All to play for
a strategy for children’s play in Bradford District 2013-2016
Bradford District Play Partnership
Contents
Contents
Foreword ______________________________________________________________4
Summary_______________________________________________________________7
Bradford Safeguarding Children Board Strategic Plan ______________________________ 19
Participation Strategy for Children and Young People 2010-2013_____________________ 19
Looked After Children Strategy 2010-2012________________________________________ 19
Introduction ____________________________________________________________8
Raising Achievement Strategy__________________________________________________ 19
1.1 Removing barriers to play ______________________________________________________ 8
Parenting Strategy ‘For Parents’________________________________________________ 19
1.2 Improving play quality__________________________________________________________ 9
Integrated Disability Strategy for Children and Young People________________________ 19
1.3 Other benefits of a Strategy for Play______________________________________________ 9
Healthy Minds Strategy for improving Mental Health _______________________________ 19
What is play and why does it matter?_____________________________________ 10
2.1 What is play?________________________________________________________________ 10
2.2 W
hy play matters for children and young people___________________________________ 10
2.3 Why play matters for families and communities____________________________________ 13
Obesity Strategy _____________________________________________________________ 20
Strategy for Sport and Physical Activity in the Bradford District 2011-2015______________ 20
Fixed Play & Open Spaces Strategies____________________________________________ 20
4.1 Play developments in Bradford _________________________________________________ 20
Play Partnership Executive_____________________________________________________ 20
What has informed this plan?___________________________________________ 14
The Play Champion___________________________________________________________ 20
3.1 The need for a revised strategy_________________________________________________ 14
Community based play forums__________________________________________________ 20
3.2 National Context______________________________________________________________ 14
4.2 Issues identified in Bradford____________________________________________________ 21
0-5 services_________________________________________________________________ 15
4.3 Current provision_____________________________________________________________ 22
5-11 services_________________________________________________________________ 16
Priorities____________________________________________________________________ 24
13-19 youth services__________________________________________________________ 16
Play and health_______________________________________________________________ 17
Our vision and priorities________________________________________________ 24
Play and the environment______________________________________________________ 17
Since the last plan…____________________________________________________ 26
Local context__________________________________________________________ 18
Service achievements__________________________________________________ 27
Good Health and Wellbeing Strategy – 2013-2017 _________________________________ 19
Childhood Poverty Strategy – 2011-14___________________________________________ 19
Cultural Strategy – Only connect________________________________________________ 19
Implementation________________________________________________________ 29
References____________________________________________________________ 30
Community Safety Plan – 2010 - 13_____________________________________________ 19
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All To Play For: a strategy for children’s play in Bradford District 2013-2016
Foreword
Kath Tunstall
trategic Director of
S
Children’s Services
It gives us great pleasure to introduce the
revised version of “All to Play For – A Strategy
for Children’s Play in Bradford District” which
reaffirms Bradford’s commitment to the Child’s
Right to Play which is enshrined in the United
Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The re-launch of “All to Play For” restates City
of Bradford Metropolitan District Council and its
partner’s Commitment to the District’s children
and young people and their right to play.
A wealth of progress has been made locally since
the first version of All to Play For was launched
on National Play Day 2004, both within the play
sector, Children’s Services agenda and beyond.
The review of All to Play For comes at a time
when the play needs of children and young people
are a growing concern nationally.
Cllr Ralph Berry
ortfolio Holder for
P
Children’s Services
Research and consultation findings constantly
flag up the significance of play for children, in
terms of their developmental needs but also
as a fundamental part of an enjoyable, healthy
childhood. Access to the outdoor environment for
play remains a high priority for children and young
people, evidenced through recent consultation.
Today’s children are often denied the play
opportunities that earlier generations took for
granted. The Play Strategy is one way that the
Local Authority and its partners are working to
address this trend.
Bradford Council has been hailed for its
commitment to play and playwork and was one
of the first Local Authorities to implement a play
strategy. We are in the vanguard of developments
and should be proud of the accomplishments
made over the years. The next three years will
offer more challenges and opportunities for the
development of children’s play across the district
and we are committed to ensuring that Council
remains ahead in the game.
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Summary
The strategy highlights the right of children to
play, and looks at provision for play in Bradford
in the context of local and national changes to
the policy and legislative framework in which
Children’s Services operate. The strategy aims
to bring together all services for play in Bradford
under a shared vision and set of priorities,
recognising the importance of play and the
positive impact that quality experiences have on
children and young people.
Our vision is one in which:
“All children and young people are
able to access a variety of high
quality inclusive play opportunities,
which support and contribute to the
Childrens and Young People’s Plan
priorities for children, young people,
families and communities in the
district”
This vision will be realised through the
accomplishment of four outcomes:
l Excellent quality and inclusive play
opportunities which are accessible for all
l Address risk and promote resilience in children
and young people including vulnerable groups
l Provide access to ‘holistic’ support for
vulnerable children, young people and families
l That all children and young people can
participate in planning and delivery of play
services
These priorities form the basis of
All to Play For - A Strategy for Play
in Bradford District 2013 – 2016.
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All To Play For: a strategy for children’s play in Bradford District 2013-2016
Introduction
Children have a legal right to play, as set out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights
of the Child (UNCRC), and as adults we have a responsibility to ensure children receive these
rights. We need a strategy to ensure that all agencies, organisations and council departments
are working together under shared principles to achieve positive outcomes for children,
drawing together services under common aims for play and recognising the contribution
that quality play experiences can make to the broader aims of Bradford District’s Community
Strategy and it’s other underpinning strategies.
The right of children and young people to play
is proclaimed in Article 31 of the United Nations
Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC),
to which the United Kingdom is a signatory. On
1 February 2013 the UNCRC announced the
adoption of a ‘General Comment’ which reaffirms
its commitment to children’s play, emphasising
the importance of Article 31 and clearly defining
the responsibilities of governments. Article 31
runs as follows:
l Parties recognise the right of the child 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.
l Parties shall respect and promote the right
of the child to fully participate in cultural and
artistic life and shall encourage the provision
of appropriate and equal opportunities for
cultural, artistic, recreational and leisure
activity.
Children’s right to play is further supported by
Article 12 (right to be consulted), Article 13 (right
to freedom of expression) and Article 15 (right
to freedom of association and assembly) in the
UNCRC.
Children are the experts in play and the strategy
does not intend for adults to control or dictate the
content and intent of children’s play in any way.
Sadly, however, there are many barriers in the
way of play, and many play environments are of
poor quality. This means that many children get
little opportunity to play freely, and when they do,
their play experiences are limited.
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1.1 Removing barriers to play
A consultation was carried out in 2012 with
children and young people, parents, carers and
service providers across Bradford to inform the
new Play Strategy. The results of the consultation
showed that there are many perceived barriers to
children’s play in the district. Among the barriers
which stand in the way of children’s opportunities
to play are:
l Lack of value placed on play by some adults
l Lack of private space around the child’s home
l Lack of time for play between school,
organised out of school activities, and family or
community obligations
l Traffic and other dangers outside the home
l Fears of parents and children about street
crime, bullying and “stranger danger” (even if
such fears are exaggerated)
l Lack of public play facilities including both
supervised and unsupervised opportunities
that are inclusive of all children
l Lack of tolerance by some adults towards
children playing out
All these challenges, whether physical or
attitudinal, are very real impediments to children’s
play. The Strategy for Play will help reduce the
adverse impact of these barriers, and help to
bring about a general change in attitudes to
play from (sometimes) reluctant acceptance to
positive support.
1.2 Improving play quality
While children will play almost anywhere, if
not actually prevented, how much they stand
to gain from play depends very much on the
quality of the play environments they encounter.
In impoverished environments, it will be much
harder, if not impossible, for children to enjoy rich
play experiences that will have lasting positive
effects on their development.
Play facilities are excellent when they:
l Extend children’s choice and control
l Recognise, and provide for, children’s need to
test boundaries
l Embed play as a key area of provision in all
services for, or impacting on, children and
young people
l Maximise the contribution of play services to
the wider local agenda for children, young
people, families and communities
l Prioritise play needs effectively, so as to take
maximum advantage of funding opportunities
when they become available
l Increase resilience in children and young
people through quality play experiences and
opportunities to experience risk
l Balance opportunities for risk-taking with the
prevention of serious harm
l Make many types of play available
l Promote children’s independence and
self-esteem
l Promote social interaction and respect for
others
l Promote creativity, learning, all-round
wellbeing and healthy growth.
The Strategy for Play helps to raise the quality
and understanding of all play facilities and
play opportunities towards these standards of
excellence, by providing a baseline from which
services can develop.
1.3 Other benefits of a Strategy for Play
Removing barriers and raising quality and
understanding are the key themes behind the
strategy, but a strategic approach to play also
has other benefits. A Strategy for Play will help us
to:
l State clearly why play matters, and what
good quality play provision should be about,
so that all play providers can plan and
evaluate their provision from a common set of
values
l Give voice to the aspirations of children, young
people and their families for the kind of play
services they would like to see
l Facilitate improved partnership working among
all those involved with meeting children’s and
young people’s play needs, leading to greater
play value
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All To Play For: a strategy for children’s play in Bradford District 2013-2016
What is play and why does it matter?
In contrast play-deprived children and young
people are likely to be:
l timid
l risk-averse
l wary of new experiences
2.1 What is play?
“Play is what I do, when everyone
has stopped telling me what to do.”
Free play is what children and young people do
when they are doing what they choose, in their
own way, for their own reasons.
According to the Playwork Principles “Play is a
biological, psychological and social necessity,
and is fundamental to the healthy development of
individuals and communities.”
This strategy is about free play. By free play,
we mean all those pursuits that actively engage
children and young people as thinkers and doers,
and that are:
l Freely chosen by children and young people
l Undertaken simply for the fun of doing them
l At all times under their own control
Structured leisure activities are important for
many children and young people, but play in its
essence is different from organised sports, clubs
and classes. For example, compare a kick-about
in the park with a junior football league, or makebelieve play with a drama workshop. What makes
play different is not so much what you do, as
how you do it: the intent, rather than the content.
After-school sport and art clubs are valuable, but
they are not the same as free play.
The availability of good quality and well designed
play facilities is essential in attracting families
and children alike. Play should be at the heart
of children’s everyday lives and experiences
throughout their childhood. Children play at
school and in the home, in parks and green
spaces as well as whilst travelling. Children
should be able to enjoy a healthy balance of both
structured and unstructured activities.
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Well designed and maintained, imaginative play
spaces provide an exciting place to play valued
by children and local communities alike.
It is important to remember that play is for all
ages, though we may at first think of young
children. The UNCRC defines a child as anyone
below the age of 18 years, though older children
may use words other than play to describe what
they do in their free time. This strategy endorses
the UNCRC definition and will actively engage
partners to ensure continuous play provision is
available across the district.
Play in school is increasingly recognised as a
valuable part of education, and is a welcome
approach to learning. This strategy has a part
to play in ensuring opportunities for free play
on school premises, during break times, out of
school hours and throughout the holiday period.
2.2 W
hy play matters for children and
young people
Free play is uniquely empowering for children
and young people because it is founded on
freedom of choice, inner motivation and selfdirection. Through play, children and young
people learn things about themselves, about
other people, and about the world they live in.
Research evidence shows that free play enables
children and young people to:
l Make choices
l Measure and extend their capabilities
l Test boundaries and explore risks
l Sample new experiences
l Explore the world
l Develop social skills
l Learn respect for other people
l Develop independence
l Grow up fit and healthy
l Develop self-esteem, mental wellbeing and
resilience
l Be creative and solve problems
l lacking in social skills
l self-centred
l clingy
l in poor health
l lacking in confidence
l lacking in creativity
This is a collection of traits described by the
British Medical Association in June 2007, as
the “battery child syndrome”. As a result of
these traits such children are likely
to experience poorer outcomes
in relation to their emotional
and physical health, and
education.
The vision of Bradford
Children and Young
People’s Plan is that
every child and young
person should be
supported to have the
best start in life. The
Every Child Matters
(ECM) framework is
still relevant, and the
five outcomes set out
by the framework reflect
areas where children can
be supported to achieve more.
Play is fundamental to these areas
and contributes to development in
complex and comprehensive ways:
Be healthy: Playing is part of a child’s physical,
social and psychological development and
is crucial to children’s health and wellbeing.
Playing helps children develop resilience,
while offering opportunities for ‘positive stress’,
helping them develop appropriate responses to
unusual situations. Play can also be therapeutic,
helping children deal with difficult or painful
circumstances, such as emotional stress or
medical treatment.
Stay safe: Given the opportunities through their
playing, children will take physical, emotional
and social risks and challenge themselves. This
enables them to think through decisions and gain
increased self-confidence and resilience.
Enjoy and achieve: Play gives children the
opportunity to be independent and have fun. Play
enables children to find out about themselves,
their abilities and their interests. Play allows
children to be creative and use their imagination
freely, developing their own ideas and initiative,
and achieving their full potential.
Make a positive contribution: Play fosters
social inclusion. It helps children understand
the people in their lives, to learn about their
environment and develop their sense of
community. Play also assists children in shaping
their own culture of childhood.
Achieve economic wellbeing: Play
promotes children’s development
and emotional intelligence;
they learn to have empathy
and an understanding of
group dynamics. Play
also promotes creativity
and independence
thus contributing
to children’s future
wellbeing. In
communities where
levels of deprivation
are prevalent, playwork
provision especially, can
contribute to developing
a sense of wellbeing and
purpose for those involved.
In addition to promoting positive
outcomes play has been shown to
be an effective preventative factor, lowering
the risk of poor mental health and emotional well
being in children and young people.
The table on page 12 sets out some risk factors
to the child, the family and wider community
which can have a negative effect on outcomes.
The table goes on to present resilience factors.
These are elements which appear to protect
children from negative outcomes and may
explain why some children are able to develop
or become more resilient in the face of adversity
and suffer less as a result.
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l Range of positive sport and leisure
activities
l Schools with strong academic and
non-academic opportunities
Play actively promotes confidence, self esteem,
social and communication skills, problem
solving and independence - skills which will
help children and young people in other aspects
of their lives, including school.
Quality play opportunities allow children to
take control of their own play and try out
new skills over and over, in their own time;
to make mistakes and try again, ultimately
developing creativity and problem solving skills.
Children who have limited access to quality
play opportunities may have fewer chances
to develop these skills and qualities. Table
1 clearly shows that risk factors in the child
include communication difficulties, academic
failure and low self esteem. Conversely,
good communication skills, problem solving,
positive attitude and self control which can be
developed through play are listed as resilience
factors promoting good mental health and
emotional wellbeing. In addition, Table 1 lists a
wider supportive network and range of positive
sport and leisure activities in the community as
factors which promote resilience in children and
young people.
l Capacity to reflect
l Religious faith
l Humour
l Planner, belief in control
l Supportive long-term relationship/
absence of severe discord
l Good communication skills
l Support for education
l High morale school with positive
policies for behaviour, attitudes
and anti-bullying
l Clear, firm and consistent discipline
l Positive attitude, problem-solving
approach
l Easy temperament when an infant
l Higher intelligence
l Affection
l Good housing and high standard
of living
l At least one good parent–child
relationship
Resilience factors l Secure early relationships
l Death and loss – including loss of
friendship
l Parental criminality, alcoholism,
substance misuse or personality
disorder
l Parental psychiatric illness
l Low self-esteem
l Academic failure
l Physical illness
l Physical, sexual or emotional abuse,
l Wider supportive network
l Other significant life events
l Failure to adapt to a child’s changing
needs
l Difficult temperament
l Discrimination
l Hostile or rejecting relationships
l Genetic influence
l Disaster
l Inconsistent or unclear discipline
l Specific developmental delay
l Homelessness
l Family breakdown
l Communication difficulties
l Socio-economic disadvantage
l Overt parental conflict
Risk factors
l Specific learning difficulties
In the community
In the family
In the child
Table 1 - Risk and resilience factors for mental health problems in children (Needs Analysis, 2012)
All To Play For: a strategy for children’s play in Bradford District 2013-2016
Risk itself has a role to play in developing
resilience, and managed exposure to risk is
thought to play a part in promoting resilience,
since this process can provide opportunities
for coping mechanisms to be acquired. Play
naturally allows children to take risks and
challenge themselves but is often restricted by
adult anxieties (Gill, 2007). In an increasingly
risk averse society this strategy seeks to
promote quality play environments which
offer opportunities to experience risk in a well
managed way, thus encouraging children to be
more independent and resilient.
2.3 Why play matters for families and
communities
Play provision has extensive benefits for families
and communities. Play opportunities can:
l Reduce stress in families, especially during
school holidays
l Enable parents and children to enjoy one
another’s company
l Act as a focus for family support networks
l Give parents confidence about their children’s
safety outside the home
l Divert young people from anti-social behaviour
l Promote community safety
l Provide opportunities for community
involvement, paid and voluntary work and
adult learning
l Promote social cohesion
l Build social capital by helping children develop
into confident, competent adults
l Explore and celebrate cultural identity and
difference
l Reduce social exclusion
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All To Play For: a strategy for children’s play in Bradford District 2013-2016
What has informed this plan?
The Childcare Act 2006 places a number of
statutory duties on all local authorities including
the duties to:
3.1 The need for a revised strategy
Work began on Bradford District’s first ever
strategy for children’s play in January 2002.
Bradford received national recognition for being
at the forefront of developments in children’s play
and enabled the securing of resources from the
Children’s Fund and the Big Lottery “Better Play”
programme.
The resulting document, “All to Play For”, was
launched on National Playday in August 2004.
The document was reviewed and re-launched
as the 2008-2011 play strategy under the same
name, with some important changes and exciting
opportunities for development of play projects
and play areas. Since then many significant
changes, both local and national, have impacted
on policy and practice regarding children’s play.
To single out just a few of the most important:
l The coalition government was formed in May
2010 with immediate impact on policy and
practice in Education, Early Years and Play.
l Resources for play were reduced following the
end of the Big Lottery Fund Children’s Play
Programme and the Comprehensive Spending
Review, which led to money previously ring
fenced for extended services being given back
to schools.
l Reconfiguration of government contracts with
Play England and the dropping of Play and
Playwork from the government agenda.
l The Department for Children, Schools and
Families (DCSF) has been rebranded as the
Department for Education (DfE), emphasis has
shifted to educational achievement and the
terminology around the Every Child Matters
agenda and ‘the five outcomes’ has changed.
Many of the aspirations in the previous strategy
have been achieved. However, these are
challenging times for children’s play and play
related services within this continually evolving
landscape. Therefore, faced with the pace of
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of Children’s Commissioner for England, currently
Dr Maggie Atkinson. The Commissioner’s role is
to be an independent champion for children. It is
likely that the Children’s Commissioner will play a
prominent role in the reinvigoration of Article 31 of
the UNCRC.
l Improve the wellbeing of young children and
reduce wellbeing inequalities between young
children.
l Ensure that early childhood services in
the local authority area are provided in an
integrated manner
example, a child who has not had any breakfast
may find it difficult to concentrate and fully
engage, even with activities he or she enjoys;
a child who lives in fear of violence may find it
difficult to relax and become immersed in play. In
order to help children to reach their potential and
get the best out of opportunities available to them
we also need to ensure support is available from
a whole family perspective, ensuring that parents
and carers are supported to meet their needs
and those of their children. This approach is now
actively promoted in government plans such as
the ‘think family’ initiative.
0-5 services
l Work together with all relevant partners
l Provide information, advice and assistance to
parents and prospective parents
change, it is clear that the strategy needs a major
review if it is to remain fit for purpose.
This strategy highlights positive developments
which support the need for play in Bradford
district:
l The Bradford District Play Partnership has
been revitalised with new terms of reference,
and a new Play Champion for Bradford has
been appointed.
l In 2009 the Council attracted over £900,000
from central government for the design and
implementation of 11 new and 9 refurbished
play areas under the Playbuilder programme.
Over £158,000 was also attracted to the
project from external sources.
l Bradford District remains committed to
Bradford Children’s Trust despite changes in
policy and legislation and have adopted a new
Children and Young People’s Plan for 2011 –
2014.
l Play forums continue to be established across
the district in areas of play deprivation.
3.2 National Context.
The Children Act 2004 places on local authorities
a ‘duty to cooperate’ with all key partners, working
together to improve outcomes for children and
young people. In addition the Act created the post
l Provide information, advice and training to
childcare providers
Since the establishment of the coalition
government, independent reports on Early
Intervention, Child Poverty and Child Protection
have been written by Graham Allen, Frank Field
and Eileen Munro respectively. The conclusions
and recommendations of each of these reports
make clear that prevention, early help and
intervention are key to supporting children and
families and breaking the cycle of poor outcomes,
poverty and disadvantage.
“Building their essential social
and emotional capabilities means
children are less likely to adopt
antisocial or violent behaviour
throughout life… Early intervention
can forestall the physical and mental
health problems that commonly
perpetuate a cycle of dysfunction.”
(Allen MP, 2011)
These reports have extended the emphasis on a
child centred approach to a broader, more family
centred approach to services, recognising that
the benefits that children gain from play, activities
and other interventions can be limited and indeed
diminished by other factors within their lives. For
Bradford has 41 children’s centres across the
district. Children’s centres are an important
part of the government’s strategy for reducing
inequalities in outcomes for pre-school children.
Children’s centres serve children and their
families from the antenatal period until children
start in reception or Year 1 at primary school.
Each centre offers a number of services to
families with pre-school children:
l Good quality early learning with links to full
day care provision
l Crèches and parent/toddler groups
l Parental outreach and family support services
l A base for childminding networks
l Child and family health services, including
antenatal services
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All To Play For: a strategy for children’s play in Bradford District 2013-2016
lSupport for children and parents with special
needs
l Links with Jobcentre Plus and local training
providers
The Early Years Foundation Stage Framework
(EYFS) was established by the Childcare Act
2006 and is a central part of the Strategy for
Childcare. EYFS was designed to help all young
children achieve the five ECM outcomes. It is for
use in all schools and Ofsted registered early
years providers for children from birth to the end
of the school year in which they turn five. As the
Practice Guidance for the Early Years Foundation
Stage states,
“Play underpins the delivery of
all the EYFS. Children must have
opportunities to play indoors
and outdoors… Play underpins
all development and learning for
young children. Most children play
spontaneously, although some may
need adult support, and it is through
play that they develop intellectually,
creatively, physically, socially
and emotionally”
(DfES, 2007)
5-11 services
Early support methods are central in services
provided for children 0-5, and the same principles
are significant for children and families across
childhood. We need to ensure that these early
support measures are replicated across services
for the 0-18 age range and into youth provision.
While the Strategy for Play welcomes this focus
on play as the basis for child development, it
needs to be recognised that these principles are
not only relevant for the 0-5 age group. Quality
free play opportunities continue to be crucial to
wellbeing and healthy development throughout
childhood and adolescence.
The revised framework for the EYFS (Pre-school
Learning Alliance, 2012) makes clear that out
of school ‘wrap around and holiday providers’
should be guided by, but do not need to meet in
full, the learning and development requirements
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of the framework. Instead they should seek to
provide play opportunities which complement
learning in primary settings such as schools, thus
allowing for more free choice in out of school play
settings and other extended service provision.
13-19 youth services
The Education and Inspections Act 2006 requires
local authorities to secure sufficient educational
and recreational leisure time activities for young
people aged 13 to 19. The policy review Aiming
High for Young People: a ten-year strategy
for positive activities (2007) pulls together
government thinking on how this duty should be
implemented. It focuses strongly on the needs
of the most at-risk young people, the review is
guided by the underpinning principle that support
should be provided for all, but the greatest
support targeted on those who need it most.
This principle applies strongly to the provision
of “things to do and places to go”, which comes
up repeatedly as a major need in consultations
with young people, parents, communities and
organisations. Aiming High refers to the evidence
of research in demonstrating the importance of
positive leisure time activities for young people in:
l developing social and emotional skills
l developing community cohesion
l reducing involvement in anti-social behaviour
and crime
l improving health and well being
l supporting learning
Activities that are successful in delivering these
outcomes have a number of qualities. They:
l are attractive to young people, accessible and
inclusive
l are creative and fun
l do not treat young people as problems
l involve young people in design and delivery of
services
l provide appropriate supervision
l provide holistic, person-centred support
All To Play For: a strategy for children’s play in Bradford District 2013-2016
Play England is a national project to promote
strategies for free play and to create a lasting
support structure for play providers in England.
Play England’s aim is for all children and young
people in England to have regular access and
opportunity for free, inclusive, local play provision
and play space. Its objectives are to:
l promote local play strategies
l build partnerships for play
l research and demonstrate the benefits of play
l promote equality and diversity in play provision
l raise awareness and promote standards
Play England offers expert advice and support to
all those involved in the strategic development
of children’s play, in particular during the
preparation of local play strategies.
Play and health
The ‘updated’ Health and Social Care Bill
(May 2012) places local government and local
communities at the heart of improving health
and wellbeing, in tackling health and social
inequalities.
Bradford District is aiming to reduce the number
of children becoming overweight and obese as
this is a key area identified for health promotion.
Currently Public Health and Children’s Health
and Wellbeing Services along with other partners
are promoting and developing programmes to
encourage children and their families to choose a
healthy diet and increase physical activity whilst
limiting sedentary behaviour such as watching TV
and playing media games.
The local authority, schools and other partners
have a key role in providing and promoting
quality, safe and accessible play spaces and
other recreational facilities which encourage
active lifestyles as a means to address health
inequalities in the district.
Play and the environment
Play in the environment can refer to any play
space a child claims as his or her own space
in which to immerse in play activity. However,
an outdoor environment as a playspace has
numerous benefits for a child which are not
possible to experience in an indoor space. This is
due to the variety of natural materials which can
be incorporated into the child’s play, enabling a
child to be inquisitive and respond positively to
their immediate environment.
Opportunities for children to climb, run, jump
and throw, leads to improved motor coordination
as well as opportunities for risk and challenge.
The outdoor environment is also more variable
and flexible, reflective in the change in
seasons, vegetation, terrain and weather, which
encourages flexibility and varied opportunities.
Play in ‘wild’ places is ideal for exploratory
play and elemental play enabling creativity,
inventiveness and discovery.
Through play, children develop independence
but, at the same time, learn that their actions may
have consequences for themselves and others
leading to the development of responsibility and
co-operative behaviour.
As play service providers we aim to provide a
free flow play environment, in which children
have opportunities to experience all elements,
conducive to a more natural play experience. If
we restrict children’s opportunities to experience
and take ownership of outdoor play space, the
environment in which they live will become more
deprived and static as a result.
17
4
All To Play For: a strategy for children’s play in Bradford District 2013-2016
Local context
There are many ways in which local policies,
plans and strategies in Bradford District can
and do contribute to improving children’s play
opportunities.
l Develop and maintain readiness to learn
throughout life
The district’s Community Strategy sets out three
core transformational priorities for the district.
These are:
Ensure diverse, creative and inspirational
experiences for children and young people.
l Educational attainment
l Regeneration
l Skill development
The Bradford Children and Young People’s Plan
2011-2014, produced by Bradford Children’s
Trust, sets out several shared principles with
a clear emphasis on prevention and early
intervention work via early identification of need
and improving integrated working. The Trust is
committed to the following principles:
l Be centred on the needs of all children and
young people
l L
isten and respond to children, young people
and their families
l E
mpower children and young people to
contribute to shaping services
l Be equitable, inclusive and non-discriminatory
l Listen to staff and front-line managers
l Provide clear leadership and direction
l S
hare and learn from good practice and
lessons learnt
Through a process of needs analysis and
consultation with children, young people and
service providers, the plan established three new
priorities for the district:
Improving educational outcomes: every child
and young person is enabled to learn and
develop in order to achieve their full potential.
l Raise attainment of children and young
people and narrow the achievement gap for
underachieving groups
18
l Support language development and
communication
Protecting vulnerable children and young
people in the district.
l Maintain robust child protection arrangements
l Ensure children and young people are safe in
their home and community
l Improve outcomes for looked after children
and care leavers
l Target support for vulnerable families
l Build emotional resilience
Minimising the adverse effects of childhood
poverty in order to reduce inequalities within
the district.
l No child to live in sub-standard housing
l Every family can access the support and
advice they need
l Children & young people take advantage
of education, employment and training
opportunities
l Break the cycle of worklessness by
undertaking positive action for vulnerable
groups
l Positive parenting to address inequalities,
particularly health related issues
The play strategy will link and contribute to other
key strategies in the district including:
Good Health and Wellbeing Strategy 20132017.
The aim of this strategy is to give every child the
best start in life by reducing health inequalities
such as obesity and infant mortality in the district.
Childhood Poverty Strategy 2011-14
The vision is to ensure that all services of
the Council and of local partners are working
collectively to do everything possible to reduce
child poverty and mitigate its effects, and ensure
that today’s children do not become tomorrow’s
parents of poor children.
Cultural Strategy – Only connect
Only Connect – a cultural strategy for the
Bradford District defines culture as having both a
material and a value dimension, and play is part
of both of them. Physically, play culture includes
parks, play areas, rural and urban landscapes.
Emotionally, play, like other aspects of culture,
is about relationships, shared identity, shared
experiences, and the transmission of values.
Community Safety Plan 2010 - 13
This plan sets out to ensure an effective
response to delivering safer communities
and reducing fear of crime, with the strategic
outcomes of reducing overall levels of crime;
improving public confidence; reducing antisocial behaviour and drug and alcohol misuse;
improving reporting levels of domestic abuse
and hate crime; and making our roads safer for
children and adults.
Bradford Safeguarding Children Board
Strategic Plan
The Bradford Safeguarding Children Board
(BSCB) believes that every child and young
person should be able to grow up safe from
maltreatment, neglect, accidental injury/death,
and bullying. The strategy is to ensure that every
child within the district is safe, well cared for and
fulfils their potential.
Participation Strategy for Children and Young
People 2010-2013
This strategy actively promotes the participation
of children and young people, parents and carers
in the design and delivery of service provision.
Looked After Children Strategy 2010-2012
This strategy describes the contributions of all
partner agencies to improve outcomes for looked
after children.
Raising Achievement Strategy
This strategy aims to accelerate the achievement
of outcomes and ambitions set out in the
district’s Children and Young People’s Plan. For
all children to access excellent opportunities
and learn successfully, that achievement and
attainment gaps are closed, and for all children to
have access to successful and effective schools.
It provides a framework for those working with
schools, children, parents, carers and families to
work in a coherent and effective way.
Parenting Strategy ‘For Parents’
Aims to bring together the key issues that affect
parents, and all organisations that seek to help
them do their best for their children, so that they
develop the ability and skills to support their
children to reach their full potential, achieve
secure employment and become active citizens
within their community and society. The key
issues identified are engaging and involving
parents, early identification and intervention,
ensuring high quality provision and workforce
development.
Integrated Disability Strategy for Children and
Young People
Is related to improving services used by disabled
children and young people and their families.
It sets out the commitment across services to
a number of agreed objectives, priorities and
actions that will deliver the vision ‘To create the
conditions where disabled children receive the
services and support that will enable them and
their families to lead ordinary lives’.
Healthy Minds Strategy for improving Mental
Health
The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services
(CAMHS) Strategy for the Bradford District,
outlines the continuing commitment of Bradford
Children’s Trust to improving the mental health
and emotional wellbeing of all children and young
people across the district.
19
All To Play For: a strategy for children’s play in Bradford District 2013-2016
Obesity Strategy
4.1 Play developments in Bradford
Play Partnership Executive
The Play Partnership Executive was established
in 2004. This brings together and co-ordinates
partners across the district whose work has a
direct impact on children’s play and moreover
reiterates the importance and benefits that play
has in relation to children’s development, learning
and enjoyment. The purpose of the partnership
is to work collaboratively in order to develop,
promote, co-ordinate and monitor play and play
work activities and services across the district.
The Play Partnership Executive meets on a
bimonthly basis.
The Play Champion
This role has been in existence since 2005 and is
currently undertaken by an elected member. The
Play champion’s role is to:
‘The healthy weight healthy lives’ steering group
for children and young people works with all
key partners to increase physical activity and
healthy eating for children and young people in
the district. This includes taking an active part
in development of the new Sports and Physical
Activity Strategy and Food Strategy for the
district.
Strategy for Sport and Physical Activity in the
Bradford District 2011-2015
It sets out a vision of an ‘active, healthy and
successful’ city through more and better sport
and physical activity opportunities. A major theme
of the strategy relates to PE and sport for young
people both in the school and community setting.
It highlights the vital role that sport and physical
activity can play in improving the lives of children
and young people.
Fixed Play & Open Spaces Strategies
The aim of the Fixed Play Strategy is to provide
all children in the Bradford District local access to
good quality, inclusive equipped play facilities.
The Fixed Play Strategy will feed into the Open
Spaces Strategy which will be developed in late
2013 and forms the future plan for the type and
location of the various types of open spaces.
20
l Be a public advocate for the child’s right to
play, in line with the UN Convention on The
Rights of The Child
l Act as a Champion for Play, to promote the
development of Bradford District as a playfriendly environment for children and young
people
l To Chair the Play Partnership and to represent
it at external forums
l To liaise between children, young people,
parents and carers across the district and the
Play Partnership
l To influence the development of a
strategic and co-ordinated approach to the
implementation of the Strategy for Children’s
Play in Bradford District and associated
funding streams
Community based play forums
Play forums are currently being developed across
the District bringing community based, multiagency partners together to improve the lives
of children and young people through play. The
play forum agenda provides a pooled approach
to delivering quality play opportunities in some of
the most deprived wards of the district; pooling
play resources, staff resources and financial
resources removes duplicity of service provision
and enhances output.
All To Play For: a strategy for children’s play in Bradford District 2013-2016
4.2 Issues identified in Bradford.
“Deprivation is inextricably linked
to poor outcomes for children
and young people. Children who
grow up in poverty lack many of
the experiences and opportunities
that others take for granted. These
children can be exposed to severe
hardship and become socially
excluded. Growing up in poverty can
damage physical, cognitive, social
and emotional development.”
The 2012 Joint Strategic Needs Analysis (JSNA)
identified that the annual birth rate is increasing
meaning that Bradford has a growing child
population. The population of Bradford district
will rise by one third in the next twenty years. It is
estimated that there will be a 22% increase in the
number of 0-19 year olds by 2033.
The JSNA also identified Bradford as being
amongst the most deprived districts in the
country; it ranks 26 out of 354 local authorities
in England according to the Index of Multiple
Deprivation 2010 (IMD 2010). This placed the
district within the most deprived 10% of local
authorities in the country and Bradford is the
most deprived district in West Yorkshire. Bradford
had a ranking of 32 in 2007; therefore Bradford’s
position relative to other districts has worsened.
Both the Children and Young People’s Plan and
the 2012 Needs Analysis identified a number of
key issues for the district affecting the wellbeing
of children and young people:
l Bradford West has the largest number of BME
children with 83.9% of its population; Bradford
East has the second highest percentage with
67.7%
l There are 3,084 individual children identified
with a special educational need. This is higher
than the national average
l Figures indicate how disabled children are
over represented in the most deprived areas in
Bradford
l Looked after children historically have lower
attainment and school attendance rates than
their peers at all Key Stages
l Boys (10.2%) are more likely to have a mental
disorder than girls (5.1%)
l Homeless children and refugee and asylum
seeker children both tend to have more
restricted play horizons and cite fewer
adventurous activities
l Disabled children’s play options are
constrained by access limitations and concern
about bullying, they are just as keen on sports
as all other children, and days out to special
destinations are also highly valued
l Educational attainment is behind the national
average in foundation stage and all key stages
l Unauthorised absences at primary and
secondary schools are twice the national
average
l Higher numbers than national average are in
receipt of free school meals
l High obesity rates linked with fewer school
aged children taking exercise than nationally
l Higher rates of children worrying about
bullying and being bullied at school
l Significant numbers of young people worried
about school, work, exams, friends, family
problems, health or their appearance
l More children live below the poverty line in
working households than nationally (wages in
Bradford are 16% below national average)
21
All To Play For: a strategy for children’s play in Bradford District 2013-2016
l Boys from a white British background who
have free school meals have lower attainment
rates than their peers
l Take up of formal childcare in low income
families is lower than nationally
Consultations carried out with children, young
people, families and play providers in 2007 and
2012 highlighted a range of factors which have
an effect on children’s access to play and the
quality of play opportunities they experience,
including:
l Lack of value placed on play by some adults
l Lack of private space around the child’s home
l Lack of time for play between school,
organised out of school activities, and family or
community obligations
l Traffic and other dangers outside the home
l Fears of parents and children about street
crime, bullying and “stranger danger” – even if
such fears are exaggerated
l Lack of accessible public play facilities that are
inclusive of all children
l Quality of available play facilities
l Lack of tolerance by some adults towards
children playing out
l Cost of activities
All To Play For: a strategy for children’s play in Bradford District 2013-2016
4.3 Current provision
A wide ranging and mixed menu of play and
playwork activities are currently being provided
by partners across the district. These include:
l Fixed play – this includes150 fixed play areas
for a range of ages, 37 multi use games areas,
9 youth shelters, a parkour facility at Ladyhill
Park, a regional standard BMX track in Peel
Park and 22 BMX / skate parks and 36 parks
in the district.
l High impact community play provision –
generally described as open access, free play
provision including holiday playschemes, the
adventure playground, POD sessions and a
range of events including National Play Day
and Play Week.
l Wild play/play in the woods including
Forest Schools – providing fun and
stimulating outdoor activities and experiences
in the natural environment.
l Scrap shop and mobile play/scrap
resources – Scrap shop and mobile play/
scrap resources available district wide – Scrap
Magic and the Adventurous Play Experience
(APE) provides low cost art, craft and scrap
materials for play and ‘loose parts’ play
sessions to a wide variety of settings, mobile
play resources available from various lenders
at lowcost.
l Play support – working with settings and
other providers to improve quality in relation to
playwork delivery and the play environments
for children and young people.
l Play partners – working with vulnerable
children and young people to enable them to
access play and other provision across the
district.
l Training and qualifications – delivering play
training and qualifications to practitioners
across the district to raise skills and knowledge
of the workforce.
22
23
5
All To Play For: a strategy for children’s play in Bradford District 2013-2016
Our Vision and Priorities
The vision for the Strategy for Play is a district in
which:
“All children and young people are
able to access a variety of high
quality inclusive play opportunities,
which support and contribute to the
Childrens and Young People’s Plan
priorities for children and young
people, families and communities in
the district”
Priorities
In order to realise this vision, four priorities have
been identified through a detailed needs analysis
and consultation with children, young people,
parents and carers and service providers:
l Excellent quality/inclusive play
opportunities which are accessible for all;
to support service providers to work towards
a quality framework for play, underpinned by
the playwork principles. We want to ensure a
consistent approach to play service delivery
to enable all children regardless of culture,
location or ability to have equal access to
quality play provision.
l Address risk and promote resilience in
children and young people including
vulnerable groups; risk is a necessary part
of child development, if we eliminate risk from
children’s play, we are restricting children’s
freedom and their ability to cope with other
factors affecting their lives. We will support
services to encourage children to develop
natural resilience and learn to manage risk in
an age-appropriate way.
l Provide access to ‘holistic’ support for
vulnerable children, young people and
families; this strategy advocates the need
for all children to experience free play in a
rich, stimulating play environment. We will
work together as play partners to remove
24
barriers for vulnerable children and families to
access play and in so doing foster children’s
wellbeing, healthy growth and capacity to
learn.
l That all children and young people can
participate in the planning & delivery of
play services; We will work with organisations
and practitioners to involve children and
young people in the development, delivery
and evaluation of play services. In addition
we will encourage service providers to offer
a comprehensive programme of activities
and resources, including training, to enable
organisations to build better relationships with
children and services that affect their lives.
The following aspects arising from the results of
consultation and analysis will underpin the above
vision and priorities of this strategy:
l Building greater tolerance for children playing
out
Bradford District Play Partnership has defined
inclusion in play as:
“…a process of identifying and
breaking down barriers, which can
be environmental, attitudinal and
institutional. This process seeks
to eliminate discrimination and to
provide all children and young people
with equal access to play”.
Making choices is a key part of the right to play.
This means more than having a limited choice
within a fixed play
menu. It should also
mean participation
in deciding what kinds of play
opportunities are available. Participation is a
democratic right for children and young people.
It can lead to better decision making by service
providers, and has many educational benefits
for the children and young people involved. All
play providers should promote meaningful and
effective participation by children and young
people in the planning and delivery of play
services.
l Making safer, cleaner neighbourhoods that
enable street play
l Making parks and playgrounds socially safer
and more fun
l Providing inclusive, staffed facilities for free
play
Underpinning this play strategy is a strong
commitment to the ethos of equality, inclusion
and participation of all children and young people.
Equality of access to good play opportunities
depends on factors such as location, cost,
opening times, cultural appropriateness, and on
the inclusion of vulnerable children and young
people. Inclusive play services, serving all
children, are the best way to promote equality
and social cohesion. Making play opportunities
inclusive is not always easy, but it is a challenge
that we must all accept. Inclusion is a process
and an attitude, rather than a checklist.
25
6
Since the last plan…
Bradford’s Early Childhood Services has seen a
period of rapid service development over the last
10 years. The re-design provides an opportune
moment to consolidate learning and delivery
approaches to ensure working practices are as
effective and efficient as possible.
The vision for Early Childhood Services is one
which:
Provides effective and well
co-ordinated high quality early
intervention family support and
parenting services for children and
young people aged 0-19 (or 25 if the
young person has a disability) that
provide seamless services (particularly
at times of transition) to impact positive
change and improve outcomes.
Therefore, the provision of early childhood
services needs to be through a robust framework
of early identification, intervention and targeted
support (within universal services) which
utilises partnership arrangements, ensures
the empowerment of families, parents, carers
and children and young people and promotes
community ownership as a pre-requisite of
service delivery approaches.
Early Childhood Services continues to recognise
the importance of Play and Playwork and has
now created the position of Early Childhood
Services 5-11 manager.
This is in recognition of the specific needs of this
age group and in particular the current lack of
extended provision.
The 5-11 Manager has responsibility for
promoting and managing play team delivery
across the authority. This is in conjunction with
the development of a family support role to
provide additional support to vulnerable children
and families in the district. Much of this work
is delivered in partnership through the Play
Partnership Executive.
26
In line with the above the Play Partnership Executive
has revised its terms of reference. These now provide
a clear emphasis on the value and benefit of play and
playwork activities and how these actively contribute
to the prevention and early intervention agendas.
In January 2013 Bradford Council passed a
unanimous motion in support of the district’s play and
playwork activities and recognises its value in terms
of contributing to wider district priorities. Specifically
the motion set out the following:
l To continue to prioritise play and play provision
throughout all aspects of the councils remit
l To ensure that planning decisions are made
which take account of play and the impact
upon opportunities and spaces to play
l Where possible to provide the equipment and
support necessary for open access to play
throughout the district
l To seek to identify organisations in the private,
public and charity sectors to partner with
to ensure the adequate provision of play
opportunities
l To seek to identify funding streams available
from organisations in the private, public and
charity sectors
l To support both formal and informal
community groups in accessing funding and
providing training, expertise and knowledge
and guidance to support and assist these
groups
l To ensure that all of the above points are
evaluated not only in terms of value for money
and take up across the district but also in
terms of taking risks across the different age
groups
l To lobby government and to request support
from all of the MP’s in the District to ensure
Early Intervention Grant funding does not
detract from the funding that is required to
support play at all the age levels from 0-19
(0-25 for young people with additional needs).
7
Service Achievements
The Big Lottery Children’s Play Programme 2008 resulted in the district benefiting from £1.9 million of
government funding for play. This funding enabled play partners working across the district, to work
together to create a playful city of opportunities and a legacy of positive achievements, which children
and young people continue to enjoy.
This legacy includes; improved fixed playgrounds e.g. St Ives Park, a mobile climbing tower and
skate park, Eccleshill Adventure Playground and the Holiday Playscheme Agenda, with particular
reference to vulnerable children and young people. Whilst there is still much to be done, maintain
and sustain, without the success and legacy of the Children’s Play Programme funding, additional
funding, from a range of external funding streams would not have materialised.
Furthermore, the Playbuilder funding enabled the upgrade of existing playgrounds and the creation of
new playgrounds to be developed in areas classed as play deprived; one such shining example is the
extremely popular Roberts Park scheme, in Baildon.
Further achievements, listed below, detail progress against actions from the previous play strategy
action plan 2009 – 2012.
l New Play Champion appointed in December
2012.
l Play Partnership Executive (PPE) Terms of
Reference Revised
l PPE membership refreshed
l 1 Play Partnership Network event held at
Crossflatts Primary School in February 2012
‘Children’s Voices – Participation and Play’. 69
participants. Key Note speaker from Children’s
Rights Alliance. Key partners involved in
delivery of workshops.
l The Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS)
report a 15% increase of children and young
people’s attendance from 10/11 with key
service users aged 8-13yrs.
l Annual open access events attracted high
numbers of families.
l Play sessions and resource loans were made
available to all holiday schemes
l A total of 67 schemes ran over summer 2011
with 8,476 number of children and young
people registered, and overall attendances
at 49,549.
l The Parks Project ran throughout the summer
holiday period in 12 parks across the Bradford
District. 2,531 people were registered
throughout the project which is an average of
211 attendances per venue.
l National Play Week took place in August with
5 Play Day events organised in each of the
constituency areas of Bradford. A further 2
play week events were held in Allerton and
Bingley
l 9 Early Childhood Service’s play pods were
in operation across the District. 2 new ones
established in Bradford East this year
l Bradford Play Consortium quarterly newsletter
distributed - compiling play news from all
members.
l Eccleshill Adventure Playground is recognised
as model of good practice which prompted a
Big Lottery Fund case study ‘Big Champions
Better Play For Kids in England’.
l VCS partners engaged at levels 2 and 3 in
playwork qualifications.
27
All To Play For: a strategy for children’s play in Bradford District 2013-2016
l ECS training programme
l CACHE Level 3 in Playwork commenced
Sept 2011. 25 candidates enrolled for
Award element. 18 completed. Certificate
commences April 2012.
l Outdoor play all things elemental
– 13 participants.
l Play For All – 8 participants
l Risk and Play - 8 participants
l Developing Good Quality playwork – 16
participants
l 4 x Take Five For Play courses with 56
participants
l 3 additional events delivered in 2011 by
Community Play and Activities Development
Unit (CPADU) for LAC. Supported by some
PPE partners.
l ECS play team, through the Play Partners
project and Aiming High for Disabled Children
programme, support children, young people
and their families to access inclusive play,
youth, leisure and childcare provision
l Playbuilder completed – see page 8
P
arks Service not only manage and maintain
existing fixed play provision but they continue
to work with community groups to consult,
design and secure funding to improve fixed
play areas across the district some examples
include:
l L
und Park, Keighley Children’s Play Area
2011/12
l L
adyhill Park, Allerton Children’s Play Area
2012
l Eccleshill Children’s Play Area 2012
l Idle Rec Children’s Play Area 2012
l West Park, Girlington Skatepark 2012
l H
olden Park, Oakworth Children’s Play
Area 2013
28
l S
outhcliffe Drive, Baildon Children’s Play
Area 2013
l C
liffe Castle Park Children’s Play Area
2013
l Wibsey Park Children’s Play Area 2013
P
rojects worked on by colleagues in
Landscape, Design and Conservation that
included a play element that were completed
or started in 2011 - 2012 include:
l C
ottingley Oval, New Village Green
completed in April 2011.
l N
ursery Place Play Area (Canterbury
Estate) opened in May 2011.
l E
agles Nest Play Area, Braithwaite
opened October 2011.
l S
t.Stephens Church ( Kick about and
Fitness equipment), West Bowling in
March 2012.
l S
cholemoor Sports Pitch and Fitness trail
started in March 2012.
l Playing for Gold was taken into schools
and delivered as an education themed play
initiative in preparation for the summer
Olympics of 2012.
8
Implementation
The 5-11 Implementation Plan sets out the key
themes and agreed actions needed to deliver the
vision and priorities within this new strategy.
These include:
l Launch of the new strategy
l Targeted play provision such as open access,
and fixed play
l National initiatives
l Local network events
l Training and qualifications
l Family support
l Communications
l Impact measures
l Partnership working
l Participation
l Healthy schools week was supported by
Community Play & Activities Development Unit
within Baildon schools.
l The Forest School Strategy is supported
through service level agreements between
Early Childhood Services, Workforce
Development and Bradford Community
Environment Project.
l Early Childhood Service’s play team
support childcare settings with the Quality
Improvement Prioritisation Support Framework
(QIPS) enabling practitioners to reflect on
playwork principles and develop key focus
areas contributing to quality play environments
in the district
29
References
l Allen, G (2011) Early Intervention: The Next
Steps, London: Cabinet Office
l Bradford Children and Young People’s Plan
2011 – 2014 Available to download from
http://www.bradford.gov.uk/bmdc/health_wellbeing_and_care/child_care/young_peoples_
plan
l British Medical Journal 334:1343, 30 June
2007
l Children Act 2004, UK, Her Majesty’s
Stationary Office
l Community Strategy 2011 - 2014 for Bradford
District available to download from
http://www.bradford.gov.uk/bmdc/bdp/our_
work/community_strategy
l Department for Culture Media & Sport (2004)
Getting Serious About Play (Dobson Report)
l DfES (2007) Practice Guidance for the Early
Years Foundation Stage
l DfE (2011) Supporting families in the
foundation years
l Department of Health (2012) Health and Social
Care Bill
l Early Childhood Services Service plan
2012-2013
l Field, F (2010) The Foundation Years:
preventing poor children becoming poor
adults, London: Cabinet Office
l Gill, T (2007) Growing up in a risk averse
society, London: Calouste Gulbenkian
Foundation
l HM Government (2010) English Indices of
Multiple Deprivation (IMD)Available from
http://data.gov.uk/dataset/index-of-multipledeprivation
30
l HM Treasury and DCSF (July 2007) Aiming
High for Young People: a ten-year strategy for
positive activities
l Munro, Eileen (2011) The Munro Review of
Child Protection: Final Report, A child centred
system, Norwich: TSO
l NCH (2007) Literature review: Resilience in
Children and Young People, London: available
to download from
www.actionforchildren.org.uk
l NHS (2012) Joint Strategic Needs Analysis,
NHS Airedale Bradford and Leeds
l NPFA (2000) Best Play: what play provision
should do for children, London: NPFA
l Ofsted (updated 2011) Childcare Act 2006
l PLA (2012) Statutory Framework for the Early
Years Foundation Stage (2012), London: Preschool Learning Alliance
l Play England (2007) Charter for Children’s
Play
l Shadow Bradford and Airedale Health And
Wellbeing Board (2013-2017) Good Health
and Wellbeing: Strategy to reduce health
inequalities
l Skills Active (2004) Playwork Principles
l UNICEF (1989) United Nations Convention on
the Rights of the Child
l www.playengland.org.uk
l 2012 Needs Analysis
l 2012 play strategy consultation results
31