SkillsActive welcomes next steps for children's workforce

SkillsActive - 07/04/2008

Building Brighter Futures is the latest instalment in a family of documents which includes an updated outcomes framework and ‘Fair Play’ - the first play strategy consultation for England and the first to include a commitment to playwork with an investment of £7.5m. The playwork sector, with SkillsActive as the representative Sector Skills Council, has always been vocal about the importance of playwork in children’s lives. The Government’s recognition of the significant role playwork has for children comes as a real boost to the professionalisation of the sector.

‘Next Steps’ prioritises the delivery of level 3 playwork qualifications for 4,000 playworkers over the next 3 years, starting in autumn 2008 with the emphasis on playwork National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ)- an initiative welcomed by SkillsActive.  One of the key points for playwork, is the government’s commitment to developing a graduate led workforce, a goal that SkillsActive shares and is keen to see happen over the coming years. Initially, research will be commissioned to identify how best to develop a graduate core, with early findings available from autumn 2008. Work will also be carried out looking at support for continuous professional development through the establishment of a management and leadership award. CWDC will be managing these projects, with strategic input from SkillsActive.

Building Brighter Futures: next steps also makes provision for the formation of an Expert Group, which will be setup to provide a support and challenge role and to inform development of a long term children’s workforce strategy, due autumn in 2008. Inclusion of the common core will continue and SkillsActive has already begun the process of incorporating this into playwork National Occupational Standards. What’s more, there is a general recognition that a strong professional identity helps drive high quality provision- something highlighted in SkillsActive’s UK Strategy for Playwork Education, Qualifications and Training ‘Quality Training, Quality Play 2006 – 2011’.

Building Brighter Futures also recognises that the sports and recreation, health and fitness, and the outdoors sub-sectors within the SkillsActive footprint make a valuable contribution to children’s lives and also need to be considered part of the overall workforce.

Chris Martin, Playwork Policy manager for SkillsActive says:

“SkillsActive welcomes this new document and we’re particularly pleased that playwork is given recognition it deserves as a distinct profession within the children’s workforce, and that there is dedicated funding available. Playwork needs to become a graduate led profession in order to play our part as equals in integrated working arrangements, while still acknowledging the essential roles of playworkers of all qualification levels, both paid and voluntary. 

The sector, as a whole, has developed an enviable body of evidence backing up the benefits of play, and the widespread development of a workforce capable of delivering high quality playwork will benefit children, young people and their communities everywhere. We look forward to working with the CWDC and providing our strategic input into the programme and working with other partners to understand the contributions of playwork to their areas of work.

There are still challenges to be faced. It is not an easy job to raise professional status and there are still many issues with recruitment, retention, reward and career pathways. Inspection regimes will have to take account of the changing responsibilities of playwork, and there will be much work needed by both playworkers and their employers to incorporate a developing playwork profession. Training and NVQ assessment capacities are also limited and will need investment in order to deliver the 4000 new qualifications. In the upcoming re-licensing of Sector Skills Councils it will be essential that the voice of the playwork workforce is heard loud and clear.

Although the path will not be an easy one, I believe that the messages contained in this and other recent documents clearly demonstrate the Government’s understanding and recognition of the importance of play that is shared by the sector. I am more than confident that this will enable the playwork workforce to deliver better play opportunities for children.”