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PLAYLINK has posted it's response to the Government's green paper, Every Child Matters. You can read the final version of PLAYLINK's response by following this link.
The Government's stated aim is 'to protect children at risk within a framework of universal services which support every child to develop their full potential'. This is not a document about play. But it clearly offers the chance for play providers and service managers to ensure that play is on the agenda within the new frameworks for children's services.
The emphasis is on joined up thinking and practice between professionals delivering services for children and there are proposals for revised local authority frameworks and workforce reform to support this. There is also to be a Children's Commissioner, reporting annually to Parliament, specifically to advocate for children and a new Young People's Fund, with an initial budget of £200m, to focus on out of school activity.
Consultation on the green paper closed on 1 December 2003, but you can still view the green paper and associated documents at http://www.dfes.gov.uk/everychildmatters.
The Government's drive for new housing means that there are lots of new initiatives promoting good design in affordable housing. Some pilots are already complete or nearing completion but how well are they dealing with the needs of children and young people. In the South East, 56 sites have been identified for development by the Housing Partnership in Basildon, Crawley, Hemel Hempstead, Milton Keynes, Northampton, Peterborough, Stevenage and Welwyn Garden City. How are they proposing to involve young people in the planning and design. PLAYLINK would like to hear from Free Play Network members who know of successful examples providing imaginative play opportunities in new or renovated housing estates. Please email: sandra@playlink.org.uk.
Following consultation in the summer, the revised versions of the National Daycare Standards (for England) and the matching Ofsted guidance are now available in printed form. The set of Standards for 'Out of school care', which is the relevant one for open access/play provision, can be obtained from DfES Publications Centre, Nottingham, tel: 0845 602 2260 or fax: 0845 603 3360. The reference is: DfES/0652/2003.
Ofsted have published just the revised sections of their guidance resulting from the changes as 'Day Care: Guidance to the National Standards, revisions to certain criteria'. This publication is obtainable from 07002 637 833 or from your local authority. The reference is:HMI 1786.
You can download copies of both the Standards and the Guidance
from the Ofsted and the SureStart websites by going to http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/publications/index.cfm?
fuseaction=pubs.summary&id=3382 and following the links.
You can read PLAYLINK's response to the Department for Education and Skills' consultation on changes to the National Standards for Under Eights Day Care and associated regulations. The Standards apply to childcare providers in England.
In October 2002 the Government announced a review of children's play opportunities to inform spending of the £200m lottery funding through the New Opportunities Fund (NOF).
This consultation is now closed, but a response from Government on their proposals for the Lottery Funding is expected this summer. You can view PLAYLINK's Response to the Play Review, which we have posted on this website for information.
For further information on the Play Review go to http://www.dfes.gov.uk/consultations/playreview.
Presentation by Simon Brown to PLAYLINK seminar on Promoting Free Play, 6 November 2002.
© 2003 PLAYLINK.