and 2.5).
7.5.2 Addressing segregated play
More work needs to be done to highlight the
importance of play and encouragement to play to
‘hard to reach’ groups in the Borough of Oldham
(though it is a national problem). Play expert, Haki
Kapasi
provides
guidance
in
encouraging
play/cohesion through play. It is important to
understand culture, religion and barriers individuals
face, for example, it may be that play happens in
different ways – for example, play (social) in mosque.
Young people aged between 15 and 18 were really
concerned about segregation and lack of mixing
between communities.
“There are BIG differences, like BIG differences
and I think the divide [not mixing with other races]
is getting bigger and bigger. When we hang out in
groups, it makes me feel happier and safer, I know
I will less like to be made a racist comment at if I
am in a group.”
Young woman (aged 17)
Page 30 of 30 - Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy 2007-2012
The consensus between young Bangladeshi and
Pakistani women was that they ‘naturally get
separated’ from other young people.
“Going to Mosque after school means that we
spend time with others from the same background,
not with each other.”
Young woman (aged 18)
7.5.3 More should be done to get to ‘hard to reach’
audience
Respondents mentioned that children and young
people wouldn’t feel comfortable going to use play
provision in ‘other areas’ – as there are small and
individual towns. Respondents felt better links should
be made, “not just saying go there, take them there!”
In order to widen participation, it is a priority to
ensure play projects and events are located
appropriately taking into consideration perceptions of
certain areas, existing travel patterns between
different communities and public transport.
Play workers, where possible, should be able to speak
to the community in their language:
“These play rangers should be able to speak Urdu,
Bengali and English so they can communicate well
with our parents and maybe get them using the
green spaces too!”
Young woman
Page 31 of 31 - Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy 2007-2012
7.5.4 Play projects need to be delivered by the
right people
To ensure excellent quality play and free-time
opportunities for all children and young people,
projects need to be delivered by people who truly
understand play and the value attached to it. The
play projects must focus on providing opportunities to
develop social skills, independence, and confidence.
Partners felt that local playworkers should be used
more effectively as they have the ground level
knowledge and are likely to know what will work and
what will not.
should opportunities be devoid of risk and challenge
so that they are boring to other children with more
mainstream needs.
7.5.5 More inclusive play
The needs and abilities of children and young people
with disabilities and special needs are diverse,
making it difficult to generalise about requirements.
However, the consultation identified general themes
relating to access and inclusivity.
It was acknowledged that good quality structured
play opportunities exist in the area. However, there
were requests for more ‘integrated’ play facilities
focusing on unstructured play.
Projects and policy changes will be monitored to
ensure that all existing provision, where possible, and
future provision is not only compliant with the
Disability Discrimination Act, but is informed by a
wider understand of the needs of children with
disabilities and also the needs of their families. The
Play Partnership has a Children with Disabilities subgroup to develop guidance on these issues. (Action
Plan 2.6)
7.5.6 Theme 5: Accessibility of play
“I want to be able to use parks.”
27
Young person with disabilities
“[I] want the same things as other people.”
Young person with disabilities28
Play workers delivering play to children and young
people with disabilities should be specialised.
Groups of parents of children with disabilities and
children
and
young
people
with
disabilities
themselves were keen to stress that play provision
for them should not be tagged onto an area, nor
27
From ‘Listen and Look’ project undertaken with young people with
disabilities in Oldham, 2004.
28
From ‘Listen and Look’ project undertaken with young people with
disabilities in Oldham, 2004.
Page 32 of 32 - Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy 2007-2012
Physical access and transportation to play provision
was a major issue for children and young people in
the Borough of Oldham. Respondents mentioned that
there was limited cheap/free transport for children
and young people to use to get to play provision. This
was more problematic, especially on isolated estates.
One group of young people said that they played in
lots of different parks and spaces like Daisy Nook,
Alexandra Park and Uppermill but felt they were
reliant on transport being provided.
“We can only do this because we get to go in Dawn
from
Groundwork’s
minibus,
otherwise
we
couldn’t.”
Young person
“It’s like with some activities, there might be loads
of stuff going on in Oldham but if there’s no-one to
take you it might as well be on the Moon.”
Young person
7.6
Summary
Many issues were raised from the consultation; a
common theme throughout was safety in play areas.
The reduction of anti-social intimidating older
children, litter and unsuitable play equipment were all
seen as methods of improving play and free-time
provision. The limited provision for young people in
the Borough and negative attitudes towards these
groups were also reported to be important issues
regarding youth provision. Inclusive play and freetime provision was also a big need reported in the
consultation. Making play accessible to all ethnic
minority and ‘hard to reach’ groups was seen as
important in making play inclusive to all. Improved
public
transport,
changes
in
attitudes
and
understanding about play and appropriate use of
green and open spaces were reported as essential
changes in the future of play and free-time provision
in the Borough of Oldham.
Page 33 of 33 - Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy 2007-2012
8
What are the play and free time
priorities?
To link the findings of all the previous sections to the
Action Plan, a SWOT analysis was undertaken. The
SWOT shows in a snapshot, what the strengths of
current play and free-time activities in the Borough
of Oldham are (and so these can be maintained or
Page 34 of 34 - Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy 2007-2012
expanded); what weaknesses characterise current
provision (so, where possible they can be addressed
in the Action Plan); the opportunities, which can be
seized by the Play Partnership partners and the wider
community (e.g. to put in funding bids, to change the
way we do things now) and the threats, which the
Action Plan must (and does) address if the Play
Strategy is to be sustainable.
Figure 4: SWOT Analysis
Page 35 of 35 - Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy 2007-2012
9
What the Play and Free time Strategy actions?
These actions have been developed by the Oldham Play Partnership in consultation with young people, parents and partners.
Action
(Strategy
Objective)
What is the
action?
Lead
Partners
Links
Outputs
Timescale
Priority
Resources
Outcomes
1. Developing play and free time in the Borough
1.1 Play
champion
(Obj. 1 & 7)
1.2 Play
Partnership
(Obj. 4 & 8)
1.2.1
Cllr Hugh
MacDonald, Lead
Council Member
for Children &
Families to be
appointed as
Play Champion,
briefed about the
Play Partnership
and Strategy,
sign preface to
the Strategy.
Partnership
Chair
Director of
Children’s
Services
Children &
Young People
Plan, Oldham
Community
Strategy
Strategy adopted by
Oldham Borough Council,
awareness of Strategy
raised amongst councillors,
Strategy embedded in
Children & Young People
Plan and other relevant
Partnerships.
Strategy
approved by
end of August
2007,
Councillor
McDonald
briefed after
every
Partnership
Meeting
ongoing
High
Councillor time
The Oldham Play
Partnership
established with
multi-agency
membership,
designated
Chair, terms of
reference and
procedures, to
oversee the Play
Strategy
Chair of Play
Partnership,
membership
Children’s
Champion, Play
Development
Worker
Children &
Young People
Plan
Partnership meets four
times a year, progress of
the Strategy is reviewed,
Partnership Reports and
Recommendations sent to
the Children & Young People
Partnership
Meeting each
quarter
High
Time and
commitment of
membership
Children and
young people will
be continuously
involved in the
work of the play
partnership
Play
Development
Worker
Partnership
member
agencies
Youth Council,
other
consultation
forums
Children and young people’s
views inform Partnership
decisions and
recommendations
Ongoing
Medium
Consultation
and
participation
budget within
the Children’s
Fund
Page 36 of 36 - Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy 2007-2012
School
Councils
Action
(Strategy
Objective)
1.2.2
What is the
action?
Membership and
structure will be
reviewed in order
to involve a wide
representation
e.g. from
voluntary,
community &
faith sectors, and
parents.
Lead
Partners
Links
Outputs
Timescale
Priority
Resources
Outcomes
Chair of
Partnership
Play
Development
Worker,
Voluntary,
Community &
Faith Sector
umbrella bodies
such as
Voluntary Action
Oldham,
Oldham Council
for Voluntary
Youth Services
Community
Engagement
Strategy,
Partnership is viewed as a
credible body reflecting a
wide range of stakeholders
across the community of the
Borough of Oldham
Annual
membership
review
Medium
None
N/a
Play Development Worker
promotes the Strategy,
monitors progress, and
encourages all partners to
recognise the value of play
opportunities.
Recruitment in
July 2007,
work ongoing
High
Children’s Fund,
First Plan ready
for launch of
Adventures in
Play projects
(section 3)
Medium
Inter faith
Forum
Inclusion &
Diversity Team
1.3 Play
Development
Worker
1.4
Promoting
Play
(Obj. 1)
The Play
Development
Worker
employed to
support the
delivery of the
Play Strategy
and promote
play
opportunities
across the
Borough of
Oldham
Children’s
Champion,
Children’s
Fund,
Children’s
Centres
Develop a
Marketing &
Communications
plan for play and
free-time
activities
including to
promote play
and to raise
awareness of
Play
Development
Worker, Play
Partnership
Full Partnership
Early Years
BLF bid
management
costs.
Play development worker
links in with and
complements Children’s
Centre Strategy
Children &
Young People
and their
families, play
providers.
Page 37 of 37 - Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy 2007-2012
Families
Information
Service, Family
Learning
Library Service
Statutory and voluntary
sector agencies recognise
the value of play, children
and parents have a greater
awareness of play
opportunities across the
Borough
Marketing &
Communications
budget –
Children’s Fund
Action
(Strategy
Objective)
What is the
action?
Lead
Partners
Links
Outputs
Timescale
Priority
Resources
Outcomes
free play.
1.4.1
On line Play
Resource A
dedicated play
information
website for
parents,
including a
website for
young people,
designed and run
by young people.
Play
Development
Worker
Family
Information
Service, play
providers, Parks
and Countryside
Service, Youth
Service,
Children’s
Centres,
Extended
Schools
Library Service
Other websites
and
publications
promoting
activities for
young people
LAA target for
young
people aged
13-19 from
differing
cultures
participating in
organised
activities
An online directory of play
and free-time opportunities.
Website content for young
people designed and run by
young people. Website
content in different
languages.
For summer
2008, revised
for Easter and
Summer
Holidays 2009
& 2010
Medium
Marketing &
Communications
budget –
Children’s Fund
Map distributed through
local libraries, sports
centres, Children’s Centres,
mosques, tourist
information and other local
information points, parent &
family support groups and
services
Within first
year of
Strategy
Medium
Children’s Fund,
Parks &
Countryside
Services budget,
Increased awareness and
accessing of the Green O
project sites.
For summer
holidays 2008
Medium
Within project
budgets
Complementing the existing
oyweb website currently
managed by the Youth
Council, providing a means
of consultation with children
& young people around
play.
link to
wwww.extendedschools.net
and with the on going
‘Young Voices’ project
through the library service
1.4.2
1.4.3
Promotional map
of free play
spaces
(parks/green
areas/bmx tracks
etc) to be
available through
community
information
points.
Play
Development
Worker
Parks and
Countryside
Service
Library Service
A Marketing Plan
to promote the
natural play
projects (see
3.1) and
activities at
those sites
throughout the
Borough.
Parks and
Countryside
Service,
Provider of
Dynamic
Delivery
activities
Parks and
Countryside
Service own
marketing
Play
Development
Worker
Page 38 of 38 - Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy 2007-2012
Sports Dev
LAA target for
reduction of
obesity
Increased awareness of
benefits and opportunities
of natural play.
What is the
action?
Lead
1.4.4
Monitor policies
of statutory
agencies for the
impact on play
opportunities.
Play
Partnership
OMBC, Oldham
PCT, Greater
Manchester
Police,
Sustainable
Neighbourhoods
block of the
Local Area
Agreement,
Regeneration
Respect
Agenda, Land
Use Planning,
Open Spaces
Plan, Local
Development
Plan, Extended
Schools
Recommendations made on
how statutory agencies
policies and practices can be
more play-friendly,
promoting more positive
attitudes to play and free
time.
Ongoing,
issues
considered at
each
Partnership
Meeting
medium
None
1.4.5
Identify and
pursue further
funding
opportunities for
play initiative,
for statutory and
voluntary sectors
Play
Development
Worker
OMBC,
Voluntary Action
Oldham, OPAG,
play providers
Children &
Young People
Plan,
Sustainable
Neighbourhood
Strategy,
Community
Cohesion
Strategy
Further investment is made
in Oldham’s Play facilities,
Play Partnership is able to
deploy further financial
resources
On going
High
None
1.5.1 Parents
and the
community
Parenting skills
programmes and
family support
services are
provided with
information
about the value
of play and about
play
opportunities and
activities in the
Borough of
Oldham
Parenting Coordinator and
Parenting
Commissioner
Life Long
Learning,
Children’s
Centres and
Extended
Schools, PCT
Parenting Team
Pathways to
Parenting
programme,
STEPs, Webster
Stratton
Parenting
Strategy,
Children &
Young People
Plan,
Sustainable
Neighbourhood
Strategy,
Community
Cohesion
Strategy
Parents have greater
confidence in encouraging
and supervising their
children’s play, and increase
their use of play
opportunities.
Ongoing
Medium
Resources
within Parenting
Strategy
Parents forums
are accessed via
Children’s
Centres to
engage with
parents and
meet their
particular needs
within their
Children’s
Centres
Play
Development
Worker
Parenting
Strategy,
Children &
Young People
Plan,
Sustainable
Neighbourhood
Strategy,
Community
Localised evidence of need,
and Play policies responsive
to consultation with parents.
Ongoing
Medium
Children’s
Centres staff
time
Action
(Strategy
Objective)
(Obj. 4 & 5)
1.5.2
Partners
Links
Outputs
Timescale
Priority
Resources
Outcomes
Page 39 of 39 - Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy 2007-2012
Increased capacity to
deliver play opportunities
via training.
Action
(Strategy
Objective)
What is the
action?
Lead
Partners
(Obj. 2)
1.6 Risk in
play
(Obj. 3)
1.7.1 Schools
1.7.2
Outputs
Timescale
Priority
Resources
Outcomes
community.
1.5.3
Links
Cohesion
Strategy
Ensure that play
opportunities
allow different
sections of the
Borough of
Oldham’s
community to
meet, interact
and learn about
each other
Play providers,
Develop an
effective council
policy for risk in
play that enables
children and
young people to
take appropriate
levels of risk
without being in
danger
Parks and
Open Spaces
Service
Work with
schools to look
at and address
the attitudes to
play and
promote play
through the
school forums.
Access
established
structures within
schools
including: school
councils, eco
Children’s
Centres,
Schools,
Community
Cohesion
Strategy
Community Cohesion
outcomes can be identified
from Play events
Extended
Schools
LAA target for
young people
from different
backgrounds
participating in
organised
activities
Schools in very different
areas encouraged to explore
play opportunities together
via school links project.
Play
Partnership,
OMBC
OMBC Health &
Safety Policy
Play
Development
Worker to
establish
Education links
for the
Partnership
Schools
Schools links to
be developed
Play
Development
Worker
Play
Partnership
School Links
project
Extended
Schools
Ongoing
High
Various
Risk & Play statement
agreed by OMBC. Statement
about play involving some
element of risk included in
all Play Partnership public
communications. Play
provision able to be planned
with confidence that risk is
addressed in an appropriate
way.
Before
Adventures in
Play projects
begin delivery
i.e. within six
months of BLF
bid approval
High
None
LAA obesity
target and
activities in the
community
target.
Break time supervisors have
access to play leader
training.
Ongoing
Medium
Possibly need a
training budget
LAA obesity
target and
activities in the
community
target.
Schools are a site for
consulting children and
young people on play and
free-time issues, and any
school based initiatives are
Ongoing
Medium
None
Sports Dev
Page 40 of 40 - Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy 2007-2012
Young people are consulted
through classroom activity
and through school councils.
Play opportunity information
disseminated through
schools.
Action
(Strategy
Objective)
What is the
action?
Lead
Partners
Links
Outputs
Timescale
Priority
Resources
Outcomes
councils, peer
mentoring
groups e.g.,
‘playground Pals’
informed by their views.
1.7.3
Link to Extended
Schools agenda
to ensure ‘play’
can happen in
out of school
hours.
Extended
Schools
Development
Officer
Extended
Schools,
schools,
Children’s
Centres
LAA targets on
activities in the
community
‘Core offer’ child care and
after school activities
includes play approaches
Ongoing
Medium
Extended
Schools funding
1.7.4
Link to Study
Support and
Playing for
Success centers
to create
innovative
opportunities for
play.
Study Support
& Playing For
Success
Manager
Extended
Learning Team:
Music Service,
Study Support,
Enterprise and
Castleshaw
Outdoor Play
Centres
LAA targets for
primary
education
outcomes and
school
attendance
Informal opportunities for
play can be developed
outside of the core
curriculum that complement
the Extended Schools &
Study Support Strategy
Ongoing
Medium
Study Support
funding
1.8.1
Methods of
actively involving
children &
families in the
planning,
delivery and
evaluation of
play activities
will be identified
and
disseminated to
play providers
Play
Development
Worker, play
providers
Children’s Fund,
Extended
Schools,
Children’s
Centres,
Extended
Learning Team:
Music Service,
Study Support,
Castleshaw
Centre,
Vommunity
Councils
Community
Engagement
Strategy
Play activities will be
responsive to the needs and
views of children, young
people and families as they
are actively involved at all
stages.
Ongoing
Medium
Children’s Fund
Participation
and
Consultation
budget
Consult with
established
forums for
children with
disability and
other vulnerable
groups including:
young carers,
looked after
children, asylum
Children’s
Champion,
Looked After
Children
Participation
Manager,
Looked After
Children virtual
school head,
Young Carers,
Children with
Disabilities
Children &
Young People
Plan
Play Partnership
consultation reports provide
recommendations about
how to make play fully
inclusive. Inclusive Quality
Standards are promoted
across the Borough of
Oldham’s play providers
(see 4.1.2). All play
planning and activities
Ongoing
Medium
None
Consultation
and
engagement
1.8.2
Page 41 of 41 - Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy 2007-2012
Action
(Strategy
Objective)
What is the
action?
Lead
Service,
Community
Councils
Train appropriate
council officers
and key service
delivers (such as
parks
representatives,
children centre
workers) in play
and the
importance and
benefits of play.
Play
Development
Worker
1.9.1
Explore option to
engage key
school staff in
play training to
support a whole
school approach
to play outside
the classroom
Play
Development
Worker
1.9.2
Train health
visitors in play,
so they can
promote play
directly to
families,
especially those
families who are
not likely to be
mixing in
mainstream
society due to
religious or
cultural barriers.
Play
Development
Worker
Develop better
links with the
Voluntary and
Partnership
Chair
(Obj. 1)
1.10
Partnership
Links
Outputs
Timescale
Priority
Resources
Outcomes
seekers
1.9.1 Creating
play
awareness
Partners
OMBC,
should be fully inclusive
meeting the needs of
diverse groups
Extended
Schools
Training and guidance
material produced
Ongoing
Medium
None
Schools,
Extended
Schools, Study
Support
Learning
Mentors, Midday
supervisors
Sports
Development
LAA targets for
attendance and
obesity
Schools actively promote
play during school time
breaks and in any preschool and after-school
provision
Ongoing
Medium
None
SkillsActive
Playwork Unit,
Children’s
Centres,
Extended
Schools,
Early Years
Strategy
Training and guidance
materials produced and
agreed with Health Visitor
Management. Basic
information leaflet on the
value of play and parenting
skills involved produced in
the main community
languages for the Borough
of Oldham.
Ongoing
Medium
Health Visitor
staff time
Voluntary Action
Oldham,
Oldham Council
Community
Engagement
Partnership representation
improved (see 1.2.3)
Database of community
Ongoing
Medium
Partnership
Chair time
OPAG
Play England
PCT
Page 42 of 42 - Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy 2007-2012
Action
(Strategy
Objective)
with the
Voluntary,
Community,
and Faith
sector
What is the
action?
Lead
Partners
Links
Outputs
Timescale
Priority
Resources
Outcomes
Community
sector through
the play
partnership, to
help deliver play
outcomes on a
greater scale
across the
Borough
for Voluntary
Youth Services,
Oldham Play
Action Group,
Children &
Young People’s
Partnership Coordinator
Strategy
based play providers.
Funding opportunities for
community groups
publicised and supported.
2. Ensuring access for all in the Borough
2.1 Transport
Ensure all play
activities provided
are easily
accessible to
community
members on foot or
by main public
transport routes
Play
Development
Worker
Community
transport
providers,
GMPT, Rights of
Way Officers
Transport
Policy
Map of play sites (1.4.3)
includes footpaths and bus
routes. Parent support
groups are assisted to
identify community
transport and to plan
supported ‘play days’.
Within first
year of
Strategy
Medium
2.2 Planning
Lobby for funds
from section
10629
agreements with
land developers
to be better
utilised.
Regeneration
Environmental
Services, Area
Action Teams,
Community
Councils
Local
Development
Framework
An increased proportion of
funding accrued by OMBC
from building development
is diverted to local play
facilities and open public
space.
Baseline for
section 106
spending to be
established at
the end of
2007/8 with
review at the
end of each
year
Medium
Work with
established
forums to ensure
that children and
young people
with disabilities
complex and
Play
Partnership
Children with
Disabilities Sub
Group,
Environmental
Services for
children with
disabilities and
their families
Children &
Young People
Plan
Families with children with a
disability and without can
use mainstream play
provision.
Ongoing
Medium
(Obj. 7 & 11)
2.3 Specific
play
equipment
29
Head of Service
for children with
Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990
Page 43 of 43 - Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy 2007-2012
Marketing &
Communications
budget
None
Action
(Strategy
Objective)
(Obj. 9)
2.4 Age
appropriate
play
2.5 Inclusion
and access
(Obj. 9)
2.5.1
What is the
action?
Lead
Links
Outputs
Timescale
Priority
Resources
Outcomes
additional needs
can enjoy a full
range of play
activities and
equipment,
playing alongside
and with other
children and
young people
Services
Ensure that all
age groups of all
abilities have
access to play
provision, and
are able to play
safely without
play
opportunities
being limited by
the presence of
other much
younger or older
children
Play providers,
Environmental
Services, Youth
Services,
Positive
Activities for
Young People
Ensure that the
play needs of all
marginalised
groups are
addressed
including BME
groups, children
and young
people with
disabilities and
vulnerable
groups
All Partnership
members,
Children’s
Champion
Develop a task &
finish group
exploring access
issues for C&YP
Page 44 of 44 - Oldham Play and Free-time
Partners
additional &
complex needs
Sports
Development
Special Schools
Play
Development
Worker, Parks
and Countryside
Service,
Play Quality
Standards,
Integrated
Youth Strategy
Consultation reports confirm
that children and young
people of all ages have
access to play & free time
opportunities.
Ongoing
Medium
None
Play Quality Standards
promoted across the
Borough of Oldham that
address age appropriate
play.
Evidence that Play & Freetime provision is being
promoted to and accessed
by young people.
Partnership
member
agencies links
with community
groups and
services, play
providers
Play
Play
Partnership
Development
Children with
Worker,
Disabilities
Children ‘s
Strategy 2007-2012
Play Quality
Standards,
Children &
Young People
Plan
Specific pieces of
consultation with
marginalised groups
commissioned by the Play
Partnership, findings and
recommendations
disseminated to play
providers
Ongoing
Medium
Consultation &
participation
budget within
Children’s Fund
Children &
Young People
The Play Partnership policy
is fully informed on issues
relating to disadvantaged
groups and play, through
Task groups to
be convened
when
necessary and
Medium
Staffing
commitment to
Action
(Strategy
Objective)
What is the
action?
Lead
Links
Outputs
Timescale
Priority
Resources
Outcomes
from
backgrounds that
impact on their
ability to take up
provision either
through social
deprivation,
ethnicity,
geographic
location etc
Task Group,
2.5.2
Link in with
established
forums to consult
with vulnerable
groups to ensure
an inclusive
approach to play.
2.6 Disability
subgroup
The disability
task and finish
group, created
from the Play
Partnership, to
ensure all
existing and new
play provision is
inclusive through
the use of
guidelines
specifically
written for the
Play and Freetime Strategy
(Obj. 9)
Partners
Disability
Service,
Woodfield
Centre
Plan
reports and advice from
Task Groups
abandoned
once task has
been
completed.
Play
Partnership
Chair, Play
Development
Worker
Voluntary Sector
working to
support
particularly
vulnerable
groups:
Horizons,
Positive Steps,
Brook
Children &
Young People
Plan
The Play Partnership policy
is fully informed on issues
relating to disadvantaged
groups and play, through
reports and advice other
forums
Ongoing
medium
Play
Development
Worker time for
liaison
Children with
Disabilities
Team
representatives
on the
Partnership
Children with
disabilities and
their families,
play providers
Children &
Young People
Plan
Clear advice and guidance,
based on consultation with
children with disabilities and
their families, on suitability
of play equipment, activities
and access
Within first
year of
strategy then
further tasks
as requested
by the Play
Partnership
Meduim
Commitment of
staff time,
principally from
Children’s
Disability
Service and vol
sector
Other Play
Partnership
Task Groups
Children ‘s
Disability
Service,
Woodfield
Centre
Page 45 of 45 - Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy 2007-2012
the task groups
Action
(Strategy
Objective)
2.7
Community
Safety
What is the
action?
Lead
Safety concerns
of children and
families are
addressed, and
play
opportunities are
not undermined
by real or
perceived antisocial behaviour.
Play providers,
Parks and
Countryside
Service,
Community
Safety Unit,
Police and
Community
Support
Officers
Partners
Links
Outputs
Timescale
Priority
Resources
Outcomes
Environmental
Services, Youth
Service.
Oldham
Community
Strategy: Safe
& Strong
Communities,
Respect
Agenda
Consultation with children,
young people and families
of all backgrounds continues
regarding safety issues.
Ongoing
Medium
None
Policy and action is shared
between Play and
Community Safety to build
a shared understanding and
approach.
3. Delivering play and free time in the Borough
3.1
Adventures
in Play
In order to
provide a coordinated
approach to play
in the Borough,
the Natural Play
projects will seek
to encapsulate
all the below
projects under
the theme of
natural play and
free time
Parks &
Countryside
Service,
Voluntary
sector provider
to be identified
Play
Development
Worker, Play
Partnership
Children &
Young People
Plan
Oldham Play Strategy is led
by a coherent set of
projects that assists in the
promotion of play
opportunities across the
Borough, and supports the
development of further
initiatives and funding
streams
BLF bid
outcome
December
2007, delivery
to begin within
six months, till
2011
High
BLF bid
3.2 Natural
Play
Daisy Nook,
Tandle Hill, and
Leesbrook (and
connected areas)
developed as
natural play sites
for children and
young people
Parks &
Countryside
Service
Play
Development
Worker
Children &
Young People
Plan
A wide variety of play
opportunities are provided
at these sites encouraging
greater uptake by children
young people and families.
BLF bid
outcome
December
2007, delivery
to begin within
six months, till
2011
High
BLF bid
Page 46 of 46 - Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy 2007-2012
Action
(Strategy
Objective)
3.3 Dynamic
Delivery of
Play
Opportunities
What is the
action?
Lead
Voluntary sector
tender to provide
activities to
increase access
to natural play
sites in 3.2, and
play
opportunities
elsewhere in
Oldham
Voluntary
sector provider
to be identified
Partners
Links
Outputs
Timescale
Priority
Resources
Outcomes
Play
Development
Worker
Children &
Young People
Plan
Voluntary sector provider
contracted, project sites are
increasingly accessed by
children, young people &
families for positive play
opportunities and activities,
especially families from
disadvantaged backgrounds
or how would otherwise be
less likely to make use of
the provision.
BLF bid
outcome
December
2007, delivery
to begin within
six months, till
2011
High
BLF bid
Play
Development
Worker,
Extended
Schools, Study
Support
Manager,
Playing for
Success Centre
Link in with
Extended
Schools audit
tool and study
support
evaluation
techniques.
Performance is monitored
Half yearly
progress/perfor
mance reports
to the Play
Partnership
High
None
play providers
Link with
current
adopted quality
assurance
schemes e.g.
Sports Dev
Play England’s Quality in
Play standards are adopted
across the Borough of
Oldham by statutory and
voluntary sector play
providers.
1st year of
Strategy
Medium
None
OMBC Research
Officer
OMBC
Research
Governance
Strategy is updated and
modified in response to
findings to increase
effectiveness and promote
good practice in play
provision.
Interim reports
to the Play
Partnership at
the end of year
1 & 2, final
report
delivered in
year 3.
High
Children’s Fund
or alternative to
be identified
4. Measuring and evaluating success
4.1
Performance
Management
& Quality
(Obj. 10)
Establish
monitoring
systems and
performance
indicators for BLF
bid projects.
BLF Project
Leads
4.1.1
Identify and
promote the use
of appropriate
Quality
standards for
play, for use by
BLF bid projects
and other play
providers.
Play
Development
Worker
Evaluate over
the lifetime of
the Strategy
whether the
value of, and
participation in,
play has
increased, and
whether children,
Play
Development
Worker, Chair
of Play
Partnership
4.2
Evaluation
(Obj. 8)
Play England
Page 47 of 47 - Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy 2007-2012
Soft outcomes in terms of
self-esteem and confidence
are captured.
Action
(Strategy
Objective)
What is the
action?
Lead
Partners
Links
Outputs
Timescale
Priority
Resources
Outcomes
young people
and parents are
receiving more
play outcomes.
4.2.1
Identify
appropriate
methods and
tools for
evaluation of
play activities,
opportunities and
outcomes.
OMBC
Research
Officer
Play
Development
Worker
Page 48 of 48 - Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy 2007-2012
Extended
Schools
Children’s
Centres
Play providers are
encouraged and supported
to evaluate their own
services and to share good
practice
Ongoing
Medium
None
10
Who is the Play and Free-time Strategy contact?
Miss Catherine Millington
Children’s Champion, Partnership and Prevention
Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council
Children, Young People and Families Directorate
Unit 7 – 13
Southlink Business Park
Hamilton Street
Oldham
OL4 1DB
0161 770 6607
[email protected]
Page 49 of 49 - Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy 2007-2012