Publication - Strategy/plan
Play strategy for Scotland: our action plan
The action plan supports the earlier play strategy by setting out the steps needed to realise our vision for play.
PART B: The Plan for Action
Section 6 : In The Home
Outcome: Our homes and family environment are places where children and young people enjoy plentiful play opportunities, indoor and out, appropriate to their age, stage, ability and preferences.
Impact: Parents, carers and families will be more confident and able to facilitate play opportunities in the home and family environment; our homes and family environments will be more suitable for play and children will have more satisfying and wide-ranging play opportunities. Staff will have the skills, knowledge and confidence to engage with parents, carers and families to support them when needed.
| Actions: | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| What? | Why? | Who? | By When? (short, medium or long term) |
| 6.1 Review current levels of play training to recommend how elements of play rights, theory and practice and their impact on outcomes for children could be incorporated in both initial and continuous professional development | To improve knowledge, skills, attitudes and beliefs about the role of play in improving outcomes for children, and the role of staff in the provision of support tailored to meet the needs of families | Children, Young People and Family Nursing Group ( CYPFNG) NHS Education for Scotland Scottish Book Trust ( SBT) Play Organisations Scottish Government |
Short - medium |
| 6.2 Develop a joint plan in order to embed training on current universal resources - play@home and Bookbug - in initial and career long professional learning, to widen the reach of those resources | To ensure staff supporting families are aware of resources to support play in the home and offer families appropriate tailored support to make best use of resources to support high quality play opportunities | NHS Health Scotland SBT Third Sector and Local Authority family support services |
Short |
| 6.3 Investigate and review good practice in reaching all parents and carers with clear messages and guidance on cost effective resources and suggestions for play suitable for children of all ages, stages and abilities | To share knowledge of good practice amongst organisations and agencies which support families | Play Scotland Education Scotland SBT Local Authorities Smart Play Network ( SPN) Scottish Pre-School Play Association ( SPPA) and partners |
Short |
| 6.4 Develop user friendly guidance for parents and carers on how to access cost effective resources for play e.g. natural materials, household items and toy libraries - suitable for children of all ages, stages and abilities | To build parents'/ carers' knowledge of various resources that can be used to encourage/promote play at home and to help engage them in facilitating both indoor and outdoor play | Play Scotland SBT SPN SPPA and partners |
Short - medium |
| 6.5 Provide information on learning through play on Parentzone, the national education website for parents | To support parents/carers in facilitating play at home (indoor and outdoor) and demonstrate how this supports learning and wider achievement | Education Scotland | Short - medium |
| 6.6 Task a working group to investigate ways to promote positive approaches and strategies to support young people's use of leisure time in the home and family environment, including a balanced approach to use of communication technologies and screen-based activities | Young people's play needs in the home are understood and met | Play organisations Youth organisations SBT |
Medium |
| 6.7 Initiate a joint approach to developing and promoting a "play-friendly home" scheme, making use of existing materials | To ensure home environments are safe and suitable for children to play in and around | Implementation group Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents Housing associations |
Short |
| 6.8 Promote the findings of "Good Places Better Health" with particular regard to recommendations for flexible space within homes and family environments which meet the play needs of children, young people and families | To accommodate the changing needs of families to enable good play experiences within the home | NHS Health Scotland and partners | Medium - long |
Section 7 : At Nursery and School
Outcome: All children and young people enjoy high quality play opportunities, particularly outdoor free play in stimulating spaces with access to nature, on a daily basis in school, nursery and early learning and childcare.
Impact: All school staff, and early years practitioners will receive play training, as part of their initial education and career long professional learning. They will have sufficient skills, knowledge and understanding of play to support play opportunities. All schools and settings will have well designed, inclusive spaces for play which support high quality play experiences. School grounds will be valued places for play in local communities. Education managers and leaders in school and early years settings demonstrate their commitment to increasing and developing play opportunities and to supporting staff to do so through priorities in the improvement planning cycle, the ethos and community life of their establishments and their own professional learning and leadership activities.
| Actions: | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| What? | Why? | Who? | By When? (short, medium or long term) |
| 7.1 Task a working group to review current levels of play training provided to school and nursery staff and to recommend how elements of play rights, theory and practice could be incorporated in both the initial professional training and career long professional learning and leadership | To ensure that all education managers, school and centre leaders, school staff and early years practitioners are adequately trained on the importance of play and are able to support high quality play opportunities in their settings | Scottish Government Play Scotland SBT Partners ( e.g. Scottish Qualifications Authority ( SQA), Scottish Social Services Council ( SSSC), F.E., H.E. Institutions) National Implementation Group for Outdoor Learning ( NIGOL) |
Medium |
| 7.2 Commission and publish an evidence/literature review on links between play and children's attainment, achievement, wellbeing and learning across all ages, stages and abilities | To build knowledge and increase awareness amongst educators, parents and carers of the impact of outdoor and indoor play and active learning opportunities on children's learning and development at all stages of education | Scottish Government Education Scotland NIGOL Play sector partners |
Short - medium |
| 7.3 Develop and disseminate good practice guidance, in line with Curriculum for Excellence, on play provision in schools (primary, secondary and special schools and units) and nurseries during and out of school hours for all children and young people, and on the way to and from school | To inspire and support the development of further play provision and high quality play opportunities for all children and young people | Scottish Government Education Scotland Grounds for Learning ( GfL) SSSC Scottish Out Of School Network ( SOSCN) NIGOL Living Streets Youth organisations such as uniformed groups |
Medium |
| 7.4 Identify ways in which early years and school staff can support parents', carers' and families' understanding of play, and how it can be supported at home | To make best use of existing knowledge and skills and to promote understanding of the value of play | Scottish Government Scottish Parent Teachers Council NIGOL SSSC SBT |
Medium |
| 7.5 Audit current levels of community access to school grounds (including the wider school environment of streets and routes to school) and identify key influencing factors. Consider options for increasing community access to school playgrounds out of school hours. Put forward recommendations for piloting, evaluating and sharing good practice | To ensure that opportunities for outdoor free play are easily accessible in the community and that school grounds are valued places for play in the local community | Scottish Government Local Authority Asset Managers GfL Planning Aid for Scotland ( PAS) SOSCN Living Streets Other Partners |
Medium |
| 7.6 Work with Local Authorities to achieve high quality school grounds in new-build schools which are consistent with the 'Good School Playground Guide' | So that schools have well designed, inclusive, and where possible community-accessible play spaces, green spaces and gardens | Scottish Government Local Authorities Scottish Futures Trust Learning for Sustainability Implementation Group SOSCN |
Short as catalyst for ongoing work in the longer term |
| 7.7 Build and showcase a Scotland-wide network of real-life examples of effective play practice across all school sectors, nurseries and childcare settings in order to stimulate further change | To demonstrate a range of good-practice approaches to play provision, evidence the benefits of play in schools/settings and provide inspiration and ideas for any school or setting that wishes to enhance its play provision | GfL SOSCN SPPA Play Scotland NIGOL Play Funders |
Short as catalyst for ongoing work in the longer term |
| 7.8 Publish a resource and deliver training to raise awareness of the UNCRC children's rights within the education sector | To increase awareness and support progress of children's rights, including the right to play, within the education sector | Education Scotland | Short |
Section 8 : In The Community
Outcome: All children and young people have sufficient time and space (physical and social) for playing within their community and have contact with nature in their everyday lives. Play is valued, encouraged and supported in communities, as are providers of community play opportunities such as out of school care, playgroups, therapeutic and specialist settings and community champions of play.
Impact: More children will be playing more often in outdoor places including green space, parks and streets. Careful consideration will have been given to the planning and design of public spaces, and children and young people will be able to find clean, safe and welcoming spaces to play and gather near their homes where they are not considered a nuisance by others in their communities.
| Actions: | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| What? | Why? | Who? | By When? (short, medium or long term) |
| 8.1 Task a working group with mapping the links between the Play Strategy and the Physical Activity Implementation Plan, Good Places Better Health, Planning, Placemaking, Designing Streets, Learning for Sustainability and other related Government and Public Sector plans including Single Outcome Agreements | To increase understanding of the importance of play and highlight contribution to reducing health inequalities | Scottish Government PAS NHS Health Scotland (Physical Activity Health Alliance) Living Streets Learning for Sustainability Implementation Group |
Short |
| 8.2 Develop and disseminate a short guide for Community Planning Partnerships highlighting the types of decisions that should be informed by children's right to play by using resources like the Go Play Outcome and Evaluation Logic Model for Play, UNICEF Indicators, and Professional Development Award in Strategic Planning for Play as a basis | To increase understanding of the importance of play and to embed play at the centre of decision making | Scottish Government Convention of Scottish Local Authorities ( CoSLA) Play Scotland Inspiring Scotland PAS |
Short - medium |
| 8.3 Task a working group to identify steps to ensure play services (out of school care/other play services) are included as part of the local mapping of services by Community Planning Partnerships | To increase understanding of the role of play in meeting needs of children and families and to ensure play staff are included as professional partners in local level planning | Local play infrastructure organisations SOSCN Play Scotland |
Short |
| 8.4 Promote and support the implementation of existing materials for outdoor play audits (Getting It Right for Play) | To support Local Authorities to establish a baseline from which they can measure satisfaction levels and deliver improvements | Scottish Government Play Scotland Living Streets and Partners ( e.g. Sustrans) |
Short |
| 8.5 Promote the use of existing tools to support Local Authorities (including early learning and childcare services, schools, routes to school, indoor and other community-based play provision) in audits of play provision e.g. Design for Play (Play England) | To improve play provision | Play Scotland NHS Health Scotland |
Medium |
| 8.6 Ensure that play is properly addressed within the development of a national Place Standard, a commitment within the Creating Places policy. The Place Standard will be the hallmark of well-designed places and should ensure that opportunities for play are promoted in safe, formal and informal ways | To ensure that new and existing places allow positive and safe access to a variety of options for play within neighbourhoods | Scottish Government Architecture & Design Scotland NHS Health Scotland Play Scotland PAS |
Medium |
| 8.7 Explore with Community Planning Partnerships, Community Safety Partnerships and Community Councils how child friendly community assessment processes and indicators (see UNICEF http://childfriendlycities.org/research/final-toolkit-2011/) can be incorporated into existing practice | To increase children's opportunities to play outdoors in their local neighbourhoods and to reduce negative impact of real and perceived anti-social behaviour on play | Community Planning Partnerships Community Safety Partnerships Community Councils PAS |
Medium |
| 8.8 Identify and showcase case studies in which positive engagement with children and young people, parents and carers and community-based play providers has been used to good effect in the planning, design and management of play spaces and opportunities | To increase children's opportunities to play outdoors in their local neighbourhoods and to reduce negative impact of real and perceived anti-social behaviour on play | Play Scotland Community-based play providers Youth organisations Local Authorities CoSLA Nancy Ovens Trust SOSCN Play Funders |
Short - medium |
| 8.9 Develop and disseminate an infographic illustrating how the design and implementation of play provision in the community extends to positive influence on play in the home and family environment | To increase understanding of the role of play in meeting needs of children and families | SPN SPPA NHS Health Scotland SOSCN IPA Scotland Other partners |
Short |
Section 9 : Positive Support for Play
Outcome: Scotland provides a positive environment for play through: a professional workforce and strong and visionary leadership; a well-resourced third sector and infrastructure; and a supportive and informed media.
Impact: There will be a positive and supportive environment to enable quality play opportunities for all children in Scotland. This will include valuing children and young people and the organisations that provide and support play opportunities and that we are making best use of the skills and knowledge of the play workforce.
| Actions | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| What? | Why? | Who? | By When? (short, medium or long term) |
| 9.1 Deliver the Professional Development award - Strategic Planning for Play Award, in five Scottish Local Authority areas in the first year | To ensure that professionals whose work impacts on children's play have access to relevant training and information | Play Scotland | Short - medium |
| 9.2 Promote the Play Strategy: Our Vision to Universities delivering the B. Ed. and M. Ed. Childhood Practice | To ensure that professionals working with children have access to training and information on play | Play Scotland Implementation Group Higher Education Institutions |
Short |
| 9.3 Task a working group to identify steps to support the development of a Play Policy in every Local Authority including reference to the six priorities of Single Outcome Agreements | To foster a positive and supportive local strategic environment for quality play opportunities for all children in Scotland | Scottish Government Play Scotland CoSLA Local Authorities |
Short - medium |
| 9.4 Promote the implementation of Play Strategy Action Plans in every Local Authority by engaging with existing networks | To deliver positive and supportive outcomes for quality play opportunities for all children in Scotland | CoSLA Local Authorities Play Scotland Regional play infrastructure organisations |
Medium |
| 9.5 Provide a guest lecture programme to input into professional training courses beyond the immediate play sector | To ensure that professionals working for or with children, or whose work impacts on children have access to training and information on play | National play organisations | Short - medium |
| 9.6 Task a working group to commission a review of inclusive play in Scotland to identify context, current practices, barriers and aspirations | To build knowledge base which will inform implementation of the Strategy for all children | Scottish Government | Short - medium |
| 9.7 Develop the Play Leadership Forum and National Play Forum, and support a range of capacity building opportunities, making use of virtual network options where appropriate | To underpin and sustain quality in the play sector | Inspiring Scotland Play Scotland Regional play infrastructure organisations Scottish Funders Forum |
Short |
| 9.8 Investigate how the skills of the play workforce could be utilised more widely to develop quality of play opportunities in a range of other settings | To make best use of the skills, experience and knowledge of the play workforce to improve play opportunities for all children | Play Leadership Forum Play sector partners SOSCN |
Medium |
| 9.9 Map career long professional learning opportunities available to play workforce across Scotland to identify gaps and ensure quality | To ensure standards within the Playwork industry are kept to a high level | Play Scotland Regional play infrastructure organisations SSSC SQA |
Short - medium |
| 9.10 Promote and disseminate the High Level Statement: Children's Play And Leisure - Promoting A Balanced Approach (Health and Safety Executive 2012) and other guidance which challenges risk-averse practices | To embed the Risk Benefit approach to play so that it is applied across sectors | Play Scotland Play sector partners |
Short |
| 9.11 Promote the use of Play Safety Forum 'Benefit Risk Assessment Guidance' in career long learning for all practitioners | To embed the Risk Benefit approach to play so that it is applied across sectors | Play Scotland Play Safety Forum Play Education and Training Council Scotland SOSCN |
Medium |
| 9.12 Identify and showcase the impact of play to potential Funding Bodies and Local Authorities | To work towards optimally resourcing the sector to deliver actions and outcomes identified in Play Strategy over longer term planning | Play Scotland Inspiring Scotland Scottish Funders Forum |
Short as catalyst for ongoing work in the longer term |
| 9.13 Task a working group to develop a Communications Plan for the Plan and Strategy which includes effective use of social media and opportunities for children and young people to represent themselves in the media and promote play | To foster a positive and supportive environment for quality play opportunities for all children in Scotland and challenge pervasive negative attitudes to children and young people and their use of public space | Scottish Government National Play Organisations Scotland's Commissioner for Children and Young People ( SCCYP) |
Short |
| 9.14 Develop media toolkits and training for play practitioners, organisations and children and young people | To advocate key Play Strategy messages at local levels and to challenge pervasive negative attitudes to children and young people and their use of public space | Inspiring Scotland SOSCN SPPA Play Scotland |
Medium |
| 9.15 Task a working group to identify and develop a network of Play Champions throughout Scotland | To advocate key Play Strategy messages at local levels and to the challenge pervasive negative attitudes to children and young people and their use of public space | Play Scotland Inspiring Scotland CoSLA SOSCN SPPA |
Short - medium |
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