Bournemouth and Poole Play Strategy 2010-2015

AGENDA ITEM 4

BOROUGH OF POOLE

CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE

19 APRIL 2010

BOURNEMOUTH AND POOLE PLAY STRATEGY 2010-2015

PART OF THE PUBLISHED FORWARD PLAN: YES

STATUS (Strategic, Service Delivery Information)

PURPOSE

1.1The Bournemouth and Poole Play Strategy 2007 has been updated to account for the implementation of the National Play strategy policy issued in December 2008 and the national Playbuilder capital programme. Local Play strategies are required by Department for Children Schools and Families to be embedded in the strategic framework of the local authority as a cross –cutting policy. Recent guidance has been published by the DSCF for Children’s Trusts and partner agencies to support this.

DECISION REQUIRED

2.1 To recommend to Cabinet the revised Bournemouth and Poole Joint Play Strategy (Appendix 1) and the Poole Action Plan (Appendix 2.)

BACKGROUND/INFORMATION

3.1 The Bournemouth and Poole Play Partnership commissioned the development of the Bournemouth and Poole Play Strategy in 2006. The joint strategy was completed in 2007, and submitted as part of the requirements for the application to the BIG Lottery Fund Play Grant allocated to this authority’s Children’s Services of £272, 949 over 3 years. The strategy included a play audit and consultation process. The priorities identified in the Strategy led to the commissioning of 2 projects to receive BIG Lottery Play funding in Poole

Poole Fundays –BoP Leisure Services
Bournemouth and Poole Play Rangers – Barnardos

3.2The joint Play Partnership meets quarterly and is chaired by each boroughs “Play Champion”. Poole’s “Play Champion”is Cllr Tony Woodcock, Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services.The Poole Play Strategy group meets bi- monthly and currently includes representation from across Children and Young Peoples services, Leisure Services, Public Health and the voluntary sector. Three Play Conferences have been held across Bournemouth and Poole in 2006, 2008 and 2009.

3.3. The participation of children and young people in developing their own version of the joint Play Strategy for publication has been led by the Participation team in Poole Children & Young People’s Integrated Services. The Play poster and leaflet was designed and produced by a group of children and young people aged 7 – 16 years from Bournemouth and Poole. It was an extremely successful piece of work and has been highlighted as an area of good practice by Play England. The work undertaken by the group of children and young people has been incorporated into the revised strategy.

3.4. In 2008, the government published the national Play Strategy, following on from the promise in the national Children’s Plan (2007) to acknowledge the importance and benefits of play in meeting key outcomes for children and young people and local communities. The Play Strategy highlighted the need for local authorities to develop a local play strategy which is cross cutting and embedded in its Local Strategic Plan, Children’s Trusts and Children & Young People’s Plan, and linked to other key strategic plans such as Safer and Stronger Communities, Planning and Transportation and Public Health.

4. Play Projects in Poole

4.1Both Big Lottery play projects started in October 2007 with 3 years funding for both projects due to end in September 2010. Both projects have reported regularly to both the joint Play Partnership Forum and Poole Play Strategy group as well as providing quarterly report to Big Lottery.

4.2Poole Fundays has been led by Borough of Poole Leisure Services, in partnership with Youth Services, Cultural Services, Children and Young Peoples Services and has been supported by Barnardos Play Rangers, Safer Neighbourhood teams, Dorset Wildlife Trust and Dorset Fire and Rescue Service. The total amount of BIG funding for this project over 3 years is £55, 434. The project has bought capital resources and produced a Handbook for local community groups in order to encourage and support local groups to run their own community Fundays with the aim of creating longer term sustainability. The project has also worked closely with the local Fun 4 Kidz Spots as part of the local churches community re-generation project in Poole Town and Hamworthy.

4.3 Fundays has exceeded their agreed targets and outcomes in supporting the delivery of 18 events in Years 1 and 2 with a further 5 events due in Year 3. The target was 16 events over 3 years. In Year 2 there were 3266 attendances at the 11 events by children and young people. Further work in Year 3 is being done to engage and support local community groups to sustain the project, and alternative funding streams are currently being pursued in partnership with the Fun4kidz project.

4.4.Barnardos Play Rangers project began delivering services across Bournemouth and Poole in May 2008. They offer 4 open access free and inclusive after school sessions in local parks in targeted areas across Poole, including Scott Road, Alderney; Hamworthy Park/ Foreland Road, Turlin Moor; Sherborne Crescent, Canford Heath and Green Road/Baiter. The Play Rangers aim to get children 8-13 years playing outside in their local areas all year round helping them to increase physical activity and providing fun and creative, challenging play opportunities.

4.5Providing a supervised play opportunity means children and parents feel less concerned about bullying. Play Rangers have also supported the Fundays projects and Short Breaks schemes for children with disabilities. Play Rangers have also supported Playbuilder events to promote the new play equipment being installed in the parks for 8-13 year olds.

4.6 The total amount of Big funding for Play Rangers over 3 years is £195, 156. In addition capital funding of £10,462 bought a van to support the project. Due to starting a brand new project and difficulties in recruiting staff trained in playwork locally, the project in year 1 only used £26, 647. The full cost for Year 2 Play Rangers in Poole was £67,000. The remainder of the funding has rolled over into Year 3. Barnardos will use some of the additional funding available in year 3 to deliver more playranger sessions over the summer months in 2010, increasing opportunities for children with disabilities, recruiting and training local volunteers, and working with the Playbuilder programme.No sustainability funding has currently been identified to maintain this project in Poole when Big Lottery funding ends in September 2010.The Borough of Poole is actively supporting Barnados to look at other sources of funding.

4.7PlaybuilderProgramme is designed to increase the opportunities for challenging and creative outdoors play for 8- 13 years which had been identified as a gap in the national strategy. The Playbuilder programme offered capital funding to all local authorities from April 2009 - 2011. Poole has been allocated £1.1m to improve 22 play areas. Leisure Services has led the project in partnership with CYP Services, and are on target to complete 11 improved play areas by end April 2010. Play England has been impressed with the robust consultation process and participation of local children and young people in the programme.

5. Bournemouth and Play Strategy 2010 – 2015

5.1The local Bournemouth and Poole Play Strategy has been now revisedfollowing the publishing of the national Play Strategy. The strategy includes the views of children and young people and updates policy statements on play following the publication of the national strategy and guidance. It is clear that Play is a cross-cutting theme which contributes to a range of key outcomes for children and young people and local communities. Each authority now has its own Action Plan to implement the key priorities, which will be monitored through the Poole Strategy Group.

5.2 To support this, Play England and Skills Active are funded by DCSF to provide a Playshaper seminar to help local authorities engage with senior managers across services including Police, Transportation, Housing and Planning. Poole is planning to hold their Playshaper seminar on 8th June 2010. It is expected by DCSF that key managers from relevant services and agencies will attend to make this a successful event.

5.3 Other key priorities within the Poole Action plan include:

Widening the membership of the Play Strategy group to include other key services
Evaluation of the Playbuilder programme with children and young people and local communities
Ensuring the new national indicator N199 – satisfaction with local play areas is met, and local indicators for Play are set.
Working with local communities to develop informal supervision of play areas to promote community engagement and ownership of shared space
Ensuring the re-generation of Poole includes planning for sufficient play space for its children and young people.

6.FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

6.1The only revenue funding for specific play projects in Poole, the BIG lottery fund comes to an end in September 2010. No sustainability funding has yet been identified, and this will mean the Barnardos Play Ranger service will cease by the end of the year.

6.2 Playbuilder revenue and capital programme ends in April 2011. Planning obligations S.106 funding will continue to provide some capital funding to improve open spaces and play areas in areas of development in Poole.

6.3The cost of implementing the Play Strategy in Poole is currently being met through existing resources. There is no specific budget identified for Play within Children and Young People’s Services.

7. LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

7.1Barnardos currently has a contract with the Borough of Poole to deliver the Play Ranger project until 30th September 2010. It is possible that the contract may be extended for a limited period if any under spend of the Big Lottery funding is able to be carried forward.

8.RISK MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS

8.1The strategy includes a statement on Play and Risk Management. The adoption and promotion of a Managing Risk in Play Policy will create a framework for countering unreasonable claims of negligence and improving play opportunities for children and young people. The Bournemouth and Poole Joint Play Partnership Forum adopted a Managing Risk in Play Policy in 2010 and supports children setting their own challenges in play.

9.EQUALITIES IMPLICATIONS

9.1The joint strategy includes a policy statement on inclusion. The new guidance on Embedding the Play strategy for local authorities emphasises the need for an inclusive approach to meet the needs of all families.

10.CONCLUSIONS

10.1Statutory Guidance to Children’s Trusts states “the neighbourhoods in which children live should provide a range of high-quality opportunities for play and recreation, requiring a strategic approach to play across the local area, with the full involvement of children, local communities and the third sector in decision-making.” The Bournemouth and Poole Play Strategy and Action Plan aims to ensure that these outcomes are achieved.

Report Author: Annie Draper, Locality Manager, CYPIS (Lead Officer for Play, Children’s Services)

Contact officer:Annie Draper, Locality Manager, CYPIS (Lead Officer for Play, Children’s Services)

Background Papers:

1.Bournemouth and Poole Play Strategy 2007

2. Bournemouth and Poole Play Strategy 2010 – 2015

3. Borough of Poole Playbuilder Project Plan March 2009 (Leisure Services /Children and Young Peoples Services)

4. The Play Strategy (2008) DCSF-00951-2008

5.Embedding the Play Strategy (2010) - Guidance for local authorities, Children’s Trust Boards and Local Strategic Partnerships on planning and sustaining provision for children and young people’s play and informal recreation. DCSF-01194-2010