East Region Children's Play/Playwork Sector Forum

Anyone involved in the Children's Workforce sector are invited to become a member of this forum and can find further information on this by contacting Julia Fallowfield or Jean Large at eastplayadmin@skillsactive.com.

See below for Terms of Reference for this forum.

Children's Play Network East of England - Terms of reference

Definition of Play

Children's Play is freely chosen, personally directed and intrinsically motivated behaviour that actively engages the child.  Play can be fun or serious.

Through play children explore social, material and imaginery worlds and their relationship with them, elaborating all the while a flexible rsponse to the challenges they encounter.

Vision

Our vision is that people managing or working in play settings will see:

1. Greater recognition of the importance of play and playwork in the well being of communities
2. Safe play open to all children in all settings
3. Regional planning recognising the important role of play in delivering improved outcomes for all children and young people

Aims

The aims of the network will be

1. To highlight the importance of play and playwork
2. To get play onto the agenda of key organisations across the region
3. To influence resource allocation in the region to achieve play outcomes
4. To promote good quality play opportunities for all children and young people in all settings
5. To deliver the Every Child Matters agenda through the context of inclusive play including for disabled children, black and ethnic minority children and children in care
6. To support the individual work programmes of participating members
7. To recognise the contribution of play in enabling children and young people to develop resilience and a healthy respect for risk

Functions

In our work we will aim

1. To demonstrate effective joint working
2. To build respect for each other’s agendas and understand the overlaps
3. To help to shape the workforce development agenda and opportunities for play
4. To collaborate to add value, and achieve joint delivery of our outcomes
5. To share information effectively within the group
6. To communicate effectively and creatively beyond the group to influence regional and local agendas around play and playwork
7. To produce ‘products’ such as conferences or publications to further the aims of the group
8. To undertake partnership working as and when appropriate

Membership

• SkillsActive Playwork East Region
• Play England
• Kids
• 4children
• Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC)
• Go-East
• Opportunity Links
• Training Development Agency (TDA)
• Together for Children
• Cambridgeshire LA - SEN Co-ordinator
• NCMA
• NDNA
• ContinYou
• Extended Schools orgs/staff
• Children's centres
• Other orgs that have an interest in seeing Play and Playwork Education & Training embedded into the working structure of the east region
• Preschool Learning Alliance
• East Together
• National Playing Fields Association
• Institute of Leisure and Amenity Management
• Children’s Trusts?
• PCTs?
• Voluntary and community service umbrella bodies
• Regional Physical Activity Forum
• Other regional forums

Group operation

The group will meet four times a year

Members of the group will determine the agenda in advance for each meeting, based on contributing to the aims of the group

Themes should be used to focus discussions.  External speakers or representatives should be invited to address particular themes

[Potential future themes:  baseline of provision including gaps and barriers, community well being, overview of play strategies in the region, employment and workforce issues, mind-mapping communications]

Meetings to be held in Cambridge at either Go-East or Big Lottery for next 4 meetings

Contact sheet to be circulated to all members

• Chair:  Julia Fallowfield - RDM Playwork SkillsActive East Region - will convene and provide note taker
• Vice-Chair:  Becky Coates - RDM Play England East Region

(Term of office:  two years)

NB:  Outcomes and action points will be provided in note form from the meetings -rather than full verbatim minutes