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Carmarthenshire Children and Young People’s Play Strategy ‘Play encompasses children’s behaviour, which is freely chosen, personally directed and intrinsically motivated. It is performed for no external goal or reward, and is a fundamental and integral part of healthy development – not only for individual children, but also for the society in which they live’. - Welsh Assembly Government, 2006 Purpose of the Strategy The Play Strategy has been developed in recognition of the importance of play in the lives of children and young people in Carmarthenshire. It aims to raise the profile of play, and provide a platform from which future play opportunities can be developed. It is intended that Carmarthenshire’s Play Strategy will be a tool for ensuring that play is included and considered in the work of all agencies operating within the county. The Strategy is intended to be a working document that sets out guiding principles and issues to be addressed through future work. Vision for Play Carmarthenshire County Council is committed to providing play opportunities, and would like every child and young person to be healthy, happy and enjoy their free time. We are committed to ensuring that every child and young person living in Carmarthenshire has access to exciting, stimulating and creative play experiences by providing both supervised and unsupervised quality play provision that gives opportunities for challenge. Strategic Links: National and Local Agendas The development of the Play Strategy reflects national and local agendas. On a national level the Welsh Assembly Government produced a Play Policy in 2002 and as a result established a Play Implementation Group to develop further recommendations on the direction of play. ‘Play in Wales’ – The Welsh Assembly Government’s Play Policy Implementation Plan was launched in February 2006. Children and Young People: Rights to Action published in January 2004 sets out the Welsh Assembly Government’s seven core aims in relation to children and young people in Wales. Play actively contributes to the delivery of all seven core aims. Aims The Play Strategy’s objectives and recommendations are split into six sections: Objective 1: Encouraging more play provision Objective 2: Play in schools Objective 3: Play in the community Objective 4: A playwork profession Objective 5: Managing risk and parental concern Objective 6: Developing play strategically across Carmarthenshire The Carmarthenshire Play Strategy aims to make the case for a more co-ordinated approach to play by setting out a range of recommendations that can be used by Carmarthenshire County Council, statutory and voluntary sector organisations to improve play opportunities for children and young people across the county. By working in partnership with these organisations as well as parents, carers, children and young people, the Strategy shows a commitment to ensuring that all children and young people have access to a range of varied, stimulating and fun play environments which are free from unacceptable risk, embrace diversity and encourage inclusion of all children. The Consultation The strategy was widely consulted on, with feedback received from schools, youth settings, the county’s youth service, and representatives for looked after children and disabled children and play providers. Please download a copy of the Children’s Consultation Report: 
Children’s Consultation Report (size=180kb)
Please download a copy of the Young People’s consultation report:
Young People’s consultation report (size=40kb)
Please download a copy of the Play Providers consultation responses
Play Providers consultation responses (size=130kb)
The children and young people who participated in the consultation were given the opportunity to enter two competitions. These competitions involved designing a logo for the child and young person friendly Play Strategy and creating a title for the document. The competition was judged by members of the Carmarthenshire Youth Council. Design a logo: Competition Winners
Create a title: Competition Winners 1st Liam Danter, Parc yr Hun Primary School ‘Hey! Come Play! 2nd Jessica Roderick, Parc yr Hun Primary School ‘Come and play!’ 3rd Leigh Webb, Parc yr Hun Primary School ‘Play is healthy for you and fun’ | |||||||||||
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The Launch
Carmarthenshire County Council launched its first Play Strategy on Monday July 14th. Local children helped celebrate the launch, which sets out a vision for play, with a practical workshop on the benefits of play, at Trinity College’s Halliwell Centre. They took part in interactive workshops led by Trysordy, a new Johnstown based company that re-uses scrap materials to make play resources for schools. The children – school council members from Capel Iwan CP School, Newcastle Emlyn, and Parcyrhun CP School, Ammanford – and were joined in the workshops by special guest the Children’s Commissioner for Wales Keith Towler. The Play Strategy DVD was also launched at this event and copies are available on loan from the Children’s Partnership. This DVD will be used as a promotional tool in order to continue to raise the profile of the importance of play in the lives of children and young people living within Carmarthenshire. Please download a copy of the Carmarthenshire Children and Young People’s Play Strategy
Carmarthenshire Children and Young People’s Play Strategy (2008-2011) (size=3Mb)
For further information regarding the Carmarthenshire Children and Young People’s Play Strategy and the DVD please contact the Children’s Partnership on 01267 246561. |
