Playwork

Some settings offer open access provision where children can arrive and leave unaccompanied, some provide registration in and out of the setting and some will incorporate both for different age ranges. Many of these settings will be subject to care standards and regulations appropriate to the UK country they operate in.

The provision of play opportunities in communities across the UK is crucial in ensuring all children have equal access to play environments regardless of their background and circumstances.

Play is a critical part of a child’s life, allowing for learning and social development, as well as building the blocks for a healthy lifestyle. Playwork contains a high proportion of volunteers and part-time workers, and brings its own unique skills and training needs. SkillsActive is working hard with the sector to ensure that playworkers are trained to the highest standards, and that their training is recognised across the industry.

Our role

SkillsActive works across the UK leading the development of playwork education and training for all those working with children and young people. We work with deliverers and suppliers of vocational education to meet the skills and training needs of the sector. We have recently launched a new tri-regional delivery structure to take forward workforce development across the 9 English regions.

We firmly believe that the new structure will enable us to focus effectively and efficiently as a coordinated voice for the sector, which is reflected in a coherent and evidenced demand for skills.

Funding for 4,000 places on training courses has been offered to Playworkers in England as part of the Government’s commitment in the Children’s Plan to develop a professional Playwork workforce.

This is an encouraging response to all those with a stake in Playwork and a ringing endorsement of the role that skills and qualifications have in improving quality of services, productivity and relations with children, young people and their parents and carers.

Moreover it is recognition of the value of individual Playworkers’ contribution in playwork settings.  Training results in a sense of job satisfaction, outward recognition and presents scope for career progression in the Children’s Workforce. Professional, well-trained Playworkers are a key part of the children’s workforce.

SkillsActive also has a dedicated programme manager for children and young people based in Scotland. We also work with colleagues in Northern Ireland and Wales to ensure we drive forward the playwork sector on a social, economical and political agenda. 

Examples of SkillsActive’s work within the Playwork industry:

• Creation of the UK’s first Playwork strategy, adopted throughout England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland;
• Development of the first interactive CD toolkit to help employers develop their employees in the sector;
• Annual playwork survey to ensure that employers and employees are fully involved in the development of their industry.

“The results will be an invaluable source of information about the workforce’s pay and conditions and it should help make sure that people who work with children in play settings get the training and qualifications they need.” 

Frances Basham, senior playworker with Haringey Play Association, speaking of the annual survey.

Click here to watch a video outlining the importance of skills and training in the Playwork sector.

Key facts and figures

• 95% of the playwork workforce in the UK is female.
• Three in ten playwork employers have identified a skills gap in their workforce.
• The sector had an estimated GVA output of £1.5 billion in 2004.
• Employment in the sector in the UK accounts for 23% of the active leisure and Learning sector, with a total of 132,730 people employed across the UK.

There are a number of other playwork related publications and research available on the website.

Training, education and qualifications

SkillsActive has worked in partnership to develop training plans and qualification frameworks for the active leisure and learning sector, we also develop national occupational standards that underpin education courses and qualifications, click here to access them, which are based upon a set of principles that are available here. 

Pathways to Playwork

Pathways to Playwork is a FREE on-line interactive tool which provides access to our sector approved qualifications and endorsed playwork training courses provided by our Quality Assured Training Provision for the play workforce. Click here to find out more.

Clarification on the use of national occupational standards

SkillsActive has issued a statement to clarify the use of NOS for Playwork and Children’s Care, Learning and Development (CCLD)

Following the recent expansion of the age range for the new CCLD standards to encompass children and young people up to 16, SkillsActive and Skills for Care and Development have agreed that a clause would appear in the units of the respective standards to clarify their use. Click here to access them.