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Play Wales Consultation on playwork 'Assumptions and Values'

The first phase of consultation on the important review of the playwork 'Assumptions and Values', now being referred to as the playwork 'Principles', has ended. The review is being conducted by Play Wales and PLAYLINK has given its support to the process.

Comments from playworkers on an initial consultants' draft have gone to a group of principals with a variety of experience in play and playwork. Following their amendments, the document setting out the Principles will be available for wider comment.

Because of the strategic importance of this piece of work, we have written to the Play Wales Director setting out our position at this stage and indicating that we expect to respond to the second consultation (see below). Further information about the Play Wales consultation is available at: http://www.playwales.org.uk/values.

PLAYLINK Letter to Play Wales, 14 April 2004

Playwork Values and Assumptions

As you know, PLAYLINK has committed its support to the process of review of the playwork values and assumptions currently being carried out by Play Wales. We believe that the review is timely and should make a major contribution to the development of play opportunities for children - our primary concern.

We recognise that, in the first instance, it is for playworkers to determine the basis for their own professional practice. We do not therefore propose to comment on your consultants' drafts beyond saying that we very much welcome the focus on the child at play as the guiding principle and the distinction made between what they term the 'manifest' and the 'latent' elements of playwork. This represents an approach that we have consistently followed in PLAYLINK.

However, there are a couple of points we would like to make on the process. Clearly PLAYLINK has a deep interest in the final outcome of the review. It has been our aim over the years to support development of a consistent set of values to underpin work on policy and practice in relation to play provision.

1. We see the principles and values you are working on as having the potential to make a vital contribution to development of the sector overall, including the creation of national and local play policies, quality standards, practice guidance, regulatory regimes as well as the education, training and professional standing of playworkers.

We hope you agree that in order to do this effectively, the principles and values must be formulated in a way that communicates what playwork is to a number of different constituencies. We assume that it is your intention eventually to translate the work of your consultants into an unambiguous and inspirational set of statements which could fulfil this role.

2. We understand that you have now appointed a group of Principals from a

variety of backgrounds to consider the consultants draft in the light of the comments you have received from playworkers. We assume it is your intention to invite comments from a wider group after this stage and that we would be able to make a contribution to the process at that point.

3. You have indicated that although you wanted to keep the review moving forward, you would not allow deadlines to constrain the consultation process. The initial timetable now looks unrealistic with the risk of limiting engagement with the process and damaging goodwill. Am I right in thinking that you have already negotiated an extension to the timetable?

I would be grateful for your reassurance on these points.

With all good wishes

Sandra Melville
Director