'All to play for'
Bradford Early Years, Childcare & Play launched ‘All to Play For - a Strategy for Children’s Play in the Bradford District’ in 2004 after consulting over 1,000 children and young people across the district. This strategy underpins the work of the Play Team in the Bradford district and was subsequently updated in 2008.
Successes
There have been many accomplishments since 2004, including the launch of the Big Lottery Fund’s Children’s Play Programme and Bradford’s allocation of £1.4 million for Children’s Play, the establishment of the Play Partnership, which brings together representatives from organisations and agencies whose work impacts on children’s play, and the appointment of a Bradford Play Champion.
Play Support
Bradford Council's Play Team's supports and promotes the values of the Playwork approach; this includes being child centred, enabling freedom, choice and control, providing a variety of play experiences including risk and challenge.
They are responsible for implementing the recommendations of the District's Play Strategy and aim to promote and develop inclusive, quality play provision in settings across the district including out of school clubs, holiday playschemes and other organisations providing opportunities for children’s play.
The team visit settings and groups to provide advice, practical workshops, support with quality assessments, and signposting to organisations who can provide additional specific support.
Play Partners
Play Partners enable disabled children and young people and those with special educational needs and/or complex health needs aged 5 to 14 to access play and leisure activities. For more information see the Play Partners section of this website.
Play Champion - Ian Shackelton
In Bradford, the appointment of a Play Champion has been a significant achievement and has acted as a catalyst for change.
Ian Shackleton was elected Play Champion by the children and young people of Bradford, with support from the district's schools, taking over from Cllr John Cole who 'retired' after 3 years in the role.
Play schemes
Holiday play and activity schemes take place in various settings across the district. For more information about playschemes in your area contact the Families Information Service on 01274 437503
Playscheme organisers should contact the Community Play and Activities Development Unit on 01274 435496
Nell Bank
The Outdoor Education Centre at Nell Bank, Ilkley.
Support for Practitioners - Play Training
The Play Team deliver various training and qualifications for practitioners, from practical ideas for inclusive play training, through to the Level 3 Diploma in Playwork, as well as workshops in play settings, including schools. All of which promote quality play opportunities for children and young people across the district, and are available to apply for from the Bradford Early Years, Childcare & Play Training Prospectus
We are able to:
- help to deliver quality playwork practice
- deliver Playwork training and nationally recognised Playwork qualifications
- offer support and advice about adventure playwork
- signpost play providers, including schools to resources, e.g. equipment, training and funding
- offer practical support and advice with a commitment to developing inclusive quality play provision
- support community groups to develop play provision in their area
- represent the district at a range of regional, national and international sector specific networks
Strategic Enabler Report, 2007 - 2008
The strategic enabler role was formed in partnership between the Early Years & Childcare Service and the Disabled Children & Young People Strategy Group and funded as part of the ‘Inclusive Play and Activities’ project through the Enjoy & Achieve Outcome Group’s Neighbourhood Renewal Allocation (2006 – 2008).
The main aim was to identify existing models of good practice which enabled disabled children and those with complex health needs to access mainstream provision, gaps in this area of work and recommendations as to how these gaps might be addressed.
Final Report Strategic Enabler (
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Evaluations
Play Partnership Network Event - November 2008 - Presentations
Monitoring Report - Update 2008-2009
Open Access Play Provision Report
Produced by Gi Cheesman and Associates in 2007 - review of Open Access Play Provision across the District.
Open Access Play Provision across the District ().
APAP - the Adventurous Play Activators Project (APAP)
Part of Bradford Community Environment Project (BCEP), they aim to increase children's self confidence, self esteem and self worth and engage children with the environment at large, through facilitating play with packs of loose parts which contain many forms of different recycled items for example traffic cones, tyres and reels. They will either visit your centre/school and deliver a session or you can hire you a pack free of charge for you to deliver yourself. For further information please contact Becky or Jen on 01274 223236 or email info@bcep.org.uk
Resources
We have many useful play resources. For more information see the Resources section of this site.
Got a question or want to comment then why not get in touch with the team?
